As I was thinking about our discussion on Gender roles and the different norms that society has set for males and females I started thinking of my favorite TV shows, movies, and comedians. It seemed that every one that I thought deserved to be on my, "I think they're funny list" was a male. My list of favorites include:
- Owen Wilson
- Steve Carell
- Ben Stiller
- Brian Regan
- Chris Farley
- John Stewart
- David Letterman
- Conan O'brien
- Adam Sandlar
- Charles Barkley
- Jack Black
- Will Farrell
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Flight of the Conchords
I did not make this list biasedly for the argument of this article, I just honestly cannot think of any female entertainment personalities that I think merited a spot on my list.
I asked my roommate what he thought about this and he mentioned that the female comedians that he could think of come off as masculine and a little blokey (Thats an Australian term, He's Australian) This could be due to the mindset created by socioty that its ok for males to be cynical, sarcastic, funny. Are males held to a lower standard then females when it comes to being polite, well mannered, kind, respectful, and serious. Could a female get away with the same jokes that a typical male can get away with?
Is it that Society has set the norm that women should not be funny and therefore there are no major female comedic roles, or is it because females simply are just not as funny as males? Why is that The Office's main role is not played by a female, Why did NBC hire Jay Leno and Conan O'brien, Why not hire one male and one female.
I know I asked a lot questions in my attempt to get convey the point of my first ever blog, but here is the question to sum it all up. Are Males funnier then females or has society created a gender code that says women are not supposed to be funny? Also who are your favorite comedic actors/entertainers/people? Did any females make your list?
37 comments:
I don't think that males are funnier than females; however, I do believe that society has overall created a gender code that allows for men to express humor through means of stupidity, sarcasm, bluntness, etc., while women are expected to be more proper, to steer clear of locker room humor, and use more wit to obtain humor.
Granted, there are of course women who do not fit into this description (Tina Fey, Rosie, Ellen, etc.), but I feel that overall this is the gender code that has been created.
SNL used to have a girl on the show names Sherrie O'Teri. I'm not sure if I am spelling her name correctly, but she was AWESOME. She was the cheerleader teammate of Will Ferrell, if that rings a bell.
But yeah, I think Dudes are funnier. Maybe deep down I value a girl who is "lady-like." And comedians have trouble being that.
I think that men are cast as humorous characters more often because it is more socially acceptable for men to say humorous things. If women play funny roles,it's often because of their feminine shortcomings that they are humorous. For example, they are ditsy, flirty, etc. I think that women can be funny in the same way that men can but our gender code discourages it.
I'm fine with how TV portrays men as being the funnier sex. As women, we really are the ones who are more sensitive and caring and should remain that way. And if a good clean joke comes out of us, then let it so be and the men can enjoy our thoughtful words.
I think our society has created a gender code which allows men to use more humor than woman. I don't think this means guys are more funny than girls. This is just what our society has created. Just a side note however, most of the humor on TV today is pretty sketchy. And who is making humor so sketchy? The Men . . .
I thought this was a very good question and provoked a good conversation here at work. I don't think that men are funnier than women. I agree with everything that Brooke said about the societal gender code about how it's exceptable for men to express humor in one way while women are expected to be more proper. Or, if women are to express humor it is done in the way that Abram explained--flirty, ditzy, etc.
I think that on a personal level, men and women are just as humourous. Most of my females friends are hilarious! But my male friends are hilarious as well. I think the difference is that men are acceptabley humorous in the MEDIA, while women are not. And this is why I think it is--Good humour comes from self-abasement or from making fun of others (Who said that all humor is cruel?). In our society, men play the tough-guy. They don't cry, they aren't emotional, they're rational, they don't show weakness, etc. SO, when a guy gets up on stage and makes fun of himself its hilarious because he's pointing to the unspoken truth. On the otherhand, when a woman gets on stage it's different. Our society says that women are more sensitive, emotional, irrational, and even weak. When a woman gets on stage and makes fun of herself in the same way it seems like she's just whiniing (at least that's how I feel), and I think that's because it's what we expect from her.
I think Erica brings up a good point. As I thought about it, many of the people I think our funny in my personal life are females. But the people I find funny in movies, comedies, etc are males. I think the media does follow this gender code society has developed that men are funnier than women. Is it true... I don't think so. But it is definitely more socially acceptable for a man to be funny than a woman.
What about Tina Fey? Some of the funniest people I know are women, maybe that is because I am one.
It is interesting to think about all these male comedians. I think the gender code has been set that men are funnier than women, but this is not always the case.
Sometimes, TV portrays comedic men as ones who use crude humor, and most women I know don't find this funny or appropriate, so they wouldn't be the ones initiating it.
I know girls that are equally just as funny as boys. However, as said before, I feel that the more comical roles are cast for males. I feel that men are "allowed" to be more inappropriate than women. A gender code has been created that women should be more clean and proper in their words and actions. If you were to hear the same humorous statement come from a woman and a man there would be to very different reactions. As for a funny female that's on my list: Amanda Bynes in "She's the Man" always makes me laugh.
I don't think that males are any funnier, but I think that they can get away with a little bit more. Mostly because we expect them to be more perverted or to cross the line a little further. If I were to hear a woman say something similar to these men who often cross the line, I just might gag... or throw up a little in my mouth.
I think both men and women can be equally funny. I agree with Brooke by how she said that men have some right to be rude, blunt, crude, etc while women don't have the same right. I think it's ridiculous. In my opinion, those people aren't that funny. I prefer clever humor rather than crude humor. That's why I'm getting so tired of Will Ferrell movies - I can't stand his humor!
I'm not a huge fan of comedians, but i have enjoyed Tina Fey!
I think that men and women can be equally funny, but men like it a lot more. I watched a few episodes of "last comic standing"...pretty good stuff generally but there few women as contestants. I think it doesn't interest them as much as it does men.
I think they're equally as funny. Men and women both have funny punch lines and jokes, it's just that their jokes come from different perspectives. As a male I relate to more to the jokes men come up with, and find them more relatable, I would assume that goes the same for females. I find a lot of women funny, Wanda Sykes for instance cracks me up. Megan Mullaly or however you spell her name is hilarious. Loni Love is another female comedian, but personally I think female black comedians are great. I also believe it depends on the role of the characters or the subject of the stand up as to whether or not someone is funny.
While there are a few women who are funny....ellen.....well....maybe one woman who's funny, I feel that men have the ability to have humor as "their thing." I know several large (overweight) men who are hysterical and for that reason girls love them. I know several athletes and women love them for that. Other guys are really musical and that's their "thing." Women's "things" are different where a woman would be with an unnattractive man because he's very funny where as I think it would be harder for an overweight woman who's funny to be with a more attractive man.
I don't think that gender is a requirement for a comedic personality. In my opinion, woman are equally as funny as men... but then again I could be saying this because I am one.
But whatever the case...My list of favorite comedians included both male and female, I think that it all depends on what you view as funny. It's more prevalent to hear male comedians have a more crude approach and woman more subtle... but it doesn't make them less funny.
Erica's comment reminded me of a discussion I had in an advanced writing class a few years back. We studies archetypes and male/female voices in literature and pop culture. Our conversations often came back to the differences in male-male, male-female, and female-female relationships, especially when it came to communication. Generalizations are dangerous, but we did note that overall (shutter) men communicate with men on a one-upping level. Notice how guys always want to tell a better story than their friends? I think that the humor commonly portrayed in the media is based off either exaggerating or cutting down that one-upping type communication. Maybe that's a clue into why we all like male comedians.
...I just reread my post, and I hope this makes sense to someone, it's somewhat convoluted...
Humor in hollywood usually comes at the expense of someone else, or is crude, dirragetory, dirty, etc.. Because humor usually carry these types of attributes coming out of the mouth of a man doesnt seeem that bad. We are not afraid to laugh at the joke even though in the back of our heads I think we know its wrong. If a women was to say a crude joke it is not a funny to us because women arent suppose to say things like that. She is considered rather butchy (Rosie) or anti feminin. This is why I think women arent nearly prevalent in comedic roles as men.
While I don't think males are necessarily funnier than females, I do have more male comedians on my list of favorites than female comedians. Perhaps that is because guys can generally get away with certain jokes that women can't, such as playing upon their own/men's weaknesses.
I think men are funnier than women hands down, but that's probably because I am a man, live with men (woah as bad as that sounds) and grew up with 3 brothers. I think men are funnier because I can truly relate with them. Also, men are really good at talking about crude things - which women are above laughing at.
In my opinion, both. Men are funnier. Society has also constructed this mindset. I had a similar discussion a few months back. No women came to my mind either. But ask a female and she might find a funny female.
I think Tina Fey is hilarious!! I will agree that there are more funny guys than women in Hollywood. Although I do think guys are perceived as funnier, because they can get away with cruder humor.
I will be honest. There are very few female comedians that I find really funny. I was always disappointed when I would watch a show like "Who's Line is it Anyway" and they would have a girl comedian on. I get annoyed with girl comedians much faster and I think it is because I just expect them to be more lady-like. I do think that women can be funny, but for the most part...not so much. As a society men can get away with a lot more when it comes to humor.
Tina Fey, Cheri Oteri, Wanda Sykes, and Anjelah Johnson are just a few female comedians that come to mind. I really don't have much more to say.
Hellooooo we are way funnier than ya'all. Honestly though I think the role of men as entertainers stems from their gender roles in relationships--usually the man is the one doing the impressing, the girl is the one being impressed. We are used to watching guys to see what they'll do and giving our reaction to it. Males set the tone and women respond to it. It just feels more natural for women to laugh at men. Take that how you will :)
What's interesting is the whole Tina Fey movement if you will...there was a recent Vanity Fair article featuring her about how women CAN be funny. I think this is something we'll start to see more of in the future.
I agree with what was said earlier about men being able to get away with humor more than women. Male comedians can be more blunt. Traditionally they are also expected to have jobs and be in more places and things like that so they would have more experiences to draw their materials from.
Tina Fey:
2001: Won a WGA Award for SNL.
2002: Won an Emmy for SNL.
2007: Won an Emmy for 30 Rock and a WGA for SNL.
2008: Won 4 Emmy's - 30 Rock & SNL, a Golden Globe, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a WGA Award for 30 Rock.
2009: So far has won 2 Golden Globes, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a WGA Award.
She's pretty funny. Have you seen Baby Mama?
I think females are just as funny as males... But at the same time I can only think of male comedians... answering your question then, there is a social construction around this topic, that says that male are funnier that females, thus there are more male comedians.
i think we've determined that society is a reflection of the feelings of the people within it. that being said, it must be that people feel men are just funnier than women.
rosie o donnel, should never ever be considered as a funny person. its just a fact.
I've always wondered about this because I noticed that whenever we have to give presentations or a speech, the boys are typically funnier than girls. I agree with Brooke that males might not be funnier, but they are allowed to be crude and blunt while women are suppossed to be classy. Boys can revert to the fart joke while girls can't.
Ellen Degeneres. She is hilarious. Her stand up is some of the best out there. And, it could be said, she doesn't particularly fit in to traditionally female gender codes!!
One female comedian that has gained popularity is Tina Fey. The whole Sara Palin thing that took place made her very popular. I have noticed that most comedians are males.
i just had a conversation about this with one of my (male) friends. we both agreed that out of all the people we know, its almost completely males that are the comedians of the group. i dont know why that is, it just seems that most guys tell the jokes and girls laugh. maybe it is a repercussion of society or maybe jsut the way it is. that said, i do think ellen degeneres is very funny, but she's the only celebrity female i can think of that a really laugh at.
I don't think that males are inherently funnier than females. I don't even think that there is a gender code that dictates that women be held to different comedic standards. I know of a few incredibly funny women: Tina Fey, Ellen, and Chelsey just to name a few.
I don't think that males are "naturally funnier than females, like many of you said. It's probably just another gender role. Kind of like how men are the hunters and women the hunted. Men want to be the ones to make the women laugh.
Tina Fey, nuff said.
I'm sorry, this is silly. I love Tina Fey, so does America, but she is not the ONLY funny woman out there. Don't forget some of the originals either:
-Lucille Ball
-Carole Burnette
-Cheri O'Teri(I'm glad she hasn't been forgotten)
-Anjelah Johnson (good call whoever mentioned her)
-Ellen DeGeneres
-Amy Poehler
-Kristin Wiig
-Ana Gasteyer
-Kathy Griffin
-Sarah Silverman
The list goes on.
I don't care how intellectually you try and phrase your argument, this post is sexist. It's like saying that men are just obviously smarter than women because there are more CEOs. No, it's just that 30 years ago, we didn't have nearly as many women getting higher levels of education. Do we need to get Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton back here to fight for women's suffrage again? And when did potty humor become the national standard for hilarity?
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