I, like hundreds of millions of people around the world, have fallen down the TikTok rabbit hole. In between dance videos and Vine-esque comedy pieces, I found myself completely immersed in the world of Anna Marie Tendler, from her life tips and diverse art to the adventures of her French bulldog, Petunia.

Tendler, a New York City-based artist formerly married to comedian John Mulaney, began her account on October 17 of 2021. Her first video garnered 185,500 likes, quite a feat for any creator. In the video, Tendler shows her audience how to put a duvet cover on a comforter. 

In subsequent videos, Tendler takes viewers through her day-to-day life in the city, gives updates on her art and showings, shares more life hacks and displays her charming and dry sense of humor, at one time stating, “I am an elder millennial and I think TikTok-ing in public is embarrassing.”

Nevertheless, Tendler provides fairly regular content, allowing fans to get to know her in her own right, apart from the image portrayed of her by her ex-husband.

For many fans of Mulaney’s work, most will recognize Tendler from her witty one-liners he includes in his acts. Mulaney always spoke highly of Tendler, often praising her for her outspokenness and pride in her Jewish heritage.

Given the amount of love Mulaney showed toward his wife to the public, it came as quite a shock to fans when Tendler and Mulaney announced their divorce after a nearly decade-long marriage. Although the reason given was for personal differences, the news was out in the midst of Mulaney’s readmittance into rehab for alcoholism and drug abuse with the (later confirmed) rumors Mulaney was expecting a baby with actress Olivia Munn.

Fans of the couple will know the former couple did not have kids and did not plan on having any in the future, guiding them to believe Mulaney wanted a child all along, while Tendler had her reservations.

Tendler’s TikTok launched just as the drama seemed to reach its peak. Tendler herself did not comment on the issue, instead keeping her account fun and light, with the best example of this being a lengthy video where Tendler befriends a New York City pigeon and captures all of the ups and downs that ensues. 

One notable exception to this theme is Tendler’s profile picture, which she also posted on Instagram. In the portrait, Tendler, wearing a black gown, is blindfolded with her hands in her lap. People familiar with art history say the picture is reminiscent of a famous depiction of Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII, who was killed when she could not provide her husband with a son.

This had led people to question the real motives for Mulaney’s sudden life changes and how Anna Marie Tendler really feels about them.

My thoughts on the Mulaney drama aside, I am very excited about Tendler’s TikTok presence. She is showing the world that she gets to write her own narrative and be her own person, outside the large shadow cast by her ex-husband. She does not need to comment on the situation at hand to gain notoriety. She gains it by being herself, and I love her for it.

You can follow Anna on TikTok at @annamtendler and look at her art at www.annamarietendler.com

Article by Julia Chamberlain