I thought he'd said he was a bloke? If not, my mistake.
Female comedians Page 26
Not to my knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised. You'd know better than me I expect.
Having seen hundreds and hundreds of m/f stand ups at circuit level the thing I have noticed that seperates the good and the bad (apart from material) is quite simply the confidence in their own act.
With confidence comes a natural charisma.
Without going off on a tangent, having seen heard this debate a billion times at writer's groups, workshops and whatnot over the last ten years I still think funny comes down to self confidence. Neurosis only works as an Act (woody allen)
Hypothetical: If a woman told a room full of male comedians that men aren't funny, the men would probably say Okay and go about their day. If a man tells a room full of women that women aren't funny, there'd no doubt be the usual How sexist! Attitudes like this are what makes it hard for women! etc, but I bet you that the women in that room who shrugged it off and said whatever, would be the funniest and coolest in the room.
Confidence, there's nothing supernatural about it, stand up is a peforming art and probably the purest of comedy vehicles.
The funniest female I ever saw at an open mic a long time ago got a literal ovation and everyone was won over by the sheer effortless self-confidence in her material, nothing loud and obnoxious, no tired gags about how long her ex lasted in bed or whatever, no draining jokes out of her country of origin, just a subtle Debbie Harry like charisma.
Works both ways, with males, the generally regarded greatest happen to also to be the ones who all have that "something".
This is all just my opinion based on experience of watching stand up for years.
For the record I think S.Silverman and Tina Fey are good examples of doing their thing on their own terms.
Quote: Jack Daniels @ July 7 2011, 6:53 PM BSTHypothetical: If a woman told a room full of male comedians that men aren't funny, the men would probably say Okay and go about their day. If a man tells a room full of women that women aren't funny, there'd no doubt be the usual How sexist! Attitudes like this are what makes it hard for women! etc, but I bet you that the women in that room who shrugged it off and said whatever, would be the funniest and coolest in the room.
I do agree with that, and with your general point. But you've got to add in the fact that women hear that stuff all the time and it's been accepted as a universal truth by many, it gets very tiresome. Men don't ever get told that, so of course they'd shrug it off.
Yeah, and truth be told it guts me to think to think that any female wanting to express her art feels she's may be up against the tide.
It shouldn't be an issue, but people are only human and to think you're facing pre-judgement is a very shitty thing to have to deal with, that's why I think the confidence thing is the only real way of overcoming any time-old dark-age social club precept, because if they're good it doesn't matter, quality finds an audience.
And to remember, we here with a deep intrest in comedy know more/think more about it than a ticket buyer who couldn't care less about the mechanics of peforming or writing, and couldn't care less about the inequality in one gender having a harder struggle than the other - And it's with this in mind, that I want to point out (in my experience) when this debate arises it's women more than men who say things like "I prefer male company/friends... Men are funnier..."
In the audiences, I've heard women rip female comics, just for being female, don't know why, I think men have a more face value attitude, if it's good it's good if it's bad it's bad.
And, it doesn't help matters that a lot of the edgier females doing the clubs who would enhance the reputation of female comedy don't make it to the TV for the same old reasons of why Bruce, Hicks, Lee, Stanhope etc never appeared on their versions of panel shows. The attitude isn't allowed to air as it tends to be anti corporate/media/government in nature and so only the safer, lamer token females are hand picked for pre-watershed TV. Not because it's cutting edge artistic expression but because it fills a quotient/broadcast brief.
All in all, I'm pro ANYBODY who has something to say and performs, makes films, plays music, paints, whatever fufills them. And most smart people feel the same way. Who really needs the approval of a moron?
And, last point, in the history of all things stand up, the last 25 years or so is a relatively new chapter in a history going back to music hall comedy/pre equality in general... so I'm guessing male or female will NOT be an issue whatsoever in the future as this how evolution of anything works. Time.
(Look at female tennis, once derrided at the very mention, now its a perflectly equal compliment to male tennis. Female football is currently going through ridicule, non attendence but in the future these teething adjustments won't mean squat.)
I've heard it's often the women who don't like female comedians, I think they feel threatened by them because women are attracted to funny men and think men are the same.
In some ways I think it's easier for female comedians though as there's so few of them that demand outstrips supply. The danger is that women will get further than they deserve to and then reinforce the perception that they're not as funny as men.
Mind you, the number of rubbish male comedians getting more success than they deserve is a mystery, good agents and outrageous good fortune I guess.
Quote: Vader @ July 7 2011, 8:32 PM BSTI've heard it's often the women who don't like female comedians, I think they feel threatened by them because women are attracted to funny men and think men are the same.
In some ways I think it's easier for female comedians though as there's so few of them that demand outstrips supply. The danger is that women will get further than they deserve to and then reinforce the perception that they're not as funny as men.
Mind you, the number of rubbish male comedians getting more success than they deserve is a mystery, good agents and outrageous good fortune I guess.
I think that there is a large croup of women who just don't like what they perceive as strong women, whether that goes against the patriarchal model they're used to, or whether try feel threatened- who knows. The sort of women who still love female solo musicians who are scantily clad and singing about sex and think 'girl power' because this icon is fulfilling one of their preconceived social roles. It's far more damaging than a man belittling women. Saying that, the North East circuit is insanely welcoming to women, and within it I don't think I've ever encountered any sexism. Even in venues where I've expected it 
I think you're right that it sometimes works in a comic's favour. If you are as good as 10 new male acts, then you're an obvious standout, and I think the circuit has more promoters now who want to 'redress the balance' or fill a quota.
There seems to be a huge glut of comics getting further then really they ought to, but we mostly see the pre-watershed family material, which in most cases isn't their usual thing.
I'd say that American Maria Bamford is the funniest stand-up working these days, male or female.
The only thing I laughed at was how bad it was. Shame on you.
Quote: Jack Daniels @ July 7 2011, 8:11 PM BST(Look at female tennis, once derrided at the very mention, now its a perflectly equal compliment to male tennis. Female football is currently going through ridicule, non attendence but in the future these teething adjustments won't mean squat.)
Not in Germany at the moment where the Women's World Cup is getting very healthy attendance figures.
Quote: zooo @ July 7 2011, 7:16 PM BSTBut you've got to add in the fact that women hear that stuff all the time and it's been accepted as a universal truth by many
Has it? I'd say that there's just a more vocal minority who believe it to be true. Most people take the view that funny is funny is funny; man, woman, or wildebeast.
Then clearly I've spoken to more morons than you have! Cos I'd say it was a pretty widespread 'accepted truth', that men are funnier than women.
Anyway, go to sleep, it's 3:30am.
Quote: zooo @ July 8 2011, 3:36 AM BSTCos I'd say it was a pretty widespread 'accepted truth', that men are funnier than women.
Yeah, I'd go along with that.
More that men and women have diferent pradigms of humour and as most of the decision makers in the media are men. We see the male paradigm more often.
I was just shit stirring.
The question is are men's jokes funnier than women's? The answer is obviously no. Do women tell fewer jokes and use humour less often than men? The answer is obviously yes. Feminism would say this was down to the anarchic power of humour being historical withheld from women and men being intimidated by funny confident, women, but I think it's mostly because they're lazy bitches.