Funny women

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― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:05 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.filmnight.org/images/bringing1.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:07 (twenty years ago) link

BEA ARTHUR, NO FUCKING KIDDING.

― anthony easton (anthony), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:07 (twenty years ago) link

http://i.ivillage.com/womn/photos/janeane1.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:13 (twenty years ago) link

http://image.pathfinder.com/ew/itlist/2001/img/snl.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:15 (twenty years ago) link

http://users.rcn.com/lyndanyc/images/dottipic.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:16 (twenty years ago) link

[insert photos of Ally, Jewellry, Luna, Carey, Di, etc]
...I think some of the female ILXors crack me up just as much as, if not more than, the men around here.

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:18 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.egads.com/nemceff2/rain.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:19 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.angelsacolyte.com/epthumbs1/s1_185by5/5by508a.jpg

― Josh (Josh), Saturday, 5 July 2003 19:41 (twenty years ago) link

It has been scientifically proven that women are not funny.

― kikiru, Saturday, 5 July 2003 21:40 (twenty years ago) link

How could someone not have heard of Gilda Radner?? Most classic indeed. (that said i didn't know Tomlin was gay.) Tell me something I might have seen Amy Sedaris on rather than Letterman.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Saturday, 5 July 2003 21:45 (twenty years ago) link

Tell me something I might have seen Amy Sedaris on rather than Letterman.

Strangers With Candy, which used to be on MTV. I don't know if it plays in reruns on any stations or not as I'm without cable.

― jewelly (jewelly), Saturday, 5 July 2003 21:46 (twenty years ago) link

who is the most famous funny woman (as in comic/performer) in the world?

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 5 July 2003 21:58 (twenty years ago) link

Lucille Ball

― That Girl (thatgirl), Saturday, 5 July 2003 21:59 (twenty years ago) link

still?

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:00 (twenty years ago) link

i guess i meant current/active

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:03 (twenty years ago) link

Barbara Walters

― jewelly (jewelly), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:04 (twenty years ago) link

current? hmm. is there one? most well known wouldn't neccesarily be funniest - whoopi, roseanne barr maybe.

― That Girl (thatgirl), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:05 (twenty years ago) link

Joan Rivers?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:08 (twenty years ago) link

again, just famous, not necessarily funny :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:11 (twenty years ago) link

I love Catherine O'Hara.

http://sctvguide.ca/features/lola78.jpg

But my favorites are probably Gilda Radner and Lily Tomlin.

― Arthur (Arthur), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:13 (twenty years ago) link

I love Imogene Coca, too.

http://www.tvtome.com/images/people/5/1/80-1880.jpg

― Arthur (Arthur), Saturday, 5 July 2003 22:15 (twenty years ago) link

madeline kahn. yes please, madeline kahn. i don't necessarily think there is anything inherently different about a 'female style' of comedy -- i think the same principles of timing and reversal still apply. i think ms kahn had (god rest her) such a tremendous straight face, such complete commitment to whatever gag she was playing. simply marvelous.

― Elmo Oxygen (elmo oxygen), Saturday, 5 July 2003 23:17 (twenty years ago) link

joan rivers was groundbreaking 40 yrs ago. so was phyillis diller.

― anthony easton (anthony), Saturday, 5 July 2003 23:19 (twenty years ago) link

I'm really hilarious. I think most of you have only noticed 30% of my funniness. That means 70% is left to be discovered.

― Mandee, Saturday, 5 July 2003 23:37 (twenty years ago) link

i am abso-fucking-lutely fabu-fucking-lously with donut bitch.

― di smith (lucylurex), Sunday, 6 July 2003 03:20 (twenty years ago) link

Female comics are interesting, I think there's a real difference in attitudes from the audience when they get on stage. When male comics get up it's a real 'is this person going to be funny?' and then females get up and it's more 'what's she trying to prove?'.
Women also talk too much and over explain things when a lot of comedy is based in simplicity.
I think that this thread should be retitled 'Funny women; what's that about?!'
I'm going to have my stand up debut in November. It's all a bit exciting.

― Nellie (nellskies), Sunday, 6 July 2003 03:23 (twenty years ago) link

has no one mentioned carole lombard?!?! or betty comden, she could be extremely funny.

marlene dietrich was an underrated comic actress.

― amateurist (amateurist), Sunday, 6 July 2003 03:44 (twenty years ago) link

I like Kathy Burke the best - I thought Susie Essman was really great on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', too. Susie Essman does do the bitchiness/lewdness thing, but a kind of purified version of it - so extreme. But Kathy Burke, I love her so much, because I've seen on her in interviews and on 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' and she has that intelligent sad stupidity that is outside the domain of all but the best comics - I mean Woody Allen has that. Kathy Burke can really do deadpan, melancholy nothingness, as well as satire, which is great. And I love her hatefulness towards the upper classes, too.

― X, Sunday, 6 July 2003 08:19 (twenty years ago) link

thankfully no-one has mentioned any Australian female comedians. for there are no funny ones. no, not even Judith Lucy, who is horrible. mention kath and kim and i will throw beer in your lap.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 6 July 2003 09:09 (twenty years ago) link

i should've mentioned Kathy Burke long before I even thought of mentioning Jo Brand!

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 6 July 2003 10:05 (twenty years ago) link

There's a distinction worth making, I think, between comedy acting and stand up comedy. I think women are absolutely as strong in the history of the former (despite bing given rather less opportunity at times), but are certainly in the minority both overall and in the upper echelons among stand ups. The fact that successful and popular standups in the US seem to generally lead to sitcoms will maybe maintain that - in the UK we've seen almost zero standup from people like Roseanne Barr and Ellen DeGerenes.

I don't get how people think there is a problem with funny women being sexy. Obviously there is a whole range, but look back at the classic era of screwball comedies and the women were often the funniest characters, with the men often playing straight man. Bringing Up Baby is as good and high profile an example as any, I guess. If a modern example is wanted, UK viewers can watch Smack The Pony for some of the sexiest women on TV (I particularly love Sally Phillips). I do agree that there seems to be a weird attitude towards female comics, as if it isn't a properly feminine thing to be doing. This obviously needs opposing.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 6 July 2003 12:58 (twenty years ago) link

Good luck Nellie! I look forward to your future HBO special. :)

― Innocent Dreamer (Dee the Lurker), Monday, 7 July 2003 03:35 (twenty years ago) link

that woman off of will and grace - not grace but her friend abso kills me, she is funn-e (although this is mainly due to the writers but her delivary is great - oddly i also find her a very sexy woman - even with the screachy voice)

― james (james), Monday, 7 July 2003 10:03 (twenty years ago) link

I was gonna say Kathy Burke too. She can be so funny, but also so serious in her roles. But yeah, she makes me laugh loads.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 7 July 2003 10:10 (twenty years ago) link

Grace's pal < Cybil's pal.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:24 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.everwonder.com/david/silverman/xsm_sarah44.jpg
"I, Sarah Silverman, have made The Nickalicious laugh so hard he pee'd all over his self. Twice."

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:27 (twenty years ago) link

I LOVE Wanda Sykes.
Margaret Cho is okay. Amy Sedaris can be hilarious. And what's her face who used to be Andy's Sister Stacy on Conan O'Brien, oh man, did I love that bit. Everytime.

The women of Newsradio were all very funny, though most of them are now doing ER. Which is, from the brief glimpses, quite humourless.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:28 (twenty years ago) link

The first season of Strangers With Candy is out on dvd now! I just bought it this weekend and has helped fuel my Colbert obsession.

― Nicole (Nicole), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:32 (twenty years ago) link

all these "comedians" are so fucking dud.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:33 (twenty years ago) link

What about Carol Burnett?

― Mandee, Monday, 7 July 2003 16:33 (twenty years ago) link

what's her face who used to be Andy's Sister Stacy on Conan O'Brien

Amy Poehler. Now on SNL.

Funny women also seem to succeed in character sketches = Tracy Ullman, Carol Burnett.

(xpost with Mandee!)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 7 July 2003 16:40 (twenty years ago) link

Sarah Vowell?

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:10 (twenty years ago) link

Sandra Bernhard is funny and clever.

― Saskia, Monday, 7 July 2003 17:17 (twenty years ago) link

Women have saved SNL from the dumper.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:19 (twenty years ago) link

Molly Shannon, Julia Sweeney, Nora Dunn

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:20 (twenty years ago) link

SWOON

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:22 (twenty years ago) link

Wanda Sykes is about as edgy as a butter knife. Margaret Cho annoys me with her fag-hag dream world. Gay men are to her what unicorns are to 12-year-old girls. Everyone on Saturday Night Live is boring, predictable, and irritating. I don't mean to pick on the girls, either: comedy in general is in a sorry state. And stand up comedy needs to go away forever.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

Is Wanda supposed to be edgy?
She's just funny.
Yr line about gay men and unicorns proves that comedy isn't in as sorry a state as you say. You funny Kenan you.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:33 (twenty years ago) link

Expecting Wanda Sykes to be edgy is a non-starter unless you've got preconceived notions about her act based on her connection to Chris Rock.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:38 (twenty years ago) link

everyone is on telly too much = they stop being funny quicker

denise coffey

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 7 July 2003 19:03 (twenty years ago) link

two years pass...

what if they did a Peep Show style thing but with two women in the lead roles...Tamsin Grieg and Sally Phillips? Maybe the lass from Man Stroke Woman (this looks quite good btw)...

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:32 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/partridge/life/images/100_150_hayers.jpg

we're not commissioning a pilot

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link

Haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if I'm re-observing here.

I think the problem with a lot of women in comedy is they're either used as the "straight" characters (viz: Quentin & Ash to Cloones & Morissey), or the comedy revolves around women's issues (endless jokes about tampons and dieting).
I think the only show that managed to avoid this was Smack The Poney. But despite it's much touted all-female cast, many of the sketches could have been done by men or a mixed cast.

― dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:13 (eighteen years ago) link

going back to the Peep Show idea, you don't get enough female narration in comedy so that would be a nice novelty, coupled with the parent novelty of Peep Show itself (camera as eyes of the character). it's too bad the idea's already been done with two men as with women it could've been even all the more remarkable.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:19 (eighteen years ago) link

I know it's been said before on this thread, but there is a huge distinction between good comedic actors and good comedians. And while I could reel off a whole bunch of women who have impeccable comedic acting talent, I'd be struggling to name a handful of decent stand-up/sketch comediennes, certainly from the UK. In fact, past Jo Brand (who I have recently rediscovered as very funny due to her stints sitting in for Jonathan Ross on Radio Two) and Victoria Wood (blame my mum), I can't really think of any. Oh, Nina Conti was great the first time I saw her, but her schtick wore thin quite quickly.

Catherine Tate, Meera Syal, can't even think of any more, NOT FUNNY. Oh, yes, French and Saunders. Very much not funny.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:27 (eighteen years ago) link

Jenny Eclair = good comedienne. that accent helps. she's also quite good on radio from what i've heard (not much).

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:30 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:34 (eighteen years ago) link

I forgot about Jenny Eclair. I saw her about ten/fifteen years ago and she was utterly appalling, relying on the shock factor of being vulgar rather than actualy being funny. However she seems to have matured into a genuinely funny person.

Destroy: Gina Yashere. Also Josie Lawrence (from the Emma Thompson/Catherine Tate/Tracy Ullman school of sketch-show smugness), that crap woman (Jenny Ross?) who used to be on the Sunday Show.

People who have intermittently made me laugh: Mel and Sue, Rhona Cameron, Donna McPhail, Hattie Hayridge

Honourable mention: Liza Tarbuck. I was trying to think of women who have appeared on Have I Got News For You or QI as the benchmark (that's appeared in the guise of professional funnyperson rather than being a guest who happens to be amusing) and apart from Jo Brand, Liza Tarbuck was the only one I could think of who I could actually put my hand on my heart and say that they made me laugh.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Sandra Bee from the Daily Show doesn't make me laugh, but my friend Anna (who thinks SB is hilarious) does.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 18:58 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:10 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:12 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:15 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:18 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:20 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:32 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:34 (eighteen years ago) link

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― _, Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:35 (eighteen years ago) link

Maria Bamford

― darin (darin), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 19:39 (eighteen years ago) link

It took me a few minutes to realize you didn't mean Ashley "what ever happened to..." Banfield.

― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Tuesday, 22 November 2005 20:27 (eighteen years ago) link

haha tichina arnold was the best thing about martin. her fights with martin are priceless. and maya rudolph is one of my favorite comedians on snl ever.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 23 November 2005 03:58 (eighteen years ago) link

maya rudolph always plays the same "over singing " character. i mean she does it good but its totally played out by now.

― howell huser (chaki), Wednesday, 23 November 2005 05:07 (eighteen years ago) link

omg whatever did happen to ashleigh banfield?

― j b everlovin' r (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 23 November 2005 05:09 (eighteen years ago) link

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