Tina Fey Rejects Celebrity Side Hustle Ventures

The comedian says wealthy celebrities launching unrelated businesses is a problem, and she has no plans to do so herself.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Financial Planning

Tina Fey Rejects Celebrity Side Hustle Ventures

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Do you think wealthy celebrities should launch their own side businesses?

Tina Fey declined to launch a side hustle or celebrity brand, saying she does not get excited about money. Her remarks on Good Hang with Amy Poehler criticized wealthy celebrities launching ventures misaligned with their work.

Why it matters

Fey's comments add to an ongoing debate over whether celebrity-backed businesses are built on genuine expertise or simply follow a formula for quick returns. Industry voices cited in the coverage suggest that ventures disconnected from a founder's core identity are more likely to fail.

Fey's estimated net worth is about $75 million, and her remarks were made on a podcast rather than in a formal financial filing. The extraction does not provide data on the success rates of celebrity side businesses.

The players

Tina Fey

Tina Fey is an American comedian, writer, and actress known for her work on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, and she has previously done brand endorsements including work with American Express.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler is an American comedian and actress who co-hosts Good Hang, the podcast where Fey made her remarks, and who encouraged Fey to pursue a hair campaign or glasses line.

Stacy Jones

Stacy Jones is the founder and CEO of Hollywood Branded, a firm that brokers brand partnerships with celebrities, and who said Fey is painting with a broad brush.

JP Kuehlwein

JP Kuehlwein is an adjunct professor of marketing at Columbia Business School who cited Rihanna's Fenty Beauty and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop as examples of closely tied celebrity businesses.

The details

Fey made the remarks during an appearance on Good Hang with Amy Poehler, where Poehler encouraged her to pursue a hair campaign or glasses line. Fey said she is safe and has enough money to live, and cited an '80s actress who promoted a line of homeopathic children's medications as an example of a misaligned venture.

November 7, 2026: Article published on Fey's side-hustle remarks.

Market Dynamics

Celebrity-branded businesses such as Rihanna's Fenty Beauty and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop have shown how closely a founder's identity can be tied to a product, a pattern that Fey's criticism of unrelated ventures echoes. Fey's remarks suggest a growing skepticism toward celebrity brands launched primarily as revenue plays.

For readers weighing a side business alongside a primary income, the comments underscore the value of building ventures around existing expertise rather than chasing a recognizable name. Checking whether a new business aligns with your core skills can help protect the savings you rely on.

The takeaway

Launching a side business tends to work best when it draws on skills and experience you already have. Before committing savings to a new venture, test whether it fits your existing expertise.