(CNN) – Comedienne Tina Fey might be most well known for her 2008 portrayal of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live – an impersonation that, to the detriment of the McCain campaign, led many to confuse Fey with the real thing.
But now Fey is defending her role as Palin amid critics who say she unfairly exploited the Alaska governor.
"Some may argue that exploiting Governor Palin and her family helped bring attention to my low-rated TV show," writes Fey of 30 Rock, the NBC show that has struggled in the ratings despite critical acclaim.
Fey's comments appear in her new memoir, "Bossypants," an advance copy of which was obtained by USA Today.
"I am proud to say you are wrong," she continues. "My TV show still enjoys very low ratings. In fact, I think the Palin stuff may have hurt the TV show. Let's face it, between Alec Baldwin and me there is a certain fifty percent of the population who think we are pinko Commie monsters."
Despite appearing at Fey's side on Saturday Night Live shortly before the 2008 presidential election, Palin has since made clear she is no fan of the actress that many believe defined the former Alaska governor more than anyone else.
In a 2009 interview with conservative John Ziegler, Palin said of Fey, "I know that a lot of people are capitalizing on, oh I don't know, perhaps some exploiting that was done via me, my family, my administration – that's a little bit perplexing, but it also says a great deal about our society."
From CNN Politics
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I love Tina!
I love yo Faye.....grab some one to do Michelle Bachman's too...then Mitt, Tim, etc,.....God bless you....
Tina Feye was awesome. The HBO movie Game Change should star Tina Feye and not Julianne Moore.
Okay... let's see... Tina Fey "exploited" Palin, Katie Couric "exploited" Palin, David Letterman "exploited" Palin, Tracy Morgan "exploited" Palin. Goodness... let's hope she never has to face REAL exploitation from the likes of Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Putin. She may get the vapors!
HAHAHAHAHA! Palin feels exploited by Tina Fey? Not the Republican Party? Not her own lack of sense? Tina Fey? Really?
Tina Fey did not define Sara Palin! Sara Palin opened her mouth and defined herself!!!!
Comedians do caricatures, and most people realize this. We must be able to laugh at ourselves in order not to take ourselves to seriously. Unfortunately Mrs. Palin doesn't appear to have that capability and seems to take herself much too seriously. Keep it up Tina, you have a great talent.
Sarah Palin............always the victim. Nevermind the fact that she hasn't accomplished anything. She is a loser and a quiter.
Oh wait........she is a best selling author.
What made Fey's impression effective was that she often used Palin's EXACT words. That was the joke.
Trust me, Fey did not hurt Palin's image. Many spoofs used Palin's exact words during interviews. I hate victims...
That Palin could talk with a straight face about exploitation is a tribute to her amazing lack of self-awareness.
I think she did a GREAT JOB we all know Palin is just a joke .
So now Palin is blaming Tina Fey for her woes. Look in the mirror, Ms. Palin, and you'll see who should be blamed!
The resemblance is uncanny. My daughter looks like both of them, which made her Halloween choice very easy. Politicians have been mocked on TV since the days of the Smothers Brothers, both sides, any party. The smart ones embrace the publicity, a Palin did at first, but now seems to get into little insult wars with comedians. Hecklers get ignored, wise up Sarah, laugh with them, it's actually a compliment.
Tina's portrayal of Caribou Barbie/Snowball Snooki was spot-on.
The best reason fro watching SNL in years.
I hope if $P runs for president that she will reprise the role on many Saturday nights.
What can $P see from her house now Tina?????
I'm still waiting for Mrs. Palin to gracefully go away. It's a pity that she is so trashy and stupid that she doesn't understand the principle of losing gracefully and retiring from the field with her honor intact. Honor? she never had any...intelligence either. I guess that is why Fox hired her. When will she be appearing on Wrestling? Maybe she could make a few bucks taking on Snookie.
Some people just don't know when to quit while they are ahead. Palin supporters needs to leave this actress alone, and roll with the punches. Most of what she did on SNL was verbatim recitals of Palin's own words, complete with mannerisms. Somehow I don't think the SNL producers would mind or complain all that much if the Palin impersonation showed up elsewhere on NBC.
No Sarah, it says a lot about YOU. You're a laughing stock and an ignoramus. That's why Fey was able to make fun of you so well.
I think what Tina Fey should just say to her critics is to just get a life. Palin is a public figure , if she cannot handled being lampooned then she has no business in politics.
Repub's are still blaming everyone else but themselves that they didn't win in 2008 . All Tina Fey did was act just like her and it was hilarious . I mean if you look back at some of the interviews you could see that most of the skit material was word for word ! Palin was just a gimmick that McCain used to to try to pull some of the female voter's , but it backfired because she was so divisive and unprepared ! Shame on you McCain for unleashing this awful money grubbing lunatic of a person on us !
I don't see way any mad about Tina Fey Impersonation of Saran Palin, Because Tina Fey is a hole lot smarter than Saran Palin and most likely more QUALIFIED. Saran Palin Is the World biggest IDIOT and than come MICHELE BACHMANN.
Oh please, SNL has been mocking politician for decades. Chevy Chase lampooned Gerald Ford regularly in the 70s. Palin is just playing poor me.
Yeah it does say a great deal about our society. It says we can spot an IDIOT in the dark. "You Betcha".
Tina,your my favorite female comedian. You did a service to our country,bringing comedy to the "Non-Sense" that was taking place. The gop and teaparty "tried" to blame Katie Couric for asking Palin a "SIMPLE QUESTION" too. Remember? Your Great at what your do, I can,t wait until the power media starts in on Palin again,it helps the pain to "Laugh" Thank You.
Remember that line in "Young Guns", where, right before he shoots somebody, Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez) says, "Hey... I'll make you famous"? This kind of reminds me of that.
Would Mrs. Palin's political half-life been longer had not Mrs. Fey been so spot-on in pointing out her obvious intellectual deficiencies? Maybe. But let's be honest: Mrs. Palin has proven that she is both incapable of keeping her mouth shut, and indifferent to the truth, logic, or value of anything she has to say. She is the perfect politician of this imperfect age in that regard, and Mrs. Fey pointed that out in an entirely honest–if mostly unflattering–way.