Why are female comedians so unfunny?

[Cosmo]

I don't think i can name a single female comedian who has made me laugh once other than Sandi Toksvig. They're just not funny. Does anyone else agree and why do you think this is?

[ReluctantPegasister]

Ummm Tina Fey and Samantha Bee and Julia Sweeny and Ellen DeGeneres (not to mention all the lovely and hilarious female comedians online), they all make me laugh.

I think it's just a personal thing. There's also not that many female comedians to begin with.

[bitesize]

Jo Brand I've found rather funny, but I actually agree with your question. I think there are so few female comedians out there beCAUSE people don't find them as funny, but why is this so??

[Maverick.]

Wanda Sykes is female and she is way funnier than some leading male comedians.

[Bean]

It isn't necessarily that female comedians aren't as funny as male comedians, but rather that society expects them to be less funny.

It's also a very heavily male dominated arena. Successful female comics are quite rare. Thus, when you come across one female comic who perhaps isn't as good as the others, you end up thinking that all female comics aren't as good as males, simply because there are fewer of them to prove you wrong.

You may find this article interesting ->
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor..._people_g.html

[Magic.]

Stand up wise I almost completely agree ... in shows/movies not so much.
I've found a few funny English female comedians, but I only rarely find them funny and it's usually specific material. It kinda annoys me how female comedians seem to think to be funny they have to make fun of themselves / their weight etc. It's not usually very funny.
That said, this clip always makes me giggle (from QI ... may contain light swearing and sexism, but nothing more) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5_IcqrM96M

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Bean

It isn't necessarily that female comedians aren't as funny as male comedians, but rather that society expects them to be less funny.

It's also a very heavily male dominated arena. Successful female comics are quite rare. Thus, when you come across one female comic who perhaps isn't as good as the others, you end up thinking that all female comics aren't as good as males, simply because there are fewer of them to prove you wrong.

You may find this article interesting ->
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor..._people_g.html

I don't agree. I watch female comedians with an open mind but they actually just aren't that funny. There are very few that can make me laugh.


Actually, I've just realised something, the majority of the ones I find funny are lesbian. Could there be some kind of link?

Jo Brand and Sandi Toksvig are very, very funny but I think they act very masculine in their comedy.

And while I agree it's male dominated, honestly i think that's because men are funnier. I don't think its just because there's some kind of massive conspiracy, I think it's just supply and demand.

Also according to QI (Which I trust with my life) audiences laugh more at men but panels laugh more at women. Women laugh more overall and men are normally the cause of laughter. That sorta explains it.

[Ibanez]

Amy Schumer's alright, but I agree. It's pretty rare that I find girls funny in general though.

Rich Vos is coming out with a documentary about this called "Women Aren't Funny" soon. Can't wait to see it.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

There are a few funny ones, but I definitely agree that guy comedians are so much funnier.

[Bean]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I don't agree. I watch female comedians with an open mind but they actually just aren't that funny. There are very few that can make me laugh.


Actually, I've just realised something, the majority of the ones I find funny are lesbian. Could there be some kind of link?

Jo Brand and Sandi Toksvig are very, very funny but I think they act very masculine in their comedy.

And while I agree it's male dominated, honestly i think that's because men are funnier. I don't think its just because there's some kind of massive conspiracy, I think it's just supply and demand.

Also according to QI (Which I trust with my life) audiences laugh more at men but panels laugh more at women. Women laugh more overall and men are normally the cause of laughter. That sorta explains it.

Fair enough, I certainly find it an interesting conundrum. I find myself enjoying the majority of female comedians just as much as male comedians (and I watch a lot of stand-up...)

Even at the lower levels of stand-up comedy, there is a huge disparity in the ratio of male to females. I frequent a comedy bar that's near my university, and they have a night for first-timers. For every female trying it out for the first time (and they tend to do pretty well!), there are at least 8 or 9 males. Most nights there are no females at all. Since there are so many more males, it's more likely that they're going to be successful and become big names.

I remember that episode of QI, but they aren't always right, sadly

[ShimmeringFaerie]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I don't agree. I watch female comedians with an open mind but they actually just aren't that funny. There are very few that can make me laugh.


Actually, I've just realised something, the majority of the ones I find funny are lesbian. Could there be some kind of link?

Jo Brand and Sandi Toksvig are very, very funny but I think they act very masculine in their comedy.

And while I agree it's male dominated, honestly i think that's because men are funnier. I don't think its just because there's some kind of massive conspiracy, I think it's just supply and demand.

Also according to QI (Which I trust with my life) audiences laugh more at men but panels laugh more at women. Women laugh more overall and men are normally the cause of laughter. That sorta explains it.

Perhaps the issue is not that female comedians are less funny, but that they are less funny to you. Humour is very subjective, so you can't really say "female comedians aren't funny" when that's based entirely on your opinion. I think that, as a man, you probably respond more to male comedians because they are more likely to make jokes that appeal to you. On the other hand, I found a lot of male comedians to be too crude for my tastes.

[Snufkin]

I kind of agree, but I don't mean it in a sexist way, for sure. I have plenty of female friends and many of them are hilarious, so I would never say it's not possible for a woman to be funny. Most female comedians I've seen though don't really make me laugh. I tend to agree with Jo Brand and Sandi Toksvig, they're funny. But then you have Sarah Millican...I've seen funnier episodes of Question Time.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Snufkin

I kind of agree, but I don't mean it in a sexist way, for sure. I have plenty of female friends and many of them are hilarious, so I would never say it's not possible for a woman to be funny. Most female comedians I've seen though don't really make me laugh. I tend to agree with Jo Brand and Sandi Toksvig, they're funny. But then you have Sarah Millican...I've seen funnier episodes of Question Time.

That's what I'm saying. It's not impossible, it's just that they're really rare.

[Marguerite]

I feel like I might get my female card revoked for saying this, but I kind of agree ><

But I don't think it's an issue of females in general being 'less funny'. When I think about the funniest people I've known, most of them have been females (and that's not because I know more women). But in terms of comedians, I don't think any of them are very funny. I really think Ellen is very unfunny as well and she's probably one of the most sucessful.

I think female comedians tend to be loud and obnoxious. As someone else mentioned, they seem to only talk about their personal lives and put other women down or talk about their own flaws as females. Maybe they think that to get by in the business they have to 'act like men', which would explain why they all seem to be so 'in your face'.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Marguerite

I feel like I might get my female card revoked for saying this, but I kind of agree ><

But I don't think it's an issue of females in general being 'less funny'. When I think about the funniest people I've known, most of them have been females (and that's not because I know more women). But in terms of comedians, I don't think any of them are very funny. I really think Ellen is very unfunny as well and she's probably one of the most sucessful.

I think female comedians tend to be loud and obnoxious. As someone else mentioned, they seem to only talk about their personal lives and put other women down or talk about their own flaws as females. Maybe they think that to get by in the business they have to 'act like men', which would explain why they all seem to be so 'in your face'.

I think the problem is mostly the subject matter.


Their content matter is always either about themselves, women, other women or problems they face by being women, and it's just not funny material at all. They also aren't confident enough in what they say.


I mean, watch this, in two lines the two men on the panel are about 10x funnier than the two women and they spent 20 minutes talking.

[Marguerite]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I think the problem is mostly the subject matter.


Their content matter is always either about themselves, women, other women or problems they face by being women, and it's just not funny material at all. They also aren't confident enough in what they say.


I mean, watch this, in two lines the two men on the panel are about 10x funnier than the two women and they spent 20 minutes talking.

Maybe you're right. I was trying to think of some funny female comedians from shows I watch like Talkin Bout Your Generation or Good News Week (Australian panel/quiz shows) but I literally couldn't think of one. I can think of a bunch of funny female contestants who have appeared but they're all actors/singers/professions other than comedians.

[Snufkin]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

I mean, watch this, in two lines the two men on the panel are about 10x funnier than the two women and they spent 20 minutes talking.

I think Sandi is quite funny as well there, but the girl next to her is just annoying.

It's kind of like Loose Women, the way that girl was talking. As if it ought to be funny, simply because she's female. I quite like Sue Perkins as well, another lesbian. Alan Davies and Jack Dee were both brilliant there, and always are.

ShimmeringFaerie, I think to say that male comedians are crude is a massive generalisation, and nowhere near as true as it used to be. Infact more often lately it's been females making crude sex jokes. I went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where I saw a female do stand up for about 20 minutes and it was basically all about sexual encounters with her boyfriend, where as the next guy on had a set that was mostly political satire. If you listen to Dara O Briain, it's crazy fantasies that run away with his mind to create insane situations that keep getting funnier and funnier, while Paul Merton is one of the modern kings of sarcasm and of stretching the realms of beliveability. I can't think of either of them ever being crude. Infact, Paul Merton hardly even swears.

I'm all for equality and I'm one of the least sexist people you'll ever meet, but when it comes to mainstream comedians, I'll usually laugh more at males.

Julia Hartley Brewer just popped into my mind cuz she's been on HIGNFY more than a few times, and I think she's quite funny. Thing is, she identifies herself as a broadcaster and columnist, not a comedian (or comedienne), and as such comes away with better jokes/lines in response to something else than, say, a female stand-up comedienne who has prepared a 90 minute show.

[Pelios]

Aye, I never found American jokes to be funny anyways the only American comedians I can take are Dane Cook and Sarah Silverman mainly because they are sarcastic. Even though there is one really funny Mexican comedian and she is a woman her jokes are so funny because she makes fun of herself because she is the typical “dumb-blonde” type.

[TheBabyEater]

In shows I disagree, but I think the OP means stand up comedy, and I completely agree. Female stand up sucks.

[Bean]

Originally Posted by Mr. Gir

In shows I disagree, but I think the OP means stand up comedy, and I completely agree. Female stand up sucks.

It's attitudes like that, that stop potentially brilliant women going into the business of stand-up comedy.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Bean

It's attitudes like that, that stop potentially brilliant women going into the business of stand-up comedy.

How does her attitude impede funny women from succeeding? If women are funny, they're funny, and that's all there is to it.Her attitude doesn't somehow stop the women being funny. The only thing an audience is looking for is comedy. They don't care where it comes from. if people have become convinced that women are bad standup comedians, the only people to blame are the women.

[Bean]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

How does her attitude impede funny women from succeeding? If women are funny, they're funny, and that's all there is to it.Her attitude doesn't somehow stop the women being funny. The only thing an audience is looking for is comedy. They don't care where it comes from. if people have become convinced that women are bad standup comedians, the only people to blame are the women.

Why would anyone want to go into a field in which a large proportion of people expect them to fail, and risk reinforcing a negative stereotype towards themselves? (stereotype threat)

Female stand-ups tend to just be women, until they're proven funny. Male stand-ups, merely by virtue of being in a comedy venue, are funny until they're proven to be twats.

The women who do have enough guts to go into stand up comedy tend to have a comedy style that doesn't appeal to you personally. But due to the relative rarity of women in stand up, you go on to think that all women are incapable of being good stand up comedians. If there were a greater number of women in stand-up comedy, more audiences would be represented, there would be a wider range of styles and genres. But because of such a negative view of women in stand up, perpetuated by such attitudes, they don't even try.


Also relevant: http://xkcd.com/385/

[TheBabyEater]

Originally Posted by Bean

It's attitudes like that, that stop potentially brilliant women going into the business of stand-up comedy.

My single opinion has effectively ruined woman-kind from ever achieving equality between men and women. How dare I.

[Bean]

Originally Posted by Mr. Gir

My single opinion has effectively ruined woman-kind from ever achieving equality between men and women. How dare I.

That isn't the point. It's not your individual opinion, but that you are perpetuating a wide-spread, harmful stereotype.

[TheBabyEater]

Originally Posted by Bean

That isn't the point. It's not your individual opinion, but that you are perpetuating a wide-spread, harmful stereotype.

I fail to understand why you act like I am to blame for everyone else's opinion. In my mind, all of the female stand up comedians were not funny, to me. Obviously an opinion keeps "strong women" from being "great"

If they were that amazing, strong, and hilarious they wouldn't let someone's opinion drag them back, would they?

[Bean]

Originally Posted by Mr. Gir

I fail to understand why you act like I am to blame for everyone else's opinion. In my mind, all of the female stand up comedians were not funny, to me. Obviously an opinion keeps "strong women" from being "great"

If they were that amazing, strong, and hilarious they wouldn't let someone's opinion drag them back, would they?

It's not just you. You aren't to blame for everyone's opinion.
But your opinion, like many other's is unfounded.
If the roles were reversed, if women were the majority in comedy, and men were the minority, or even if there were an equal amount of both, I honestly doubt yours, and the majority's opinion would be the same.

All women are people, and all people have a different style of comedy. I seriously doubt that most people have seen the wide range of stand up comedy that women can perform, and just go with the idea that because they have seen a few women perform comedy that they didn't enjoy, all women will perform comedy they don't like, leading them to the belief that all women are incapable of being funny.

This becomes a widespread belief that very few women are capable of being funny. This leads to:
1. women themselves thinking they are incapable of being funny,
2. the majority of people expecting a women to fail, if she tries to go into comedy.

In turn, this leads to people taking more notice when a women fails in comedy, along with the fact that they are considerably rare. Which perpetuates the belief that women cannot perform good-stand up, which goes back to beginning.

[fullofsecrets]

Whitney Cummings and Lisa Lampernelli (sp?) are really funny...try checking them out!

[ShimmeringFaerie]

Originally Posted by Snufkin

ShimmeringFaerie, I think to say that male comedians are crude is a massive generalisation, and nowhere near as true as it used to be. Infact more often lately it's been females making crude sex jokes. I went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where I saw a female do stand up for about 20 minutes and it was basically all about sexual encounters with her boyfriend, where as the next guy on had a set that was mostly political satire. If you listen to Dara O Briain, it's crazy fantasies that run away with his mind to create insane situations that keep getting funnier and funnier, while Paul Merton is one of the modern kings of sarcasm and of stretching the realms of beliveability. I can't think of either of them ever being crude. Infact, Paul Merton hardly even swears.

I actually didn't say that male comedians are crude. I said that I've found many male comedians too crude for my tastes. My point was that everyone has different ideas of what is funny and to say that female comedians aren't funny full-stop is unfair since it is only based on your opinion (or rather Cosmo's opinion as that is who I was directing my post at).

I also have to agree with Bean. Some people in this thread are making it sound like there is some magic gene that only men have that allows them to be funny. I find it much easier to believe that a lot of talented potential female comedians are being told by society and the people around them that they can't possibly succeed in the comedy business, so they do something else instead. To say that it's their fault for not being strong enough to try anyway is ridiculous; almost everyone has given up on a dream at some stage because people told them that they couldn't do it.

[Fictional]

I find male and female comedians about as funny as eachother... there are some brilliant female comics out there, but by virtue of being women, they're bound to appeal more to women than men.

[jenpiglet17]

Lisa Lampinelli. Dame Edna.

[Snufkin]

Originally Posted by jenpiglet17

Dame Edna.

Does this actually count?! Haha.

I'd like to point out that I'd never tell a female she'll never be a comedian. Like I said, I have many female friends and some of them are the funniest people I've ever met. I'm saying in mainstream stand-up, and even some panel shows, women just don't come across as funny.

I wouldn't tell them not to try, either. I actually think that if quite a few people think the same way as us in this thread then there is a potential gap in the market for a certain type of female comedian we have yet to see break through. When you see some of the biggest comedians of the last few years, such as Michael McIntyre and Jack Whitehall, they aren't exactly the most manly of men. I don't think gender identity is important.

But to contrast with that, over-the-top flamboyance from a male, such as Alan Carr, isn't funny to me either.

I don't know, I feel like I'm digging a hole that doesn't actually exist. It's not to say that females aren't funny, that's obviously narrow minded and wrong. But I don't get why the likes of Sarah Millican is so popular when she just isn't funny. The same could be said of a male equivalent though like John Bishop.

[deadlyninjabee]

I love Tina Fey and Kathy Griffin, so I don't know what you talkin' about, Willis.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

Traci has recently gotten me into Jenna Marbles

[Illuminate]

You must have never seen Miranda. I love that show.

I also really like Sarah Millican : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyuo9...eature=related She makes me laugh so much