Mindy Kaling; image courtesy of Forbes.com
First off, R.I.P. MJ. Something tells me that Mindy Kaling and Kelly Kapoor would want me to pay tribute.
So, my friend Christina, who works at Merge Records, posted this news item on Facebook yesterday and I thought I’d share. Mindy Kaling, writer, producer, and star of The Office, likes her indie rock. She, along with folks like Zach Galifianakis, Amy Poehler, and artists Miranda July and Kara Walker, is compiling a playlist of her favorite songs from the label’s catalog for their 20th anniversary box set! As a bonus, the proceeds from her contribution are going to Doctors Without Borders.
Kaling’s presence on the American Office is one of my favorite aspects of the series (Bitch feels similarly). To quote my friend Liz, Kelly Kapoor’s “hyper-femininity is fascinatingly funny and a window into the absurdity of what pop culture thinks women are and/or like.” Kaling is also responsible for writing some of my favorite episodes of The Office, in large part because they tend to be the most critical of male buffoonery (ex: she penned “Night Out”). She’s also developing her own show for NBC — perhaps a female buddy comedy. YAY!
In addition to which, I love that she’s into indie rock. In my limited contact with Merge personnel, they have struck me as some of the nicest, most down-to-earth people in the music industry. And it goes without saying that I’m excited that a woman of color is aligned with this Merge retrospective, as indie rock can tend to be a white man’s game.
Yay, Mindy and Merge! The box set is already sold out, so place your orders now!
