The comedy in tragedy Image:Wonderlane
Well I know which one I prefer. But let's investigate this. Actually let's not. On Tuesday someone named Mike Sheer wrote a post on comedy industry site Chortle asking the question Women or Rape: Which is the less funny? From the title alone you know this is going to be edgy comedy gold, right? This is going to be an article that gets things sorted once and for all. It's what we've all been asking in our more idle moments. Sheer begins: “Unless you've been living under a rock, or are interesting, you're aware of the ongoing ‘Are women funny?’ debate. Lately, there's been another element tossed into the ‘funny?’ quandary: rape. We just can't seem to put our finger on whether or not rape and women are funny! But can we ascertain which is less funny?”
I can't say I was aware there was an ongoing 'Are women funny?' debate. I must have been living under an interesting rock. I was aware of an ongoing discussion concerning hostility towards funny women. I know there are some people out there who dream of weekend golf tournaments with Jim Davidson and don't believe women have a place in comedy, outside being the butt of Mother-in-Law jokes. But are women funny? I am pretty sure we can easily settle on the conclusion that, as with men, some women are and some women aren't funny.
Another 'element tossed into the funny quandary' is can pretty women be funny? The media recently fixated upon a particular extract from comedian Miranda Hart's new book Is It Just Me? in which Hart cited her plainness as part of the secret to her success. “If you look like a sack of offal...you’re going to spend many of your formative years alone. This may seem miserable – but you’ll have...space you can constructively use to discover and hone your skills...do whatever you fancy, really, so long as it doesn’t involve being looked at or snogging anyone. And you’ll very likely emerge from your chrysalis aged 25 as a highly accomplished young thing ready to take on the world”.
As it happens women do have the choice, when finding themselves to be objectified, to not become an object. Turning down snogging in favour of concentrating on intellectual pursuits. Or, being the alleged multitasking sex, do both. Allow their minds to wonder during a snogging session. All an audience should care about when a stand-up walks out on stage is 'are they funny?' not 'what do they look like' or 'how did they spend their teenhood?'
Comedian Genevieve Fricker has developed the capability of being funny and snagging a place on Australia's Ciao magazine Hot or Not list. The comedian was not amused to find her features were being rated by a panel of 4 men. I don't know what Fricker's problem was, she got high ratings, gee. I mean OK, she's currently promoting her comedy career but, just like cat calling, shouldn't she just take this as a compliment and shh her pretty mouth? “You don't get into comedy to pick up guys” said the 'loud and proud feminist'.
It is unfortunate that these are the risks women who step onto the stage take. Being objectified and dismissed for either being too good looking or not good looking enough. Either way it's a cheek apparently.
I think we can all come up with several women who prove the ability to be funny is not gendered. But apparently that isn't really the question Sheer is asking. Really, he wonders, does he even like women at all? “I have a rather macrocosmic perception in regards to women: I don't hate them personally, of course, but I hate them as a whole. I hate how they manipulate me with their sultriness and crumble my directives. I hate how they receive better treatment from society just because they are weak and soft. I hate how they appear to like me and then rarely do. So when one steps behind that microphone, can you blame me for reeling?”
This same week this Sheer post went up has been acknowledged as a bad week for women. Our equalities minister Maria Miller has identified herself as a 'thoroughly modern feminist' who believes the abortion limit should be reduced. Women are coming forward claiming they were raped when they were under age by Sir Jimmy Savile. George Galloway has announced he will sue the NUS over their reaction to his opinion of what constitutes rape or “bad sexual etiquette” and far too late we are questioning why a blind eye was turned to the abuse of under age girls in Rochdale. Oh yeah and yet another comic defended their right to find rape hilarious. Does that sound like better treatment from society?
Are you mad? I bet you're mad. Don't be. 'Cos yesterday Sheer assured us on his blog that was not the all too familiar musings of a male stand up, it was satire guys. That's why you were both cross AND laughing as you read it. Right? Right? That Sheer sure knows how to send up those misogynists! “What I was presenting to you in the article is a combination of the sneaky banter I’ve heard since these topics became considered worthy of discussion plus what female comic friends tell me they are subjected to regularly.” HA HA HA. Fooled you, man you were easy to fool.
And anyway everybody knows it's 'the fewer funny', not 'the less funny'.
Squeamish Kate
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Another 'element tossed into the funny quandary' is can pretty women be funny? The media recently fixated upon a particular extract from comedian Miranda Hart's new book Is It Just Me? in which Hart cited her plainness as part of the secret to her success. “If you look like a sack of offal...you’re going to spend many of your formative years alone. This may seem miserable – but you’ll have...space you can constructively use to discover and hone your skills...do whatever you fancy, really, so long as it doesn’t involve being looked at or snogging anyone. And you’ll very likely emerge from your chrysalis aged 25 as a highly accomplished young thing ready to take on the world”.
As it happens women do have the choice, when finding themselves to be objectified, to not become an object. Turning down snogging in favour of concentrating on intellectual pursuits. Or, being the alleged multitasking sex, do both. Allow their minds to wonder during a snogging session. All an audience should care about when a stand-up walks out on stage is 'are they funny?' not 'what do they look like' or 'how did they spend their teenhood?'
Comedian Genevieve Fricker has developed the capability of being funny and snagging a place on Australia's Ciao magazine Hot or Not list. The comedian was not amused to find her features were being rated by a panel of 4 men. I don't know what Fricker's problem was, she got high ratings, gee. I mean OK, she's currently promoting her comedy career but, just like cat calling, shouldn't she just take this as a compliment and shh her pretty mouth? “You don't get into comedy to pick up guys” said the 'loud and proud feminist'.
It is unfortunate that these are the risks women who step onto the stage take. Being objectified and dismissed for either being too good looking or not good looking enough. Either way it's a cheek apparently.
I think we can all come up with several women who prove the ability to be funny is not gendered. But apparently that isn't really the question Sheer is asking. Really, he wonders, does he even like women at all? “I have a rather macrocosmic perception in regards to women: I don't hate them personally, of course, but I hate them as a whole. I hate how they manipulate me with their sultriness and crumble my directives. I hate how they receive better treatment from society just because they are weak and soft. I hate how they appear to like me and then rarely do. So when one steps behind that microphone, can you blame me for reeling?”
This same week this Sheer post went up has been acknowledged as a bad week for women. Our equalities minister Maria Miller has identified herself as a 'thoroughly modern feminist' who believes the abortion limit should be reduced. Women are coming forward claiming they were raped when they were under age by Sir Jimmy Savile. George Galloway has announced he will sue the NUS over their reaction to his opinion of what constitutes rape or “bad sexual etiquette” and far too late we are questioning why a blind eye was turned to the abuse of under age girls in Rochdale. Oh yeah and yet another comic defended their right to find rape hilarious. Does that sound like better treatment from society?
Are you mad? I bet you're mad. Don't be. 'Cos yesterday Sheer assured us on his blog that was not the all too familiar musings of a male stand up, it was satire guys. That's why you were both cross AND laughing as you read it. Right? Right? That Sheer sure knows how to send up those misogynists! “What I was presenting to you in the article is a combination of the sneaky banter I’ve heard since these topics became considered worthy of discussion plus what female comic friends tell me they are subjected to regularly.” HA HA HA. Fooled you, man you were easy to fool.
And anyway everybody knows it's 'the fewer funny', not 'the less funny'.
Squeamish Kate
Related Posts
Just Toshing?
Phyllis Diller, we owe you
Women! Unite, take back the mic
Fox News notes new comedy phenomenon
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