Not Quite Flattering
Singer Janis Ian expressed ambivalent feelings about her name being used for a character in Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls.”
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“I would have appreciated it more if she had asked me beforehand,” Ian, aged 73, told Page Six during an interview while promoting her documentary, “Janis Ian: Breaking Silence.”
“However, I believe the intention was good,” she added.
A Character with Her Name
In Fey’s 2004 hit comedy, actress Lizzy Caplan portrays Janis Ian. She teams up with her friend Damian Leigh, played by Daniel Franzese, to plot against Regina George, the former friend turned enemy, portrayed by Rachel McAdams, with the help of newcomer Cady Heron, played by Lindsay Lohan.
Ian revealed to us that she had to approach Fey, who is now 54, after the film was released, although she remained tight-lipped about the specifics of their conversation.
“All I can say is that it involved some unauthorized merchandising,” she stated. “We discussed it, and they pulled those items.”
A representative for Fey did not respond to a request for comment from Page Six.
Inspiration from a Song
Fey, who has often shared stories of her own awkward teenage years, was apparently moved to name a “Mean Girls” character after Ian following her 1975 hit “At Seventeen,” a ballad about feeling like an outsider. The song was a commercial success, selling over a million copies and winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1976.
“I used to think I was the only one who felt that way,” Ian shared. “It never crossed my mind that others might feel the same. You try to hide feeling unattractive or bad about yourself.
“One of the beautiful things about ‘Seventeen’ is that it lets others know they’re not alone and that someone else has been there, felt that, and can articulate those feelings for them,” she explained.
New Documentary and Personal Revelations
Ian’s latest documentary, set to release on March 28, also delves into how she was forcefully outed as a lesbian by New York City’s Village Voice in the 70s.
Fortunately, other media did not pick up the story, which could have had severe repercussions.
“I would have lost my ability to perform,” Ian disclosed. “No one would have employed me. I would have lost my record deal. It would have ruined my career.”
While Ian was always open about her sexuality to her friends and family, she considered it a private matter and “didn’t want my music to be labeled as ‘Janis Ian: Lesbian singer-songwriter.’” That perspective changed when she met her wife, Patricia Snyder.
“The times had changed,” she noted. “And I realized this was going to be forever and that I needed to be publicly open and clear about it.”
Ian met Snyder after relocating to Nashville in 1989 following financial ruin caused by a dishonest financial manager.
She estimates her losses at $2.3 million, including five properties in Los Angeles and a duplex in New York City overlooking Central Park.
Looking Back with Perspective
“Today, that would be worth nearly $20 million,” the Grammy-winning artist estimated. Nonetheless, she chooses not to harbor resentment.
“If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have moved to Nashville and met Pat,” she pointed out.
“And I wouldn’t be here 36 years later still happily together with her. So, you have to view it from that perspective. Otherwise, it drives you mad.”
Ian publicly came out in 1993, and a decade later, she and Snyder married in Toronto, Canada.
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Ellis McDowell is a trend analyst with a sharp eye for spotting the next big thing in entertainment. With years of experience in digital media and trend forecasting, Nora tracks the movements of influencers, viral content, and entertainment trends. Her insights help shape the stories that captivate our audience.
