Winona and Fiona Are White Girl Problems' Raisons d'être

Over the weekend, the deeply hilarious and addicting Twitter feed-turned cultural phenomenon White Girl Problems (run by Tanner Cohen, his brother David Oliver Cohen and Lara Schoenhals under the pseudonym "Babe Walker") held a release party for their new book (also titled White Girl Problems) at Milk Studios. The event drew guests like Johnny Weir and Susan Sarandon (who came by with her two dogs!), along with a bevy of movers and shakers (including DJ-about-town Chelsea Leyland, and Twitter star "Fat Jew"), many of whom grooved away to the sounds of Mia Moretti while sipping Kanon Vodka. We briefly spoke to Tanner  about the mechanics of WGP, the new book, and the celebs who are worthy enough to enter his White Girl hall of fame.

First, can you clarify for those who don't know White Girl Problems beyond its tweets, who's behind it?

The team is myself, David and Lara -- we started the Twitter account and wrote the book together, all of us. We write the blog together, and every word that comes out of Babe Walker's mouth is approved by at least two of us. So she really is a pen name for three people, and I think that's kinda why it happened so organically. We each have a different perspective and sense of humor but we all come together on it.

Do your friends constantly badger you with ideas for tweets?

It's not my friends, it's the drunk strangers at bars who have "the best idea for White Girl Problems ever." Sometimes they're actually kinda amazing.

What's the biggest seasonal White Girl Problem right now? Winter can be a huge hassle.

The transition piece between winter and fall is hard. My biggest problem is that all the sweaters I really love are full of holes. They are the ones I have the most history and best relationships with, but I can't really be warm in them. So it's stupid.

What's been one of your favorite tweets so far?

I like "If only I could un-fuck you."

What's next for WGP?

We're focusing on our blog. We see Babe's trajectory kinda playing out the way that it actually would if she were a Nicole Richie or Kim Kardashian or Cory Kennedy, but still chic -- someone that you still give a shit about. Hopefully they'll be more books, we go to events as her, we do reviews -- It's becoming a brand, and everyday it grows larger.

Who do you hail as an ultimate White Girl Problems-esque girl?

I think that probably my favorite, with the most problems, is Winona Ryder. And Fiona.

As in Fiona Apple?
There's only one Fiona.

Above: Tanner Cohen, Lara Schoenhals, David Oliver Cohen and Susan Sarandon. Photo via BabeWalker.com