In a poll conducted by Movietickets.com and news-pegged to Administrative Professionals’ Day (which is next week, bitches!), Anne Hathaway’s character Andie in The Devil Wears Prada has been voted the all-time best assistant character in film. While I agree that her character was very relatable and hit a lot of the right notes for me, I always disliked Andie’s (in the book and in the movie) entitlement complex and holier-than-thou attitude. I probably would have voted for one of the 9 to 5 ladies, personally, but I also am hugely biased toward anything that involves Dolly Parton. Apparently, I’m not alone, since Dolly came in second. Here’s the list, clearly written by someone who cared more about using the actors’ names than the characters’:
Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada
Dolly Parton in 9 to 5
Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich
Gwyneth Paltrow in Iron Man
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Secretary
Interesting that all the winners were ladies. Perhaps this has something to do with our culture’s view of assistants as primarily female? I sort of wonder if this list was more of a “vote for the most recent assistant character you can remember,” although the inclusion of 9 to 5 would be the exception. Maybe this is a “which assistant character would you most want to sleep with?” I’d believe that one. Memories are short, and not everyone cares as deeply about people who play assistant roles in movies as I do.
I recently saw 9 to 5 the Musical on Broadway.I saw it on a Thursday night after a particularly frustrating day at work and this was definitely the cure. Alison Janney, Megan Hilty and Stephanie J. Block were hilarious and had great chemistry together. I wished they worked in my office instead of the one other female who thinks she’s a princess and creates drama.
Dolly Parton, hero to STA, did an amazing job with the music and it took the story to another level entirely. The fantasy sequences were my favorite. Their takes on getting even with the boss were exhilarating. Kathy Fitzgerald stole the show as Roz singing in the bathroom in her musical number. I don’t know about you but I’ve had days when I wish I could escape to the ladies room and belt out a tune.
The musical also showed how far women have come in the workplace as well as how far we have to go. There are so many things in the show that they accomplished that are status quo these days.I think it is important to understand what the women before us overcame in the workplace so we can fully appreciate their progress. 9 to 5 is a fun way to do this.
Grab a couple of your assistant friends after work, go to TKTS and get discounted tickets for 9 to 5 the Musical. It’s more fun than happy hour. You can follow them on twitter @tdfnyc to see if they have tickets on sale that day. Tickets are subject to availability. You may leave the office defeated but you will leave the theater with a smile on your face.
The Broadway musical 9 to 5, just like the movie it’s based on, is about employees dealing with a shitty boss. Well, it turns out that the show’s stars didn’t have to reach too far back into their memories to get some emotional recollection. Here are a couple of their worst boss stories:
I worked at this Mexican restaurant when I was in college and there was this manager who was a pompous idiot who thought he was the coolest thing on the face of the planet. He always found ways to truly annoy and criticize you and then he’d go back into his office and do a line of coke.” Best revenge “The head office [of the Mexican restaurant] brought in this new assistant manager to learn the ropes to replace the head manager. And when my boss found that out, he did everything he could to fire me. But the assistant manager came into the office with me and said, ‘You can fire Marc, but the minute he walks out that door, I’m rehiring him.’ So that was it.
- Marc Kudisch (who plays… the boss)
I worked at a talent agency here in New York answering phones. The owner of the agency would scream at me if I didn’t recognize his voice. I was so terrified every time I answered the phone. And if I screwed up, he says, ‘DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?!’ To this day, I’m terrified of answering the phone. I think I was traumatized by that voice.
- Allison Janney (who plays Violet, the Lily Tomlin character)
Dolly Parton is one of my heroes–she’s Southern, she’s hilarious, she has a nonfamous husband, and she’s had her best friend from high school as her assistant since she’s made it big. Also, she’s the author of “9 to 5,” the unofficial STA theme song. Now, Ms. “It Takes a Lot of Money to Look this Cheap” has written music and lyrics for an upcoming “9 to 5″ musical. The show’s doing rehearsals in New York before debuting in Los Angeles, and actress Allison Janney (CJ from The West Wing) will star in the Lily Tomlin role. If you see any news stories about a crazed assistant crashing the NYC rehearsals, that’ll be me.
Lilit here. It’s Dolly Parton Week on American Idol, and considering that Dolly is my hero I was ready to hate every single one of those contestants for going near her songs. But I was pleasantly surprised by some of the performances this week, and on last night’s results show the nine remaining Idols did a rendition of “Nine to Five,” which we consider STA’s unofficial theme song.
I have to admit I saw some humor in this song being performed by a bunch of people who may never have had soulless office jobs. I mean, David Archuleta is 17 years old. He does not know what it’s like to have an office job. And Kristy Lee Cook’s continued existence is also somewhat irritating, but the show had the good sense not to assign her a solo.
The video is here. Decide what you think of this version of STA’s anthem.
Lilit here. I need to be upfront about something…I love Dolly Parton. I seriously love Dolly Parton. I love her hair and her voice and every single line she uttered in Steel Magnolias and the fact that she was once quoted as saying “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”
So that’s why I’m ridiculously happy to find this personal reflection on the divine Ms. Parton. While I wouldn’t read the whole thing unless you’re a Dollyphile like me, one tidbit that’s really interesting to note is the following:
Parton’s personal assistant, Judy Ogle, has been associated with the singer since they were both in high school. Another adviser has been around since Parton’s days as a duet partner with Porter Wagoner.
I’ve encountered my share of current and former assistants to celebrities, and I think you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat their employees. My mom once told me that when on a date, you should judge a man’s character by the way he treats the waitress, and it’s true. Bottom line: a person is only as good as the way they treat people who wait on them, take care of them, and pick up their dry cleaning. If Dolly’s personal assistant still wants to work for her after all these years, I know she’s doing something right. The current crop of starlets could learn a lesson from the mistress. Watch and learn, bitches.
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In a poll conducted by Movietickets.com and news-pegged to Administrative Professionals’ Day (which is next week, bitches!), Anne Hathaway’s character Andie in The Devil Wears Prada has been voted the all-time best assistant character in film. While I agree that her character was very relatable and hit a lot of the right notes for me, I always disliked Andie’s (in the book and in the movie) entitlement complex and holier-than-thou attitude. I probably would have voted for one of the 9 to 5 ladies, personally, but I also am hugely biased toward anything that involves Dolly Parton. Apparently, I’m not alone, since Dolly came in second. Here’s the list, clearly written by someone who cared more about using the actors’ names than the characters’:
The Broadway musical 9 to 5, just like the movie it’s based on, is about employees dealing with a shitty boss. Well, it turns out that the show’s stars didn’t have to reach too far back into their memories to get some emotional recollection. Here are a couple of 
