Funny girls

It seems silly to ask, but here goes -- are women as funny as men? "Yes," confirms stand-up comedian Cameron Esposito.

[HoHum]

This is all we ever hear,'the male dominated job'; blah, blah, blah. If women are such an equal gender, what IS the big deal?

[sagar]

funnnyyy

[sagar]

funny and sexyyy

[chicagofish]

HoHum wrote:

This is all we ever hear,'the male dominated job'; blah, blah, blah. If women are such an equal gender, what IS the big deal?

Comedy clubs still do special promotions for "all women comics" nights. You'll never see an "all white male comics" promotion, because that's the norm.

There may be some balance, but there is no equality in comedy. Check out the schedule for any comedy club in America this week. How many women are headlining?

Audiences simply don't respond to women onstage the same way as men. There are a few strong women out there (like Cameron Esposito) who make it work (and make it look easy) but it's just a whole nother dynamic.

The simple version is that men are expected to be more outspoken, women are expected to be quieter.

Hooray for everyone who challenges that assumption.

Here's a fun angle...ask a guy comic how many women hit on him after a show, vs. how many men hit on a girl comic.

Guy onstage = strong, opinionated, probing, intelligent.

Girl onstage = brassy b-word.

I don't like it, and it's changing slowly, but it's still the dominant way of thinking in comedy clubs.

[Smell_The_Coffee]

chicagofish wrote:

<quoted text>
Guy onstage = strong, opinionated, probing, intelligent.
Girl onstage = brassy b-word.
I don't like it, and it's changing slowly, but it's still the dominant way of thinking in comedy clubs.

Ironically, you've got to be kidding.

[thingy]

Why do men become comedians?
It makes women laugh.
For time and Millennium, men have used this to get the babes.
So they have more practice for one thing, on their side.
I'm not sure who the target is, from a female comedian.

[Lawrence Oliver]

No wonder the Tribune's readership is so far down. With all the real problems confronting our globe, you add this trivia as a special addition. Come on folks, let's put forth something worth reading and pondering.

[Uohhh]

Here we go again with this feminist C R A P....

[ummm]

It's not a special addtion? He's a freelancer.
Also, Uohhh I think you're confusing feminine with feminist.
Also, you fail.

[LMAO]

Uohhh wrote:

Here we go again with this feminist C R A P....

Oh, shut up and pay your child support.

[Uohhh]

LMAO wrote:

<quoted text>
Oh, shut up and pay your child support.

Here you go, brilliant feminist....

You are so much better than men, or at least equal, that needs one to pay for "child support"?

It's hillarious this is the first thing that comes up to your mind.

The american woman strategy...: find a man stupid enough to have a child with, so you can leech him for the rest of his life....

[LMAO]

Uohhh wrote:

<quoted text>
Here you go, brilliant feminist....
You are so much better than men, or at least equal, that needs one to pay for "child support"?
It's hillarious this is the first thing that comes up to your mind.
The american woman strategy...: find a man stupid enough to have a child with, so you can leech him for the rest of his life....

By order of the judge, baby. Now gimme, or I'll have your picture put on that deadbeat daddy website. Don't blame me because you can't keep it in your pants.

And what makes you think I'm a woman, you deadbeat.

[bricka_bricka]

Ah, the perennial argument of "Are Women Funny?"

Simply asking that question hurts talented, hard working female comedians every single time, not to mention the comedy scene as a whole.

Stop writing articles about this. You're HURTING. Not HELPING.

It does the same damage as your "Chicago's emerging underground stand-up scene" stories. I can set my watch to it. For YEARS now. And in all that time, NO explosion of interest. People read the first few lines and think "yep, that about sums it up."

Comedy, when done well, is simply funny. Gender, race, size could not be LESS important.

Does the performer make you laugh?

[human_being]

I'm a comic and I'm a female.

I didn't get into this to be the next Wanda Sykes.
I didn't get into this so that people would bring me flowers.
I didn't get into this to talk about my "emotions." I didn't get into it to talk about "poop" either.

I've gone to a lot of open mikes and I've NEVER once felt this so-called "it's a woman, get her off the stage" vibe.
To the females that do get that feeling: Maybe it's not because you're a woman. Maybe it's because you're not funny.

[thingy]

human_being wrote:

I'm a comic and I'm a female.
I didn't get into this to be the next Wanda Sykes.
I didn't get into this so that people would bring me flowers.
I didn't get into this to talk about my "emotions." I didn't get into it to talk about "poop" either.
I've gone to a lot of open mikes and I've NEVER once felt this so-called "it's a woman, get her off the stage" vibe.
To the females that do get that feeling: Maybe it's not because you're a woman. Maybe it's because you're not funny.

I'm curious to know what you talk about.
Is there one routine you can share?

[thingy]

Four hours later......
That's what I thought.

[human_being]

thingy wrote:

Four hours later......
That's what I thought.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that I was supposed to check this article every five minutes to see if someone had responded to my comment.

As for my routine: You know, the usual: my period, my ticking biological clock, how I'll never get married....

[Kristin]

Hey that's me in the story. The point of Cameron's class is just to get more women interested in comedy. Nothing more. It is traditionally dominated by men and I think that can be somewhat intimidating. I've always gotten very pleasant and welcoming reactions from male comics at open mics. Haven't been to many but everyone always seems pleased to see a lady there. If people have gotten jerky reactions ... well, there are jerks everywhere and not all of them are men! I didn't get into this for flowers either but I wouldn't turn them down :)

[Sublime1]

I watch a lot of stand up with my wife. I actually tivo them all on comedy central and have seen more than a few comics live.

There are some women that are pretty funny, just like some of the guys are. Some people are just not funny, regardless of sex, however. I do think the funniest comedians have been males. I would say maybe it is because I am a guy and appreciate guy humor more, but my wife agrees.

[thingy]

human_being wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm sorry, I didn't realize that I was supposed to check this article every five minutes to see if someone had responded to my comment.
As for my routine: You know, the usual: my period, my ticking biological clock, how I'll never get married....

Honestly, I was really interested in what you talk about.
You seem to have a chip on your shoulder.
Turn off right there.
There are some good woman comedians.
I love Rita Rudner. She's smart, not angry. She can talk about women's issues without being a bore.