Women, know your limits

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Start a thread out with misogyny and see where it gets you.


Far fewer women doing standup than men; qualitatively, I don't think you could assert that much difference.

Comedic actresses we have in plenty and always have. Again, I don't think you could assert a qualitative difference meaningfully.

Sitcoms featuring comedians (either gender) run into the same problem all shows do. Many start out pretty funny and entertaining, but.... How many episodes can you crank out before it ceases to be innovative? How many more must we suffer through before the show starts jumping the shark?

[InsaneApache]

Plenty of funny women.

In the past.

Hattie Jacques. Joyce Grenfell. Lucille Ball.

More up to date.

Jennifer Saunders in Ab Fab. To coin a phrase, brilliant.

Caroline Aherne in everything she's done. Scorchio.

A couple of examples.

[Lemur]

Despite the wisdom of the old saying, de gustibus non est disputandum, I'm going to point out that it's impossible to assert that women are in any meaningful sense less funny than men. Where to start? First define "funny." Then try to form a definition that can be meaningfully applied to everyone. Once you're done with that, go tell Lucille Ball, Tina Fey, Margaret Cho and Jennifer Saunders how they can't possibly be as skilled at comedy as they appear to be. (Maybe they're all secretly men or something?)

Then sit down and watch some Harry Enfield for the rest of the day.

[Adrian II]

I'm going to point out that it's impossible to assert that women are in any meaningful sense less funny than men.

True. And valid as well. Personally I've laughed my arse off watching Ab Fab, albeit not for Saunders but for Lumley. But it can't hurt to provoke like Fragony often does and then see what transpires. The one thing I take away from this thread is Ronin's great remark about Dennis Leary's career. Oh snap. It left me speechless. I'll be passing that one on to friends.

AII

[a completely inoffensive name]

I'm so glad there are not any women posting here, polluting the thread with unfunny posts about equality.

[Samurai Waki]

Lisa Lampanelli...

[Scienter]

Tina Fey
Amy Poehler
Whoopi Goldberg
Ellen Degeneres
Samantha Bee
Margaret Cho
Sarah Silverman
Liz Winstead
Sandra Berhnard
Janine Geraffalo (sp?)
Wanda Sykes

[Pannonian]

Plenty of funny women.

In the past.

Hattie Jacques. Joyce Grenfell. Lucille Ball.

More up to date.

Jennifer Saunders in Ab Fab. To coin a phrase, brilliant.

Caroline Aherne in everything she's done. Scorchio.

A couple of examples.

I quite liked Josie Lawrence in Whose Line.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Good to see you again Pannonian! If you get any time off elsewhere, you are always welcome here (and in Fatlington).