Why arent many female comedians funny ?

greenspurs · 01-10-2019 10:06am #1

iI was watching the Living with Lucy programme last night , where she was living with Deirdre OKane, and I was thinking , AGAIN, why isn't she funny?
Is it just me ?
But no, Mrs Greenspurs felt the same. We got to discussing it, and struggled to find a female comedian that made us laugh.

A list for ranking : (In my opinion)
Deirdre OKane - as already mentioned, I don't 'get it' …
Ashling Bea - okay, I have laughed a few times

Amy Schumer - just how? How is she considered funny??
Katherine Ryan - has her funny moments, mainly the botox job...….
Amy Poehler - Just no ….
Alison Spittle - ?? what ….??
Maeve Higgins - ??? why ????
Katherine Lynch - good god ….. :rolleyes:
Sharon Horgan - a hybrid OKane/Bea
Sarah Silverman - good satirist
Sarah Millican - come on … Not a comedian !
Miranda Hart - better actress than funny
Jo Brand - love her observational comedy, and acidic humour
Gina Yashere - too many race/ gender 'jokes'

Exceptions :
Joan Rivers - the queen, mainly funny due to her scathing opinions, but funny!
Kathy Griffin - another funny one.

Opinions …..
Obviously there are many unfunny male comedians, but the majority of male comedians , I feel , are funny.

Mr. Incognito · 01-10-2019 10:08am

There's a lot less of them.

If you take all the male comedians and found the funny ones its a small number.

If you take all the female comedians they get more exposure because of their sex but the same ratio applies.

There are funny ones. Just very few.

I like Aisling Bea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLU6m1D_uWs

Woke Hogan · 01-10-2019 10:09am

greenspurs wrote: »

iI was watching the Living with Lucy programme last night , where she was living with Deirdre OKane, and I was thinking , AGAIN, why isn't she funny?
Is it just me ?
But no, Mrs Greenspurs felt the same. We got to discussing it, and struggled to find a female comedian that made us laugh.

A list for ranking : (In my opinion)
Deirdre OKane - as already mentioned, I don't 'get it' …
Ashling Bea - okay, I have laughed a few times
Amy Schumer - just how? How is she considered funny??
Katherine Ryan - has her funny moments, mainly the botox job...….
Amy Poehler - Just no ….
Alison Spittle - ?? what ….??
Maeve Higgins - ??? why ????
Katherine Lynch - good god ….. :rolleyes:
Sharon Horgan - a hybrid OKane/Bea
Sarah Silverman - good satirist
Sarah Millican - come on … Not a comedian !
Miranda Hart - better actress than funny
Jo Brand - love her observational comedy, and acidic humour
Gina Yashere - too many race/ gender 'jokes'

Exceptions :
Joan Rivers - the queen, mainly funny due to her scathing opinions, but funny!
Kathy Griffin - another funny one.

Opinions …..
Obviously there are many unfunny male comedians, but the majority of male comedians , I feel , are funny.

Only about three comedians are funny at any one time. Male or female. The rest are just flotsam and jetsam.

Abel Ruiz · 01-10-2019 10:13am

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I like Aisling Bea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLU6m1D_uWs

She wasn't funny on the late late recently. Although the horror Ryan tubridy gave her loads of fake laughs.

Mr. Incognito · 01-10-2019 10:15am

Abel Ruiz wrote: »

She wasn't funny on the late late recently. Although the horror Ryan tubridy gave her loads of fake laughs.

That's because Tubridy is incapable of holding a human conversation and reads off prepared questions which destroys the flow of any interview.

Put her on with Tommy Tiernan and I have no doubt she'd be hilarious.

JohnnyFlash · 01-10-2019 10:15am

Alison Spittle did a quick show in the entertainment tent at the races in Leopardstown last Christmas. I had half a dozen pints down the hatch at that stage, but I found her self-deprecating humour to be funny.

Plus, she really seems to annoy losers on the internet who proclaim to somehow be an expert on comedy, yet wouldn’t know comedy if it hit them in the face with an oversized frying pan.

sbsquarepants · 01-10-2019 10:16am

I like Aisling Bea,but it's mainly because i'd love to ride her, so everything she says seems funnier somehow.
Can't really think of any other funny women at the moment.

Homelander · 01-10-2019 10:17am

This clip is really funny, one of my favorites. No idea if she's alway this funny, but it's gold. Her accent really makes it.

Abel Ruiz · 01-10-2019 10:18am

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Alison Spittle did a quick show in the entertainment tent at the races in Leopardstown last Christmas. I had half a dozen pints down the hatch at that stage, but I found her self-deprecating humour to be funny.

I just got sick in my mouth.
How could you?

Earthhorse · 01-10-2019 10:19am

They're just not as edgy as you are, OP. :cool:

Abel Ruiz · 01-10-2019 10:20am

Earthhorse wrote: »

They're just not as edgy as you are, OP. :cool:

O you're cool.

Earthhorse · 01-10-2019 10:20am

Aisling Bea is okay. Katherine Ryan I find mostly funny. Tina Fey is probably my favourite of the modern lot with her work on 30 Rock.

Cecily Strong and Kristen Wiig are quite good too from what I've seen.

Earthhorse · 01-10-2019 10:21am

Abel Ruiz wrote: »

O you're cool.

Thanks, mom!

Woke Hogan · 01-10-2019 10:21am

Earthhorse wrote: »

They're just not as edgy as you are, OP. :cool:

He should go on the stage himself with his funny lists. I’m sure that will bring the house down.

Roger_007 · 01-10-2019 10:22am

In order to be really funny comedians must be able to laugh at themselves, appear to be stupid, or inept, and be the butt of the joke.
Male comedians seem to find this easier to do than female comedians. Most of the females that I have seen seem to want to prove how clever they and many are blatantly sexist, (e.g. Jo Brand).

NeinNeinNein · 01-10-2019 10:26am

Aisling Bea reminds me of Jason Byrne in a short skirt.

Very similar style and both tediously unfunny.

Wayne Jarvis · 01-10-2019 10:33am

Meh, many male comedians aren't funny either. Russell Howard, Rob Beckett, Josh Widdicombe etc...

I like Maria Bamford & Kristen Schaal. Michelle Wolf is funny from what I have seen but her voice grates on me.

greenspurs · 01-10-2019 10:34am

Earthhorse wrote: »

They're just not as edgy as you are, OP. :cool:

Im edgy ? Thanks …

Woke Hogan wrote: »

He should go on the stage himself with his funny lists. I’m sure that will bring the house down.

Oooohh….. "FInd more posts" ….. Stalker alert....
Thanks for your imput. As unfunny as most of the females mentioned.....

Woke Hogan · 01-10-2019 10:39am

greenspurs wrote: »

Im edgy ? Thanks …

Oooohh….. "FInd more posts" ….. Stalker alert....
Thanks for your imput. As unfunny as most of the females mentioned.....

“Find more posts?” Your first post here is a ‘funny’ list!

Hahaha

JohnnyFlash · 01-10-2019 10:41am

greenspurs wrote: »

Im edgy ? Thanks …

Oooohh….. "FInd more posts" ….. Stalker alert....
Thanks for your imput. As unfunny as most of the females mentioned.....

The dude was just pointing out that your post came across as having been written by a demented lunatic. There wasn’t an ounce of humour in it either. More an angry rant.

jmayo · 01-10-2019 10:42am

Can't stand O'kane and that voice.

Almost as bad as Joan Burton.

Don't really find female comedians that funny.
A fair few of them resort to having a pop at men or more particularly the men in their lives, ala Jo Brand and her poor husband.

Come to think of it a fair few of the male comedians don't deserve the airtime they get either.

Lux23 · 01-10-2019 10:44am

Some men find it hard to relate to the experiences of women - even though we make up half of the world, our worldview is considered niche. For example, I've never had an erection, but I have laughed at jokes about getting boners in an awkward place - it's pretty funny. But if a woman stands up and talks about the time she got her period at work and left a mess all over one of the conference chairs, a lot of the male audience will not find that funny. They probably think it's almost tragic.

It's probably the same reason a lot of men won't read a book by a female author because subconsciously they don't believe the writing could reach the depth of feeling that a man might.

Wayne Jarvis · 01-10-2019 10:50am

Lux23 wrote: »

I've never had an erection

I have one right now. Do you want it so you can experience what you are missing out on?

greenspurs · 01-10-2019 10:52am

Woke Hogan wrote: »

“Find more posts?” Your first post here is a ‘funny’ list! Hahaha

Incorrect on both counts, carry on

Lux23 · 01-10-2019 10:53am

Guy Person wrote: »

I have one right now. Do you want it so you can experience what your missing out on?

Somehow, I doubt I am missing out on much.

topper75 · 01-10-2019 10:55am

I wouldn't bother genderising the problem. Loads of male 'comedians' aren't such at all. They are merely 'personalities' with connections to get on TV who have the brass neck to try standup.

Joan Rivers would have wiped the floor with them.

Many of the Irish and British females like Bea and Millican who try comedy seem to angle towards kooky/quirky self-deprecation, which the female audience component seems to like. I prefer wit so they leave me cold.

greenspurs · 01-10-2019 10:55am

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

The dude was just pointing out that your post came across as having been written by a demented lunatic. There wasn’t an ounce of humour in it either. More an angry rant.

Barely hidden insult....

True to form for you though ….

Wayne Jarvis · 01-10-2019 10:55am

Lux23 wrote: »

Somehow, I doubt I am missing out on much.

True enough Lux.

FTA69 · 01-10-2019 10:56am

Catherine Tate hit a few very funny notes in her show, she’s a grumpy bastard with a knack for taking off the irritating eejits we all come across on a daily basis.

Tzardine · 01-10-2019 11:00am

Aisling Bea can be good at times. She had a few good moments on Cats does Countdown.

I'm surprised there are not many Irish comedians that have made it big in general. If Ed Byrne can make the big time then there is hope for all of them. He is about as funny as a torn banjo string.

Abel Ruiz · 01-10-2019 11:01am

Lux23 wrote: »

Some men find it hard to relate to the experiences of women - even though we make up half of the world, our worldview is considered niche. For example, I've never had an erection, but I have laughed at jokes about getting boners in an awkward place - it's pretty funny. But if a woman stands up and talks about the time she got her period at work and left a mess all over one of the conference chairs, a lot of the male audience will not find that funny. They probably think it's almost tragic.

It's probably the same reason a lot of men won't read a book by a female author because subconsciously they don't believe the writing could reach the depth of feeling that a man might.

Nonsense. Any time I've been to see a comedian. The majority of the audience is male.
Some gags can be funny about women's bodies.
But know your audience.

Woman make up half the world, but would the same amount of females like comedy/comedians as males??? I don't think so.

Woke Hogan · 01-10-2019 11:57am

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Alison Spittle did a quick show in the entertainment tent at the races in Leopardstown last Christmas. I had half a dozen pints down the hatch at that stage, but I found her self-deprecating humour to be funny.

Plus, she really seems to annoy losers on the internet who proclaim to somehow be an expert on comedy, yet wouldn’t know comedy if it hit them in the face with an oversized frying pan.

There's definitely a lot of angry young men on the internet who hold Alison Spittle in particular contempt, probably because she's committing the crime of not being particularly attractive.

I have never seen her live but my daughter insisted I watch that sitcom Spittle put out a few years ago. It wasn't to my taste but I wasn't foaming at the mouth watching it either, frantically compiling a list of female comedians and trying to top myself with each bilious description in turn. Most critics of female comedians don't seem to have any hint of a sense of humour themselves.

TheIrishGrover · 01-10-2019 11:59am

I used to have a problem with female standup comedians when the trend at the time was to harp on about female-specific topics. I just found them not funny. I understood where they were coming from: It was an under-exposed niche audience but, by it's nature, it didn't appeal to me.
However as tastes and trends have changed to a broader base I think they, in general are just as funny as male comedians. There are female comedians I don't like such as Sarah Silverman just as there are male comedians I don't like such as Frankie Boyle. But in general I have no problem these days with female comedians and find them just as funny as their male counterparts.

Now female writers of comedy shows? I NEVER had a problem there. Some of my favourite shows were written by female writers: The Royale Family, for me, is one of the funniest and real shows ever to grace TV. right up to Derry Girls.

01-10-2019 12:03pm

Catherine tate, tina fey, martina hill are great. I prefer sketches and shows to stand up. Don't like a lot of male comedians. Love MMI and DOB though

Bigbagofcans · 01-10-2019 12:03pm

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Now female writers of comedy shows? I NEVER had a problem there. Some of my favourite shows were written by female writers: The Royale Family, for me, is one of the funniest and real shows ever to grace TV. right up to Derry Girls.

Derry Girls I didn't expect to like but found it very funny.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge us an excellent comedy writer. Fleabag is fantastic.

mr_fegelien · 01-10-2019 12:11pm

I heard the evolutionary theory that women are not as funny as men simply because they don't need to be. Men need to woo women and they do it with humor so they evolved to be better at it (on average not every person)

SelmaHayek · 01-10-2019 12:14pm

Is it not just a fact that there aren't that many funny comedians about full stop? Male or female? Of course, it's down to personal taste as well.

Lux23 · 01-10-2019 12:15pm

Abel Ruiz wrote: »

Nonsense. Any time I've been to see a comedian. The majority of the audience is male.
Some gags can be funny about women's bodies.
But know your audience.

Woman make up half the world, but would the same amount of females like comedy/comedians as males??? I don't think so.

Why? Pretty much everyone I know enjoys laughing.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 01-10-2019 12:15pm

I've a few favourite female stand ups though they're mostly men. I like Bea, Silverman has her moments still, don't care for O'Kane. I know she's polarising but as a piece of writing and an object lesson in how in control of a room a comic can be, Hannah Gadsby nailed it with Nanette.

Also as others have kind of pointed out, "comedian" and "stand up comedian" are not synonymous. I'd argue that most of the stand outs who've come from SNL this decade have been female, your favourite show almost certainly has female writers, there have been some good shows like Broad City that are written directed and acted by women.

But sure, they're not standing behind a microphone slagging their wife off and talking about their dicks so they don't count I guess!

JohnnyFlash · 01-10-2019 12:16pm

SelmaHayek wrote: »

Is it not just a fact that there aren't that many funny comedians about full stop? Male or female? Of course, it's down to personal taste as well.

That’s a lot to do with it. We live in very preachy times, and a lot of comedians have forgotten that they are meant to tell jokes and be funny, and not be some bargain basement philosopher.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-10-2019 12:30pm

I think Aisling Bea‘s show “this way up” is good. Sharon Horgan’s show Catastrophe was good.
phoebe waller-bridge’s show Fleabag was very good.

Some of the bbc radio 4 shows are funny too with both Male and female participants.

Funny enough I completely disagreed with the OP and they women they found funny. Joan Rivers was just boring whenever I saw her. Making tired old jokes. Nothing original or interesting to me. But they liked her so that’s all that matters.

I think it’s fine to be selective about the comedy you like. I don’t expect everyone to agree with my preferred comedy either.

Raconteuse · 01-10-2019 12:30pm

Yeah I generally find male standup comedians funnier. Plenty of actresses with great comic timing though.

wakka12 · 01-10-2019 12:30pm

Ali wong is very funny I think

El_Duderino 09 · 01-10-2019 12:32pm

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

That’s a lot to do with it. We live in very preachy times, and a lot of comedians have forgotten that they are meant to tell jokes and be funny, and not be some bargain basement philosopher.

Agree and disagree. Comedy usually has a social commentary aspect to it. It’s a way to discuss current anxieties in a slightly abstract way.

Otherwise you get the one liners whose can be timeless and not based on social commentary but not usually very funny either. Man walks into a bar and says “ouch”. That kind of thing.

ToBeFrank123 · 01-10-2019 12:36pm

I find Jennifer Zambrelli mildly amusing on 2FM, but not sure she'd be considered a comedian.

Derry Girls was very funny.

greenspurs · 01-10-2019 12:43pm

Woke Hogan wrote: »

There's definitely a lot of angry young men on the internet who hold Alison Spittle in particular contempt, probably because she's committing the crime of not being particularly attractive.

I have never seen her live but my daughter insisted I watch that sitcom Spittle put out a few years ago. It wasn't to my taste but I wasn't foaming at the mouth watching it either, frantically compiling a list of female comedians and trying to top myself with each bilious description in turn. Most critics of female comedians don't seem to have any hint of a sense of humour themselves.

You ok hon ?

Bilious - "spiteful; bad-tempered"
The only thing bilious on this thread are your posts directed at me.

Are you a female comedian by any chance?

Deebles McBeebles · 01-10-2019 12:43pm

If we're talking stand up comedians, Nikki Glaser is very funny. There are loads of funny comedic actresses.

Woke Hogan wrote: »

There's definitely a lot of angry young men on the internet who hold Alison Spittle in particular contempt, probably because she's committing the crime of not being particularly attractive.

Well before I knew what she looked like, she was on Newstalk and even then she was about as funny as a fire in a maternity ward. But then, I'm not the demographic you speak of, I'm neither young nor angry.

Effects · 01-10-2019 12:45pm

I find plenty of female comedians funny. Maybe it's just harder to find them. Plenty of male comedians are pretty bad though.

Whenever those ads for some appliance store come on, voiced by O'Kane I have to turn the radio off asap.
I think it's the combo of her voice and her jokes. I remember an ad for her show a long time ago opened with the joke:

The main difference between the sexes is man is a hunter, woman is a bargain hunter.

If that's the material you use to advertise your show, then it's got to be a poor show.

AulWan · 01-10-2019 12:49pm

I really like Sarah Millican.

I guess different people find different things funny.

As an example, I know loads of people who think Tommy Tiernan is hilarious but I can't stand him.

kildare lad · 01-10-2019 12:51pm

I just don't think women are funny generally . I've meet one woman in my life who was hilarious , she could do funny impressions of work mates , rip the piss out of you , and always had a witty comeback if you slagged her , she'd have you in stitches working with her. But outside of her I can't remember any women to be stand out funny in my life .

MrMusician18 · 01-10-2019 12:52pm

I remember a similar thread from a few years ago bemoaning that there were no funny female comedians and questioning whether it was possible for women to be really funny at all.

So this thread acknowledges that there are indeed some funny female comedians now. To be honest OP it really all comes down to exposure

Why arent many female comedians funny ?

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