Who says women aren't funny

I am posting in literature, because Christopher Hitchens wrote the article with this title a decade ago. He is more of a philosopher than an entertainer (although he does cross over).
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2007/01/hitchens200701

His main point is that men use humor to get women into bed, and women don't find it necessary. Basically men are biologically compelled to be funny.

Christopher Hitchens does agree that there are funny female comedians, but they invariably act like men. While some more exceptions have appeared in the last decade, he said the traditional female comedian was dykey, Jewish, or hefty.


It is pretty clear that Christopher Hitchens likes being provocative. But he stands by his basic point that men as a gender would be unable to get laid if they weren't funny, but it is optional for women.

It's a fact that most strong interesting female
characters are always written by men. The
list is too long to contemplate. Women
writers have 'complicated' heroines,
boring and moody. Joss Wheden wrote
all the females in Buffy, and none of
them were boring. Sex in the City was
written mostly by Gay male writers.

Men write about the way they wish women
were, not the way they are. Fickle and
self centered and moody and crabby and
want one thing today and something else
tomorrow. Men write about fantasy women
that don't exist.

I guess one way to think about it is that there are almost no male sex symbols who aren't funny. If you were to look at a sample list, even though many are not particularly known to be funny, they all have done a funny role

Rudolph Valentino
Cary Grant
Paul Newman
Alain Delon
Rock Hudson
James Dean
Elvis Presley
Clark Gable
Brad Pitt
Gary Cooper
Tyrone Power
Richard Gere
Robert Redford
Tom Cruise
Rob Lowe
David Cassidy
Mel Gibson
Harrison Ford
Hugh Grant
Marcello Mastroianni
Antonio Banderas
Steve McQueen
Clint Eastwood
Hugh Jackman
George Clooney
Charlton Heston
Terence Hill
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Pierce Brosnan
Alec Baldwin

Clark Gable was not particularly funny, but "It Happened One Night" was his big break to stardom. Rudolph Valentino died before talkies began, so I am not sure if he had funny roles.

I suppose Jean-Claude Van Damme is not really intentionally funny.


But sexy women can be funny or not be funny. It is optional.

Rita Rudner.

I rest my case.


"The heart surgeon wasn't available. But there was a heart surgeon impersonator, and he was better than the real one!"

Quote: Pacomartin

Basically men are biologically compelled to be funny.

Now that you mention it, I find this very true. From guys at work having fun while women do not to how many radio acts are there where the guy is funny and the woman keeps saying, "WILL YOU STOP?"

One woman I worked with, kind of hated men, I think because her father left her mother broke. She hated guys fooling around and the names she called her husband, ugh. This one day shows it.

A younger girl sat next to me and across from this other guy, he was older than me, I would be the age of an older cousin of hers and he could have been her dad. So to start there was that "older" person respect factor. Which made this work so good. She said something about the Pirates and asked about a player. Wanted to know who played some position---you can see where this is going.

I mention about who playing first base. Very quiet, hoping to set the trap. She took the bait and said something to the effect of "what are you talking about?" The older guy saw exactly what I was doing. I swear, he and I could have stepped right into being on radio, our chemistry and timing were that good, and he mentions what being on second.

It was of course not the exact routine, but she was trapped in it, as confused as Lou was. After a minute of so of this the man hater scolds her for not knowing a 60 year old famous comedy routine and for "encouraging us." When the younger girl asks why we are doing this the man hater says, "BECAUSE THEY ARE GUYS!"

Now, think how often you have seen this kind of thing at work, and how often the guys were having the fun vs women doing it. Yes, some women play along, But rarely will women be the instigator.

Quote: AZDuffman

Now that you mention it, I find this very true. From guys at work having fun while women do not to how many radio acts are there where the guy is funny and the woman keeps saying, "WILL YOU STOP?"
.

The Three Stooges controversy is classic. All
men love (or have loved) the Stooges and
think they are hilarious. No woman alive
likes them, or will admit they do. I know I'm
exaggerating, but it's really true. As a rule
women hate slapstick comedy, god knows
why. I don't love the Stooges, but some
of their stuff makes me laugh out loud
to this day.

Are there any women the liked Blazing
Saddles? The girl I took to the theater
40 years ago thought it was disgusting.
I went back and saw it again, it was
classic.

Quote: Evenbob

The Three Stooges controversy is classic. All
men love (or have loved) the Stooges and
think they are hilarious. No woman alive
likes them, or will admit they do. I know I'm
exaggerating, but it's really true. As a rule
women hate slapstick comedy, god knows
why. I don't love the Stooges, but some
of their stuff makes me laugh out loud
to this day.

Are there any women the liked Blazing
Saddles? The girl I took to the theater
40 years ago thought it was disgusting.
I went back and saw it again, it was
classic.

Flipping this to performing, how many female clowns do you remember in your life?

I think it comes down to women generally think such comedy is "childish." There is also that segment of women who are never happy. Always miserable or angry. That kind of person will never appreciate the Stooges or saving a hand cart while leaving the two black guys in the quicksand. It is like they cannot accept it is a movie and not real life.

Quote: AZDuffman

I think it comes down to women generally think such comedy is "childish."

As a rule, women are much more serious
than men. About everything. They will
laugh at SNL skits, but are repelled by
Dumb and Dumber. Or the Police Academy
movies.

Every woman I've been close to is ruled
by her emotions. Get angry at something
at 9am, still angry for no reason 3 hours
later. It's why Gay male couples typically
get along better than straight couples,
they are the same emotionally and have
the same interests. I would never pick a
woman to be stranded on a desert island
with, you would be insane by the end of
it. I'll take a man every time.

Quote: Evenbob

They will
laugh at SNL skits, but are repelled by
Dumb and Dumber. .

Reminds them too much of real life guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vciCehGF5ak&feature=youtu.be&t=230

Quote: Evenbob

The Three Stooges controversy is classic. All
men love (or have loved) the Stooges and
think they are hilarious. No woman alive
likes them, or will admit they do. I know I'm
exaggerating, but it's really true. As a rule
women hate slapstick comedy, god knows
why. I don't love the Stooges, but some
of their stuff makes me laugh out loud
to this day.

When I worked at the Ford store, one of the old timers had VHS tapes of the Stooges he'd put in and watch at lunch. No choice, everyone knew you don't f#$% with Jim and the Stooges at lunch. Didn't take but a few days before I was in there with the rest of the mechanics, just laughing our asses off at what was the most inane, childish, elementary humor. I'd never really seen it before, but I guess stuff like that is ingrained in us dudes.

More on topic, I'm struggling to oppose Paco. I randomly popped on an Amy Schumer special, I guess since she's all the rage these days. I couldn't finish, I thought it was just so dull. No idea what her appeal is. I do watch / listen to a lot of stand up, and I still can't think of a good female option.