29 Apr 2023

Curtis Sittenfeld: rehabilitating the image of the rom-com

From Saturday Morning, 10:07 am on 29 April 2023

Romantic comedy or rom-com, is often used as shorthand for something shallow and lacking in substance, but Minneapolis author Curtis Sittenfeld loves them.

Her new novel, Romantic Comedy revolves around a TV show based on the enduring American sketch comedy classic Saturday Night Live. Sittenfeld dissects celebrity culture in a love story set during the pandemic, much of it taking place via email.

She is the author of seven novels, including American Wife and Rodham, reimaginings of the lives of Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. 

A composite photo of author Curtis Sittenfeld. A photograph of Sittenfeld with her arms crossed on a red background is on the Right. On the left is the cover of her book Romantic Comedy, which shows a woman driving a convertible car with it's roof down.

Authour Curtis Sittenfeld says for a romantic comedy to work there has to be plausible, genuine connection between the characters. Photo: Supplied