On a recent episode of Oprah focusing on women in comedy, Jane Curtin mentioned that notorious Saturday Night Live funny-man John Belushi thought that “women were just fundamentally not funny.” There were even times where he wouldn’t read the skits that were written by women on SNL in his full voice. Comedy has been quite a “boys club” for a while, and we know that John Belushi is not the first or only man to think that women don’t belong in it. Not only do we disagree with this statement, but we also have evidence that proves women are making their mark in the comedy world, which has been predominately male for a very long time. So sit back, read, and please turn on one of the shows/movies that these women are featured in. We promise that you’ll find yourself agreeing that women not only belong in comedy, but are also here to stay.
1. Chelsea Handler:
Whether she’s talking about how much she loves vodka, making fun of her sidekick Chuy, or flirting with Justin Bieber, we just can’t help but love her cynical and sarcastic humor. Handler is never afraid of going overboard with her comments and always delivers with exactly what you want to hear. Chelsea says what others may only think, and that’s what makes her outright hilarious. Definitely tune in to her show Chelsea Lately every weeknight at 11 pm on E! to watch her dish out hilarious comments about what she hates most about certain celebs. Also, if you have time, read her books: My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. All three were New York Times best sellers!
2. Tina Fey:
From her spot-on impression of Sarah Palin on SNL to her clumsy, quirky portrayal of Liz Lemon on 30 Rock, we just can’t get enough of Tina! She has a hysterical way of presenting serious issues in a very funny way and her comedic timing is impeccable. She was also a writer on SNL, wrote Mean Girls, and is the creator of the Emmy-winning beloved 30 Rock. (She has many more accomplishments, but these are her most well-known.) Also, she made history by becoming the first female head writer on SNL in 1997! If you don’t already, we encourage you to watch an episode of 30 Rock if you’re in need of a stress reliever. It’s on every Thursday night at 10:00 p.m. on NBC right after Parks and Recreation, which features our #4 favorite female comedian.
3. Ellen DeGeneres:
Our number three pick Ellen DeGeneres can be found dancing through the audience on her afternoon talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. If you’ve seen the show, you’re familiar with the crazy dance moves and hilarious celebrity interviews that we love. Besides starring in arguably one of the best talk shows on television, Ellen has made us laugh on countless other occasions, such as during her time as a judge on American Idol or on her sitcom Ellen. However, this funny lady doesn’t just make us laugh. She is also a very positive and active member of the gay and lesbian community as the spokesperson for important projects such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Coming Out Project.
4. Amy Poehler:
Along with being number four on our list, she is also a BOSTON COLLEGE GRADUATE! It is here on our very campus that Amy first was introduced to sketch comedy, through the improv group My Mother’s Fleabag. Poehler, like Fey, is a former Saturday Night Live star with plenty of charisma. She was a co-anchor in the Weekend Update, and her ability to hold a straight face through those lines is something that still amazes us. She now stars in Parks and Recreation, which follows a fictional government office in charge of the Parks and Recreation branch of the state. She plays a goofy, socially awkward character whose cluelessness about what others think of her is thoroughly entertaining. Catch it on NBC right before 30 Rock at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday nights.
5. Mindy Kaling:
Most of you probably know her as the outrageous Kelly Kapoor on The Office, but what some of you might not know is that she is also a writer for the show! Mindy is a thirty-one year old Massachusetts native who graduated from Darmouth College. While at Dartmouth, she was a member of an improv comedy group, the creator of a comic, and a writer for various Darmouth publications, including the college’s humor magazine The Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern. Mindy clearly knew what she wanted to do and she made it happen! She continually has us laughing at both the perfectly witty dialog on The Office and at how her character Kelly is continuously trying to seduce Ryan. Judging from the success of her show, I think we’ll be seeing our number five favorite comedian outside of The Office very soon!
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/john-belushi-sexist-jane-curtain_n_848646.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0275486/bio
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0688132/bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Handler
http://blog.celebrityseats.com/2010/01/15/chelsea-handler-chelsea-chelsea-bang-bang-tour/
http://www.heartlessdoll.com/2009/01/dear_diary_tina_fey_interwebz_here_i_come.php
http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Amy-Poehler-Gets-A-Show-But-It-Isn-t-An-Office-Spinoff-11414.html