Fangirl Friday: Why We All Want to be Best Friends with Mindy Kaling

We all want to be best friends with Mindy Kaling. Specifically Dr. Mindy Lahiri from The Mindy Project. She’s fun, has wild style, doesn’t pay attention to anything serious (like bills or taxes) and yet, she’s a doctor so she’s obviously smart too! I even tried to pick my OB/GYN to be someone young and fun like Mindy (which I later questioned so I don’t recommend that method).

But what about the Mindy behind the Mindy? They might have a few things in common and the ‘real’ Mindy Kaling provides a rundown of their similarities and differences in her most recent book, Why Not Me? but the real thing is even better than what you get on TV. Here are just a few of the reasons why we all want Mindy as a best friend:

1. She admittedly loves McDonalds and isn’t afraid that you know. While encouraging your friends to have a healthy lifestyle is, well, healthy, it’s also healthy to have friends who will never diet shame you or make you feel bad about your food choices.
2. It’s rumored that Mindy created her lead character on The Mindy Project, Dr. Mindy Lahiri, for her parents who always wanted her to be a doctor. The hilarity of this doesn’t require much explanation and everyone needs a smart ass best friend. It’s fact that her mom was an OB/GYN and the source of a lot of Mindy’s sense of humor.
3. Just like her TV character of the same name, Mindy loves romantic comedies. Most of your other girlfriends probably do too but it’s nice that she owns it and doesn’t pretend to have a preference for artsy (and sometimes depressing) independent movies instead.
4. On a more serious note, she is one of very few Indian-American women on American television and although she says she never saw families like hers on TV while growing up, it didn’t let it stop her from following and achieving that goal.
5. In addition to breaking racial boundaries, Mindy hasn’t let age or gender play a role in her career either. She was one of the youngest (and at one point only female) staff writers when she worked on The Office and when admired for her race, gender or even weight, she tends to make it a non-issue.

In short, Mindy’s the BFF who’s going to give you praise (when you deserve it), laugh by your side and not let you get away with any BS. Oh, and she’ll watch any Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie with you…even if it’s the hundredth time.

Photo courtesy of Parade