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Stephanie Laing is an award-winning producer and director (“Veep,” “Eastbound & Down,” “Vice Principals,” “Divorce”) with a few kids and lots of hats. Susan Paley Fisher is an innovator in consumer technology (Roxy, Universal Music Group, Nickelodeon, Beats by Dre) and probably liked Concrete Roots. In collaboration with writers, actors and companies like Gemma Baker, Tony Hale, and Dollhouse Pictures (owned by Rose Byrne), Laing and Fisher created the website PYPO – a divine testament to the ingenuity of funny women and globalization. Elizabeth Thorp, the former editor of Capitol File Magazine, is Editor-in-Chief. Launched Jan. 4, PYPO is the brazen female-driven comedy site we’ve all been waiting for.
Courtesy: Tubefilter
PYPO (Put Your Pretty On) describes itself as a platform to use “disruptive, witty and honest comedy as a medium for current conversations to be explored in a smart and unapologetic way.” It’s a home for skits and sketches ranging widely in voice, subject matter and background. Women from all over the world are encouraged to write and produce comedy, connecting with production companies and agencies to have their voices heard.
Twice a month, a topic is chosen for PYPO contributors to discuss in hopes of producing comedic inspiration and progressive conversation. These have included “Comfort Zone,” “Crying,” “Mistakes,” and “A Love/Hate Relationship,” among others. I predict more than one submission about male gynecologists for that last one. PYPO posts sketches and more on their PYPEline, encouraging members to PYPEin on social media and on the site. You can watch, read, listen and provide your own comedic ideas to an international audience. It is collaborative, creative and endlessly interesting. Also, if anyone from PYPO is reading this, I’d like to propose my topic idea: “Unfortunate Body Hair.” I have a lot to say about my left cheek.
According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Laing’s priority with PYPO is “that we’re not reporting the news. There are a lot of sites like that focus on women that are great, but we want to create the news.” This is an important step forward from the day-to-day reality of most modern feminists (see: me), who are stuck in “Women in Literature” classes talking about whether or not fictional ladies choose suicide methods other than shooting themselves in the head in order to retain a pretty face. With a group of experienced writers from popular television shows (“Veep,” “Mom”), editorial contributors addressing entertainment and politics and the boundless talent of women everywhere, PYPO aspires to expand into merchandising and branded content.
PYPO Founder and Creative Director Stephanie Laing
Courtesy: iDigitalTimes
The story behind PYPO’s namesake is an interesting one: Laing’s daughter, then four, informed her mother that she couldn’t leave the house until she has “put her pretty on.” Eventually it surfaced that this meant putting on ChapStick, though it caused Laing to realize that the societal pressures of being “pretty” were already prevalent in her young daughter’s life, and would only be more so.
That being said, her daughter had redefined the word. Now, pretty meant ChapStick. And so, PYPO “became their mantra for how they live their lives and give back to the world. PYPO represents “pretty” from the inside out, however you choose to define it.” I choose to define it as Megan Fox. In addition to this sweet and symbolic story, readers are encouraged to participate “whether animated bluebirds help you get dressed every morning… or you drop the F bomb 25 times before noon.” That’s the kind of inclusive attitude feminism has been lacking. That and caring about minorities, but it’s a good start.