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Lena Dunham’s proposal for the book Not That Kind Of Girl reached $3.6 million last night. Her lit agent Kim Witherspoon from InkWell Management is working the deal, and it should be finalized soon. The numbers for the book of advice and anecdotes from the UTA-repped 26-year old creator of the HBO series Girls should go even higher as publishers see her as an influential creative voice for young women. She met yesterday with editors. Stay tuned.
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Are her 15 minutes up yet? Her show barely has enough eyes to make back this initial investment. She’s a one-trick-pony and any “lesson” she’s going to teach, has already been beaten to death in her projects. See ya, Lena.
Hate much? But I guess that’s to be expected when a girl makes good. She’s one of freshest voices out there and if you can’t hear it, you’re tone deaf.
Um.. who is this average woman they are gearing this towards? Here is another example of how out of touch these asshole corporations are.
Guess what guys? The whole system is changing, so these big publishers are panicking and trying anything before their ships go down.
And now, HBO wants American women to be blown away by their tribute to women-”Girls”. Perhaps calling grown women “Girls” is the clue right there.
I’m sure she’s a nice person, but the show sucks my cats toes.
Women I know are struggling with bills, small children with Muscular Dystrophy & Cancer. But mostly, they all have no money and no job to support them since the crash of our economy. Their husbands are pretty fucked too. Nobody can find a job to pay their bills.
Women now buy their clothes at Marshall’s on a good day, but more and more are shopping at Goodwill and Estate sales to stock up on household goods, appliances and for the love of God, a nice pair of cute boots.
The young women I know are learning a new slogan that my Grandmother taught her family in the Great Depression,
“Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make Do, Do without.”
How about a show that chronicles the life of Marie Curie?
Or women working in nuclear development for cleaner energy? Fighting for women’s rights in underdeveloped nations? Educational training to help rise out of poverty? Where are those shows? Oh wait..PBS.
This is my mantra, and it was told to me by several agents and publishers-
“All that matters is the writing. All that matters is if the writing is good. Everything else will come together.”
What’s amazing is I agree completely with this post, and my initials are also LT. She’s startlingly untalented. I’m flabbergasted by her success to date and can’t wait for her little cult following to realize she’s awful.
You’re both mistaken – though your certainty is impressive. Startlingly untalented? Really? “I don’t find her work interesting” isn’t sufficient for you? The woman has a strong voice, and I’m rooting for her to continue to develop it in interesting ways.
‘Girls’ has more talent on screen in one act than most shows do in a single episode.
Stop hating and keep writing those specs, boy-o. You’ll get there too.
I got to agree too. Her show is not particularily interesting. She as an on air talent is dull and visually not memorable. I am not sure what America sees in her. Is it that she represents the average woman and their problems. Do we really want to see that? What is the hook? No disrespect to her, but I don’t get it.
This just shows that image is everything – collect the sucker money while you can, Lena
That Lena Dunham has found any success as a writer/director/actress continues to blow my mind. I know we all want wunderkinds, they’re inspiring, but can’t we be patient enough to wait for the real deal? I for one can’t wait for people to realize the emperor has no clothes.
Does anyone know how well Mindy Kaling’s book sold? I can’t imagine this will do much better business than that. Dunham’s talented and I’m sure her book will be interesting, but her reach/marketability is not yet Tiny Fey’s.
Ever notice her film, “Tiny Furniture” from 2010 is a lot like Bradley Rust Grey’s “The Exploding Girl” from 2009? Hmmmm.
Screw everyone who says nepotism isn’t controlling. Yes, I am sure she’s talented, so are TONS of people. She is only here because her famous parents allowed her to have a subsidized life with access to decision makers. Please do not respond with “cream rises to the top.” Anything rises to the top when others put it there.
Regardless of how anyone gets to the top, no one stays there if they don’t have the talent to back it up. She may not be to your personal taste, but Dunham has proved herself with the quality of her work, so this whole “nepotism” thing about her background is a load of crap.
Totally disagree. She’s a witty writer, a shitty director, and the worst actress I’ve actually ever seen act in my whole entire life. 28 years and she’s the worst. There you have it.
“the worst actress I’ve actually ever seen act in my whole entire life”
There is nothing better than a giant exaggeration to drive your point home. You really don’t think you could find like 50 actresses that are worst than her?
I would like to introduce you to a man named Billy Zane.
Two words: Justin Bieber
I could make a completely unfunny show and I have nothing worthwhile to say. Where’s my 3+ million?
Jesus what a bunch of haters. Lena Dunham isn’t going anywhere. She’s A voice of A generation and a very good one. Screaming nepotism? Her parents are artists that live in Brooklyn and they’re hardly huge names. Her show is great and I know a ton of people that think the same. Go Lena!
“She’s A voice of A generation”
Are you serious? Generation Y is NOT upper-middle class whites. Hell, most of the whites in America aren’t middle class. So what is she “the voice” of? That “voice of a generation” nonsense is a tagline her publicists used, not a truth. She’s the same old self-important elitist who thinks everything she says or does is funny when it’s not.
And a 26 year-old is going to give “advice?” LOL! Yeah, because a kid fresh out of college knows everything, right? she’s lived SO much, and had to overcome so many obstacles, right?
Face it, the empress has no clothes ans she better hurry up and make some quickie-cash deals before everyone else realizes she has less talent than Elaine Boozler and less staying power than Paulie Shore.
And is about as intelligent.
I’m a dude and I love GIRLS. I’ll admit TINY FURNITURE was a little annoying, but she’s really found her voice in the show. It’s the new SEX AND THE CITY but with real people.
A voice of a generation…
/facepalm
Speak for yourself. She’s not my voice. No thank you.
she grew up in soho. what the hell are you talking about? her mom is very famous in the nyc art world.
whoops i mean tribeca. did you even see tiny furniture?
She was raised in Brooklyn but her parents moved to Tribeca years ago. No, her parents aren’t famous to you or commenters here but they are very well known in the art world and seriously connected in NY media circles. This helped he a lot.
A book of anecdotes is one thing. Advice is another. She’s 26. If she’s such the voice of a generation, let the book reflect THAT.
A book of advice from a 26-year-old. I wish I would.
She’s a 26 yr old writing producing and starring in her own show, Which has been widely praised. How many of those are there? #Haters
Snore. Mindy Kalling, Lena Dunham, etc. They all do the same thing with these stupid witty “books” of essays and short stories about how intersting and funny their lives are. If Lena’s PR people were smart, they wouldn’t push all this so hard, because it’s not suiting her well.
YOU PEOPLE ARE RIDICULOUS. Yes, in this declining book market – publishing houses are of course just throwing millions of dollars at people because they have famous parents (which is even debatable here – I challenge besides saying they are artists – for those crying nepotism to even tell me anything further about her parents besides they are artists). Here is something to think about – THESE PUBLISHERS HAVE SEEN A BOOK PROPOSAL AND YOU HAVEN’T.
In addition, I would say that most people who get nominated for 5 emmys are usually around for longer than 15 minutes. I hate when people don’t like something so therefore say that person is undeserving. We all have different tastes. Different media is made to appeal to different people. Her stuff might not be for you – but obviously there are people watching her show, critics praising her show, peers nominating her for awards – so WOW there are people who like it. Let them buy her book. Let them watch her show – no one is forcing you to, but just because its not for you doesnt mean she is undeserving of something.
I think she’s a bit of a gutter dweller. Her show is pretty vulgar and she seems desperately willing to do anything to shock. Seriously, I’m not even conservative but I watched the show and found it debasing – how does Brian Williams feel about what his daughter’s doing on the show? I’m sure the show’s creators loving seeing a WASPY girl dragged through Lena’s demeaning paces. The older I get the more I realize success in this industry seems tied to being transgressive. Morality is relative, modesty is gone and ugly rules the day.
I’m not really sure “modestly” is what people tune into premium cable programming for. It’s more for people who are actually curious about the world, and how people are really living in it.
Which means, Brian Williams might actually be proud. And how nice for his daughter to have a father who can feel that way.
Hey, nice anti-semitic undertone there. Have you seen the show? EVERY character is “dragged through Lena’s demeaning paces.” Nice of you to worry about Brian Williams’s feelings, though. I’m sure he’s equally concerned about yours.
I know nothing about her show, her book or her, but wanted to put something positive on this page to offset the hate-fest. Kudos to Lena for her successes. You don’t make it this big by age 26 by having it handed to you… you have to have some talent, too. Clearly she works her butt off as well.
She is worth what a publisher will pay. Like any entertainment figure (books, tv, movies, music, sports, etc), corporations take a chance. Who cares how she got to this point. Good for her.
Love that this girl is able to make people feel so terrible about their personal success by simply being herself. Love Lena.
Thanks for assuming because people have opinions and do not care for this woman’s writing that they feel bad about their own shortcomings in life. Everyone that dislikes her or her lame show must be haters! Or jealous! I highly doubt anyone reading here questions their own success in life because we strongly disagree with this mediocre talent receiving a book advance that is so inflated it is no wonder publishing is dead.
Voice of a generation? Fine. I am only glad I am not part of that generation and weep for our future.
Lena D is a TREMENDOUS talent. I often compare her to Woody Allen, or sort of a female version thereof…
However, Mr. Allen never made such a deal. It’s gotta be difficult to keep it real, as it were, with this kind of money.
I hope she manages to stay true to her vision.
I usually buy all of my books festuring advice and anecdotes from 26-year-olds.
“An influential creative voice for young women” – every time I see a comment like this, I cringe. I’d be all for Lena Dunham’s success if she had the talent and originality to back it up – but the sad thing is there are so very few young women who get the zeitgeist media-friendly ride she gets – and if anything the message is “aim up be average and you can go far if you are confused as some kind of generational representative of what young women want”! It’s like the media are so clueless about what young women are like that you just need to come up with spmething “edgy” and “raw” fools them.
“An influential creative voice for young women” – every time I see a comment like this, I cringe. I’d be all for Lena Dunham’s success if she had the talent and originality to back it up – but the sad thing is there are so very few young women who get the zeitgeist media-friendly ride she gets – and if anything the message is “aim up be average and you can go far if you are confused as some kind of generational representative of what young women want”! Just coming up with something seemingly “edgy”, “awkward” & “raw” seems to fool all the critics that are desperate to grab onto anything supposedly “authentic”. Just talk to some actual girls! Not overworked, insufferable stand-ins for real life.
Go Lena. She’s good news for people.
What a serious bunch of haters. I always wonder why people get so nasty when someone else is rewarded for doing something, like it or not, bold and unique. As if it makes everyone else feel uncomfortable and oh-my-god-dare-you realize, BORING.
lena dunham:unique::remake:original. in other words, for people who don’t understand :, “the opposite.”
Look up the word unique then try to defend Lena Dunham by calling her unique. I suspect you’ll encounter difficulty.
Look at all these sad, bitter, resentful posters.
Sorry that this town has been unkind to and your supposed talent and you feel the need to take it out on the success of others.
My guess is you either have no talent or don’t have the guts and the grit to harness it and rise to the top.
Lena Dunham did. She went out and made her own movie…and it launched her career.
A half-finished screenplay and still clinging to the short film you directed in college will not launch your career.
If you don’t like Dunham’s work, get off your lazy butt and make something better. And don’t give me crap about opportunity and privilege, Stephen King had three jobs and a family and still found time to write Carrie.
Gross. What a spinny, uninformed comment. There’s a huge different between getting a ton of help from your wealthy parents and their influential friends to peddle your repurposed, “edgy” dreck, and creating something of true quality that will last. Comparing Stephen King to Lena Dunham is like comparing Lena Dunham to a piece of stale toast. Just gross. It would be funny if it wasn’t so absolutely not.
Well said!!
I totally agree. Haters be hating pretty hard here.
You don’t make $3.6M by being a crybaby in the comments section. If you think you’ve got something better to offer, throw your hat into the ring.
Well said… so tired of haters on this site.
Love her or hate her, either way it’s not important, NO ONE CARES what you think. Go do something and STFU.
I say congrats to her on all the success.
Invest the money wisely. Don’t touch the principle.
I hated Tiny Furniture. I hate Girls. I hated Lena on the Emmys. I’m just so over her. And it’s not because she’s not super pretty and it’s not because she’s young and successful and, now, about to be really really rich. It’s because she lacks a unique voice. “Shock and awe” is not original. She didn’t invent “gutter for girls.” Instead of taking off your clothes and forcing your “I’ll do anything to shock people” mentality in everyone’s face, which only proves how little you respect yourself, create something that’s actually original. Find a voice that’s not derivative of better writers and people, including me, will stop hating on you.
Lena is funny. That has nothing to do with “nepotism.”
I hated Tiny Furniture. I hate Girls. I hated Lena on the Emmys. I’m just so over her. And it’s not because she’s not super pretty and it’s not because she’s young and successful and, now, about to be really really rich. It’s because she lacks a unique voice. “Shock and awe” is not original. She didn’t invent “gutter for girls.” Instead of taking off your clothes and forcing your “I’ll do anything to shock people” mentality in everyone’s face, which only proves how little you respect yourself, create something that’s actually original. Find a voice that’s not derivative of better writers and people, including me, will stop hating on you.
I keep trying to comment but my comments are being deleted, as I’m sure this one will be, but say what you will about haters…they don’t hate on everything. They hate on things they hate. Yes, they do so loudly and with venom in comment sections because they can do so anonymously, but people are busy. They don’t take time out of their busy days, like I’m doing right now, for the third time, if they aren’t passionate. I agree with the comments here attacking Lena Dunham for being derivative. I do watch her show. I will not buy her book.