Anyone who has watched Tina Fey's hit comedy "30 Rock" knows that the show's protagonist, Liz Lemon, is just a gal like any other, trying to live her life, and have it all. Through all the gags, snark, and poignant pop culture referencing, we as the audience grow to love Liz Lemon, to understand Liz Lemon, and dare I even say it? Become Liz Lemon.
While it almost seems funny to relate personally to such a hot mess of a character, it should really be no surprise that the audience connects so strongly with her. We connect to Liz Lemon because we are all Liz Lemon, to some varying degree.
Liz Lemon is real. She's not worried about looking cute at work or eating like a "lady," the bitch does what she wants! She takes the very things we all say we want to do (like "shotgun" a pizza), and she actually does it. Societal standards be damned, Liz Lemon isn't worried about fitting into your size two designer dress, she's worried about fitting an entire pizza into her mouth. This is a lesson we should all take to heart.
Liz Lemon is candid. She says what she thinks and doesn't hold back. Clearly, a lot of hilarity ensues from moments like this, but it also speaks to the personality of someone not afraid to say what they think, even if it's unpopular. She's witty, rude, honest, and she speaks her mind. Essentially, she's the baddest bitch in this place.
She's not sexy, and she knows it. But does she care? No, she owns her awkwardness. If we could all just stop trying to perfect that sultry eye-smolder when we're at the bar, we might look in the mirror and realize we look a lot like Liz Lemon eyeing a meat-lovers pizza. Liz knows she wasn't born with the sex-appeal of some hybrid humanoid Kardashian clone, and that doesn't bother her. So what if she's not turning heads at the bar? She's having a hell of a lot more fun being herself, day dreaming about astronaut Mike Dexter.
Despite all this, she's not afraid to admit her own faults. Sure being a strong independent woman is fun, but we're all prone to hypocrisy, and even the most independent of people need to be able to admit that they need approval from others. While Liz Lemon is by all means her own person (and proves this on a regular basis), she's knows that she's just like the rest of us; a little lonely, and looking for validation from friends and family.
Most importantly of all, she's not afraid to let her freak flag fly - not afraid at all. She knows she's weird, she knows she's a nerd, and she embraces it. She doesn't try to hide it or downplay it, she's comfortable enough with who she is that she's okay with singing "Hard Knock Life" as she cleans her house, or dressing up as Princess Leia to get out of jury duty. She's the weirdo we need, the one we should aspire to be, bold, unashamed, and unafraid of judgment.
So the next time you're feeling lost, insecure, angry, or hungry just stop and take a deep breath. What would Liz Lemon do?
(The answer is pizza.)
