The 'women aren't funny' myth

evolving_doors · 08-06-2018 7:38pm

So who have we got that's funny so far?

bilbot79 · 08-06-2018 8:55pm

My comment wasn't meant as an absolute explanation. I think the other poster took it a bit too hard. Probably took offence to it as a female. I do think there is truth in it though. Things can't be untrue just because they leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

I find comedy, especially stand up, is funny because the comedians break boundaries and trample on taboos. Men are probably better at that because they take more risks. I think they are encouraged to push boundaries in the competition against each other for female attention and/or dominance through wit and popularity.

LLMMLL · 08-06-2018 10:10pm

bilbot79 wrote: »

My comment wasn't meant as an absolute explanation. I think the other poster took it a bit too hard. Probably took offence to it as a female. I do think there is truth in it though. Things can't be untrue just because they leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

I find comedy, especially stand up, is funny because the comedians break boundaries and trample on taboos. Men are probably better at that because they take more risks. I think they are encouraged to push boundaries in the competition against each other for female attention and/or dominance through wit and popularity.

And things can leave a bitter taste in your Louth because they’re untrue.

There’s probably not any point in engaging with you as you’ve made no attempt to explain why humour exists in all social groups and isn’t exclusive to Male/female groups.

You just keep repeating the same dodgy evolution arguments and think the only reason people could find them silly is because they’re uncomfortable.

bilbot79 · 08-06-2018 10:23pm

LLMMLL wrote: »

And things can leave a bitter taste in your Louth because they’re untrue.

There’s probably not any point in engaging with you as you’ve made no attempt to explain why humour exists in all social groups and isn’t exclusive to Male/female groups.

You just keep repeating the same dodgy evolution arguments and think the only reason people could find them silly is because they’re uncomfortable.

I'm pretty sure the reason you reacted like this is because you felt like I'm being sexist. I think that's a shame and I wish folks could just have a conversation without losing the rag

Tell me how · 08-06-2018 11:03pm

LLMMLL wrote:

You just keep repeating the same dodgy evolution arguments and think the only reason people could find them silly is because theyâ€™re uncomfortable.

I'm not sure you are open to hearing any explanations. You seem to caught in a rigid frame of mind yourself.

LLMMLL · 08-06-2018 11:33pm

Tell me how wrote: »

I'm not sure you are open to hearing any explanations. You seem to caught in a rigid frame of mind yourself.

You’ll never know until an explanation is actually offered. Doesn’t look like it’s coming anytime soon though.

LLMMLL · 08-06-2018 11:36pm

bilbot79 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the reason you reacted like this is because you felt like I'm being sexist. I think that's a shame and I wish folks could just have a conversation without losing the rag

Nobody’s lost the rag. You seem unable to debate your ideas without claiming that those who disagree with you are offended, annoyed and losing the rag. Yet nobody has. It’s all in your head. All you were asked was to answer some simple questions that followed from your claims. Not sure how that’s losing the rag.

Pero_Bueno · 08-06-2018 11:39pm

I actually used to find Sarah Silverman hilarious until she went all Trump Derangement syndrome mental.

Tell me how · 08-06-2018 11:42pm

I like Iliza Shlisenger.

Anyone see her in Vicar St in April?

bilbot79 · 09-06-2018 12:27am

LLMMLL wrote: »

Nobody’s lost the rag. You seem unable to debate your ideas without claiming that those who disagree with you are offended, annoyed and losing the rag. Yet nobody has. It’s all in your head. All you were asked was to answer some simple questions that followed from your claims. Not sure how that’s losing the rag.

I don't need to answer any questions, I gave my opinion. To me it's perfectly plausible. No need to go ape over it.

LLMMLL · 09-06-2018 12:38am

bilbot79 wrote: »

I don't need to answer any questions, I gave my opinion. To me it's perfectly plausible. No need to go ape over it.

Asking questions is going ape?

You must hate doing job interviews with all those pesky interviewers going ape **** at you.

bilbot79 · 09-06-2018 12:49am

LLMMLL wrote: »

Asking questions is going ape?

You must hate doing job interviews with all those pesky interviewers going ape **** at you.

I'm good at job interviews.

I'm not bothered with this anymore. Hopefully Michael McIntyre will cheer me up on Sunday

Peace out.

gormdubhgorm · 19-06-2018 12:20am

Alison Spittle is doing her damn best to prove the myth is true.

lufties · 19-06-2018 8:04am

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Alison Spittle is doing her damn best to prove the myth is true.

Token culchie female 'comedian'. Filling RTE quotas no doubt.

gormdubhgorm · 20-06-2018 1:01pm

Tell me how wrote: »

I like Iliza Shlisenger.

Anyone see her in Vicar St in April?

I never heard of but I looked her up on you tube.

Only watched a few mins so far.
She seems very good timing, plenty of energy etc.
She manages to make all the women 'problems' less preachy/whiny then a lot of women comediennes.

Drumpot · 20-06-2018 1:17pm

I know it’s not stand up but Alison Brie in Glow is great. I think she has a very natural gift for humor, certainly in the acting arena....

I always liked French and Saunders style that was clever and fun. Kathy Burke on Harry Enfields show was also very good. Some of Cheri Oteris stuff on SNL was great and I loved her in scary movie. Anna Faris was also very enjoyable Im the scary movie franchise, not many leading woman can pull that off.

gormdubhgorm · 20-06-2018 3:58pm

I was thinking about the thread title.
I think it is because when a woman comedian is bad they are awful bad.
They seem to rely on 'I'm just a girl' rather then develop real stage craft?

EPAndlee · 20-06-2018 9:33pm

lufties wrote: »

Token culchie female 'comedian'. Filling RTE quotas no doubt.

Heard her on 2fm about two weeks ago, my god was she awful like horrendously painful to listen too

gormdubhgorm · 21-06-2018 7:44pm

EPAndlee wrote: »

Heard her on 2fm about two weeks ago, my god was she awful like horrendously painful to listen too

And it is not just different tastes in comedy or anything like that with Alison Spittle.
I can appreciate comedy I may not particularly like, but can see where they are going with it a theme/structure style.

What is hers?
I think she should just thank her lucky stars, she has landed on her feet by some miracle.

gormdubhgorm · 28-06-2018 12:50am

Here is one that is decent plenty of energy - Natasha Leggero

YoungRogerian · 28-12-2018 7:27pm

Luisa Omeilan is the best stand up around for my money. Andi Osho was fantastic although she mainly acts and writes now. Rachel Paris, Catherine Ryan, Deirdre O' Kane, Jen Bristler, Sarah Millican, Sara Pascoe, Holly Walsh. Not just the pros either. Get yourself to some amatuer gigs folks, Christina McMahon, Gilzie Fitz, Katelyn Galvin, Siobhan Brosnan, some great female comic talent out there folks. Funny is funny regardless of gender.

As I see it, women in comedy face two problems.
1. This myth is so deeply rooted , that a lot of people start with the assumption that women aren't funny and so are pre-disposed to think this, meaning they have their work cut out from the start.
2. Women are automatically judged on their looks. If a female stand up is extremely attractive then they are almost allowed to not be funny to some degree and if they are funny then it almost goes under the radar because the first reaction is 'she's hot'. This is why Luisa Omeilan strips to her undies at the start of am I right Ladies? Because once she's gotten the sexuality thing out of the way early she can focus on being funny.

YoungRogerian · 28-12-2018 7:51pm

bilbot79 wrote: »

My comment wasn't meant as an absolute explanation. I think the other poster took it a bit too hard. Probably took offence to it as a female. I do think there is truth in it though. Things can't be untrue just because they leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

I find comedy, especially stand up, is funny because the comedians break boundaries and trample on taboos. Men are probably better at that because they take more risks. I think they are encouraged to push boundaries in the competition against each other for female attention and/or dominance through wit and popularity.

It really depends. Trampling on taboos is great. IF you are funny. It is so risky as a strategy, that you have to really be brilliant to pull it off. For instance I am a huge fan of Frankie Boyle, but if less funny people tried what he tried I'd probably be disgusted. Carlin was brilliant too. Bill Hicks was brilliant when he was good but could be stale at times. People being edgy for the sake of being edgy can backfire horrendously, when the person doesn't have the talent to back it up. Also, nothing at all wrong with comedy you would take your granny to see, so long as they aren't going out of their way to be a 'clean' comedian. funny is funny, comic timing is comic timing. If you want an example of a female comedian who breaks boundaries, Luisa Omeilan is just the ticket. She does a scene where she simulates 'w-a-n-k-ing into a bloke's face. If she were male, she'd be up on sexual harrassment charges, but it is funny as ****.

maybe part of the reason white straight male comedians push boundaries more is they don't really have a 'thing' to play on. Ugly doesn't work as most male comedians are ugly to some degree. Short doesn't really work unless you're abnormally short, fat doesn't work unless you're morbidly obese. Most male comedians are a bit fat at least. Reginald D Hunter has 'black Southerner' Andi Osho has black and female. Other female comedians have 'female' , Jen Bristler also has the Spanish mother thing which is Hilarious, but white straight male comedians, unless they have some other peculiarity, don't have a 'thing' to exploit so have to do it through the material. Maybe that's why they tend to do 'edgy' more.

Kidchameleon · 28-12-2018 8:25pm

The constant push to "prove" women are funny gets me. More women in standup, women are just as funny as men, more female comedy panelists.... these are things I constantly have shoved down my throat. If women are just as funny, then they dont need a hand or a quota, let them do their thing and the free market will decide. Whenever I see a female standup act on tv lately, I find myself thinking "is she there to bulk up the numbers or because of her own merit". Id be so pissed if I was a woman in this day and age

YoungRogerian · 28-12-2018 9:41pm

Kidchameleon wrote: »

The constant push to "prove" women are funny gets me. More women in standup, women are just as funny as men, more female comedy panelists.... these are things I constantly have shoved down my throat. If women are just as funny, then they dont need a hand or a quota, let them do their thing and the free market will decide. Whenever I see a female standup act on tv lately, I find myself thinking "is she there to bulk up the numbers or because of her own merit". Id be so pissed if I was a woman in this day and age

Ironically, having just one female guest is the problem there. It smacks of tokenism, no reason they can't find 2 or 3 women funny enough for a show like Mock the week on any given week.

Silentcorner · 01-01-2019 3:34pm

YoungRogerian wrote: »

Luisa Omeilan is the best stand up around for my money. Andi Osho was fantastic although she mainly acts and writes now. Rachel Paris, Catherine Ryan, Deirdre O' Kane, Jen Bristler, Sarah Millican, Sara Pascoe, Holly Walsh. Not just the pros either. Get yourself to some amatuer gigs folks, Christina McMahon, Gilzie Fitz, Katelyn Galvin, Siobhan Brosnan, some great female comic talent out there folks. Funny is funny regardless of gender.

As I see it, women in comedy face two problems.
1. This myth is so deeply rooted , that a lot of people start with the assumption that women aren't funny and so are pre-disposed to think this, meaning they have their work cut out from the start.
2. Women are automatically judged on their looks. If a female stand up is extremely attractive then they are almost allowed to not be funny to some degree and if they are funny then it almost goes under the radar because the first reaction is 'she's hot'. This is why Luisa Omeilan strips to her undies at the start of am I right Ladies? Because once she's gotten the sexuality thing out of the way early she can focus on being funny.

I respectfully disagree with the above, for two reasons.

1 Laughter is involuntary, on a comedy circuit where you don't have an established support base, you really have to rely on original content or performance.

2 If you can't make strangers laugh you are not a comedian.

Many many many more men fail at comedy than women even in this day and age, women, in this day and age have a get out card!

Silentcorner · 01-01-2019 3:35pm

Kidchameleon wrote: »

The constant push to "prove" women are funny gets me. More women in standup, women are just as funny as men, more female comedy panelists.... these are things I constantly have shoved down my throat. If women are just as funny, then they dont need a hand or a quota, let them do their thing and the free market will decide. Whenever I see a female standup act on tv lately, I find myself thinking "is she there to bulk up the numbers or because of her own merit". Id be so pissed if I was a woman in this day and age

Two words....Hannah Gadsby!

Dyr · 01-01-2019 3:49pm

I think comedians are just a reflection of a differences between the sexes that we tend to see in the general population, most women are not that funny. There was less need for them to be I guess. Unlike men (GSOH exists as an acronym for a reason, and that reason ain't men)

Of all the people I've known, I could count on one hand the women who I would call laugh out loud funny with any confidence, as opposed to just being capable of the odd humorous remark

Triceratops Ballet · 01-01-2019 4:06pm

Bambi wrote:

Of all the people I've known, I could count on one hand the women who I would call laugh out loud funny with any confidence, as opposed to just being capable of the odd humorous remark

Do you genuinely know that many men who are laugh out loud funny either though?
I don't and if I were to think of the people I know, I'd say it's at least 50/50 in terms of who's funny, the women I know definitely have a sharper maybe drier wit whereas the men tend to go for bigger laughs or bits. I wouldn't say on the whole either is more or less funny than the other just different

Franz Von Peppercorn · 01-01-2019 4:08pm

YoungRogerian wrote: »

Ironically, having just one female guest is the problem there. It smacks of tokenism, no reason they can't find 2 or 3 women funny enough for a show like Mock the week on any given week.

I can think of a reason.

Pussyhands · 01-01-2019 4:11pm

I actually find Miranda Harts programme funny.

Never listened to her standup or on any show though so i don't know.

The 'women aren't funny' myth

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