Jennifer Coolidge Has Something To Say About ‘Girl Power’

Can Jennifer Coolidge be any cooler? The White Lotus star has had a career that has spanned nearly 30 years and was just named Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainer of the Year. Ariana Grande (who featured Coolidge in her music video for “thank u, next”) interviewed the comedian for the occasion, and Coolidge marveled at how the entertainment industry has improved for women, and how it really is never too late for a “cool thing happening” in anyone’s life.

“I'm very excited for women right now, because when I was in my 30s and trying to get going and doing these sketch comedy shows and stuff,” Coolidge explained after describing a trying time in comedy during the early ‘90s. “But it's so weird how, 30 years later, it's a whole new thing where it's actually women who are considered to be funny, and valuable, and they get to be the leads in these big comedies and stuff.”

“The sky's the limit. It wasn't as easy back when I was doing it. I love that Bridesmaids and things like that are being made.”

Coolidge also couldn’t help but gush about Grande’s “whimsical way” of empowering girls with songs like “Thank u, next,” saying that she was trying to “channel” the singer’s “I don’t give a f—k thing.”

“I think it's my favorite feeling I've ever had. I waited my whole life to not give a f—k. It's the only time we have power. I mean, I'm not saying I'm not insecure. I'm still insecure about all the basic stuff. I'm still insecure about appearance and all of that. But if someone calls me a D-bag or something… I really don't think anyone can really penetrate me anymore. I don't really care what people think of me.”

And it’s taken Coolidge some time to get to this place. “I was really sort of lost in my 30s, and I wished I had stuck to my guns. For instance, I just feel like we always think ‘authority’ has the last word,” she explained.

“There were people that told me I didn't have a chance in hell — and we can't listen to all these people. I think girls are getting stronger now, and there's all this sort of girl power cool stuff that's happening,” she said.

As for the people who think she can’t do something? Coolidge simply doesn’t listen.

“But there's always going to be someone who wants to rain on your parade, and you just can't take it. I do believe that I learned that from experience. Some people say with such authority, ‘I think you're talented in this area, Jennifer, but you're not very good in this.’ And nobody really knows, it's all a guessing game. I think, don't listen to anybody, really.”

And for anyone who thinks their life couldn’t possibly take off like Coolidge’s, take note: it’s never too late for something really awesome to unfold.

“I think of these jobs that you just can't make it through the day and stuff, and I feel like this unexpected moment that happened to me can happen to anybody, where you're going along in the car and you've been going the same speed all these years and then all of a sudden this cool thing happens. I think a lot of people think the possibility of a cool thing happening isn't in the mix anymore. And I think I'm a great example of ‘What are the odds?’ And this can happen to anybody.”

If you need an extra boost of Jennifer Coolidge-fueled girl power, revisit the “thank u, next,” video below: