Comedy
I was having this coversation with my dad the other day after watching shit Xmas 'funny' tv.

My opinion: Male comedians are funnier than female comedians. Granted, there are some funny lasses... but all I end up thinking is "Well, they're good... for a woman"."

Male comedians seem to be able to be funny about the world. Take Bill Hicks, Steven Wright and that lot. Brilliant and dry. Then the musicians: Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey. Then you have Dylan Moran. Ricky Gervais. Even that tv wanker Michal McIntyre. All face-achingly amusing!

I have noticed that female comedians make jokes about being a woman, or the life of a woman. Maybe putting men down for a laugh.

I know that women haven't always had it as easy as men, and perhaps still don't. It has only been in the past few generations that women have had the chance to receive similar education to men, and certainly 'male humour' is encouraged more. Things like wanking, bodily functions, toilet humour and stuff (think Russell Brand) are all 'male humour'. Perhaps women have been considered more a sidekick throughout comedy history; or perhaps men would have been given more opportunities. After all, a lot of 'women's stuff' would have been thought of as taboo until pretty recently, with audiences not wanting to know about that sort of thing.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not saying there are NO good female comedians, I'm sure there a lot. MORE FEMALE FUNNIES, I SAY. The hands-down WORST stand up comedian I know is a guy. And some of the most genuinely amusing people I know are women.

Toodle pip.
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 19:35, 17 replies)

I tend to agree
although maybe a male sense of humour is more receptive to a male sense of humour and vice-versa. You hit upon a good argument though about how the topic of comedy limits how funny it can be:
The female comics I've seen joke about being women/ laughing at men.
The black comedians I've seen tend to joke about being black/ laughing at white folks.
The deaf/disabled comedians I've seen tend to joke about being deaf etc.
That said there are plenty of examples that contradict these sweeping generalisations. What I mean is that joking about ONLY ONE THING makes you a shit comedian, no matter who you are.

I guess one of the strengths of being a white, male, able-bodied comic is that being white, male and able-bodied isn't THAT interesting, forcing them to find something else to joke about.
( Fitznicely into a thimble, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 19:50, closed)

Also I suppose that an able bodied white man
Is going to have more opportunities to gather material. ABWM can go to uni, get jobs, have families, go on holiday, have exciting hobbies and pasttimes, travel the world etc.

We all have our potentials. A poverty-stricken lad in some refugee camp could have the potential to be a fantasically witty comedian, but he is never going to have the opportunity that someone like Dave Gorman has. Likewise, I doubt Dave Gorman would be the author/standup he is now if it wasn't for his computer access and education.

Not putting anyone down, though. Stand up comedy is one of the hardest, bravest things to do out of all the entertainment areas, I think. It's just you and your brain. Totally vulnerable.
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:21, closed)

Mmmmmm
I disagree. Middle class ABWW women are privy to all these advantages. And middle class comedians aren't any funnier than working class ones.
( Fitznicely into a thimble, Mon 28 Dec 2009, 1:45, closed)

Men need to be funny to get laid.
Women just need to be available.
( girlinthehole, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 19:53, closed)

Hmmm.
I'm sure that there are women out there who just want a pretty face, but I could never be with someone who didn't make me laugh. Or that I couldn't make laugh.

Though if you read older stories and stuff - and they even mention this in satirical novels, meaning it must have been an issue - old fashioned men didn't want funny women. They didn't want their wit to be outshone. Or maybe it's just a stereotype?
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:16, closed)

spot on there are a few female funny folk - cant remember names (daisy donovan - 11 o clock show) that girl in brass eye to name but two.but ive had this conversation with my friends - girls as well. and the likes of jo brand talking about fat people is giving them a bad name as one demensional and just boring. must girls i know are into comedy and i have yet to be given a dvd by a female sidesplitter. its a pity as there are lots of funny women out there doing bit pieces in comedy shows but never seen to be out there on there own. who knows some day we will overfilled with female comics.
(dmagive, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:21, closed)

Yes - more solo stuff needed
Smack the Pony is one of the most celebrated comedie series there is. Sally Phillips has just ended up in films and comedy programs, though. Green Wing and Black Books both have hilarious female characters; Sue White from Green Wing is brilliant! :D

I also enjoy dry, satirical humour, but I have yet to see a woman pull it off :(
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:55, closed)

I worked as a comedy reviewer for a short while
and still do, occasionally.
I get similarly annoyed by women who build their entire routines around either having a fanny or 'Men - Aren't They Shit?' But there are some absolutely cracking female comics out there - Susan Murray and Susan Calman to name but two who aren't famous yet - as well as Lucy Porter, Danielle Ward, Sue Perkins (admittedly a better panellist than a stand-up but still.)
And lest we forget, David Walliams is a man.
Out of interest, who was it that was the worst comedian you ever saw?
(jennymnemonic, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:23, closed)

Worst stand up comedian:
One of my friends, bless him. The funniest thing about his routine was how BAD it was. We still laugh about it now (when he's not around).
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 20:56, closed)

aarrghh
Me and some friends went to a comedy night in Durham - the comedians were all unknowns (to us), two men and one lady. My friend and I were at the bar and this girl comes over and chats to us. We told her "we just came to see what it was like but we'll leave before the woman comes on because women are rubbish at comedy".
She looked at us. "Er...that's me" she said.
We felt terrible. And stayed.
(floella, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 22:35, closed)

Eep!
So was she good?

For the past 3 years or so I have worked at a radio station as a general interviewer/reviewer/presenter. I've lost count of the times that I've passed the band/singer in the corridor backstage that I was supposed to be writing about.
I've even had a conversation with one woman about the singer I had come to see (all complimentary, thank God)... it turned out to be her. She was getting changed in the ladies' loos.
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 22:44, closed)

!! That's brilliant!
She was ok. Come to think of it, the men weren't much better...
(floella, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 22:50, closed)

Where in Durham was it?
I remember once I was interviewing Nine Black Alps & we all nearly got kicked out, because the staff at the venue didn't recognise them ^_^ I have it all recorded... teehee...
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 23:01, closed)

The Gala
I think they do a monthly comedy night - the new brochure is on the doormat - I can check for you if you like?!

That sounds very funny - what did you do with the interview?
(floella, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 23:12, closed)

haha well
I'm really bad at writing stuff up.

I currently have a bunch of interviews in my inbox waiting to be copied up: Frank Turner, Patrick Wolf, NBA etc... I suck :(

The Gala? Ooh, never been. I live in Newcastle, so I go to Durham every so often.
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 23:15, closed)

: )
I lived in Newcastle until last summer, and I like Durham more and more. Have you been to Fabio's? I wish Newcastle had a Fabio's.

And...I wish I had your job!
(floella, Sun 27 Dec 2009, 23:50, closed)

Nope never been :(
It's alreet. I don't have time to do it as often anymore, unfortunately. A few years ago I was going to loads of gigs - 1 or 2 a week for months.

Now I'm doing a Masters and all I have is my show & the occasional interview, normally because I want to see the band for free.
( d3gu thinks you should buy a Dinohoodie., Sun 27 Dec 2009, 23:54, closed)