Summary

The web content discusses the prevalent misogyny in the standup comedy industry, highlighting the challenges female comedians face, including gender bias, safety concerns, and a lack of representation.

Abstract

The article "What’s With All the Misogyny in Comedy?" delves into the gender inequality that persists within the standup comedy scene. It points out that despite progress, female comedians are often subjected to stereotypes and are introduced on stage in a way that emphasizes their gender rather than their talent. The piece underscores the rarity of female comedians achieving the same level of success and recognition as their male counterparts, citing the 2019 Forbes list that included only one woman among the highest-paid comedians. The author also addresses the hostile environment women face, including sexual harassment and assault, and the industry's failure to adequately address these issues, despite the #MeToo movement. The article calls for a change in the status quo, urging the comedy world to move beyond tokenism and create a safer, more inclusive space for women and marginalized genders.

Opinions

The author believes that the standup comedy industry is still predominantly male-dominated and resistant to change, despite the presence of successful female comedians.
There is a sentiment that female comedians are often judged on their appearance rather than their comedic ability, with introductions on stage that highlight their gender.
The article suggests that the comedy community has not fully embraced gender equality, as evidenced by the disproportionate number of male comedians in major clubs and the lack of female representation in top-earning lists.
The author expresses frustration with the prevalence of misogynistic material in male comedians' acts, indicating a lack of originality and a reliance on derogatory jokes about women.
A major concern raised is the safety of female comedians, with frequent instances of harassment, groping, and rape, often perpetrated by male colleagues who face minimal consequences.
The author criticizes the industry for not only failing to protect women but also for continuing to support and reward known perpetrators, as seen with the careers of comedians like Louis CK and Chris D'Elia.
The piece advocates for proactive measures by female comedians, such as choosing safe venues and producing shows that prioritize diverse voices, as a means of self-preservation and promotion of equality.
The author argues that the responsibility for change should not fall solely on women and calls for a collective effort to eradicate misogyny and ensure a supportive environment for all comedians.

What’s With All the Misogyny in Comedy?

Gender equality is a joke in the standup world. Pun intended.

“You don’t look funny.”

This is a response I’ve gotten when I told someone I do standup comedy. I didn’t know funny had a look. But I think the subtext is “you look like a woman, and therefore are not funny. “

“But you’re pretty.”

Huh? That’s was another response I got. I didn’t know funny and pretty had to be mutually exclusive. Yes, women can be funny AND attractive.

“Do you like (insert name of the first female comedian they can think of)?”

Yes, maybe I do like that one female comedian whose name you know. But we’re not all the same. If a man told you he did stand up, your immediate response probably wouldn’t be, “Do you like Jerry Seinfeld?”

Standup comedy is still a boys club.

We’ve all seen The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It’s charming and entertaining and refreshing to see such a strong, funny female lead. I just have one beef with the show — it’s a fantasy. There’s no way a housewife in the 1960’s — hell, not even today — would rise to fame so quickly in the standup world.

Cut to today. You would think in 2023 that female comedians would be considered the norm. In fact, I shouldn’t even be putting the word “female” in front of it. We should just be called comedians. No need to qualify our gender.

It’s time we challenge the status quo. We need to stop putting up with being singled out as female. Not just in comedy, but in every male-dominated field.

(Side note: I’m writing this from the perspective of a straight cis female. I don’t mean to exclude any other marginalized gender. I’m simply speaking of my own experience.)

Standup comedy has historically been a male-dominated field. Only recently have women been able to penetrate this industry. We are slowly infiltrating this boys club and, if I say so myself, making it less aggressive and more approachable.

And yet, if you look at a lineup of any major comedy club, it is predominately male.

Before you say, “What about Amy Schumer? Or Sarah Silverman? Or Chelsea Handler?” Yes, these women are successful. But for every Amy Schumer there are about ten male comedians making just as much or more money. In fact, Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid comedians of 2019 only includes one female, Amy Schumer ranking #7.

Ask any female comedian, and she’ll tell you that at one point or another, she has been introduced to the stage with the precursor, “Next we have a woman coming to the stage!” As if we’re the token females, booked for the show just to fill a quota.

I’ve also been introduced as “the next comic coming to the stage is cute.” Or “hot.”

Just introduce me like you would any other comedian: give my credits. That’s all.

And it remains a hostile environment. We’re forced to listen to men make jokes about their penises and complain about their nagging girlfriends. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a male comedian make fun of the way his girlfriend’s vagina smells, I could make a living as a comedian.

I’m not a prude. I’m just sick of men of defaulting to talking about their penises and whining about their bitches because they can’t come up with original material.

Those jokes may have used to work, but we’re not laughing at them anymore. It’s time these men step up and write some real material that doesn’t somehow put down women.

Go ahead…we’re waiting.

Standup comedy is not safe for women.

Then there is the real threat to our safety — the frequency with which female comedians are harassed, groped, or raped by their male counterparts.

It pains me to say this, but I’m one of the lucky ones who has never been sexually assaulted by a male comedian. I shouldn’t have to consider myself lucky.

Not being sexually assaulted should be the norm. And yet it isn’t.

We’ve all heard about Louis CK. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s Chris D’Elia, Bill Cosby, Bryan Callen, Jeremy Piven, the list goes on. And those are just the famous ones. I could list men I’ve met and performed with who have assaulted women, actual first-hand accounts I’ve heard, and they continue to get booked. Louis CK recently won a Grammy. Chris D’Elia is still headlining. Bill Cosby is out of jail and is rumored to plan a tour.

I’ve heard stories that should shut down the industry. I’ve heard one comedian say that a comedy booker physically assaulted her for turning down his advances. I’ve heard of another comedian who was raped in her sleep by a male comedian.

And the Louis CK thing? Women in the standup world saw that coming years before he was officially exposed (pun totally intended).

Not only are these men predators, abusing their power in this industry, but they’re pardoned by the industry.

Why don’t we speak up when this happens? Many women have, and they’re not listened to. In fact, many women have risked their own careers because the gatekeepers protect the predators.

Gary Baum reports on this in his article “Why #MeToo Hasn’t Transformed the Stand-Up Scene” in The Hollywood Reporter: “For all the perpetual gripes over so-called cancel culture, female stand-ups contend that they’re the ones most likely to experience wanton punishment, in lost bookings as well as more opaque forms of retaliation…”

What can we do?

How have I dodged this bullet of assault? I use my due diligence when I choose where to perform. I steer clear of certain mics because they are filled with incels. I surround myself with mostly female, female-identifying, and nonbinary comics. And when I produce a show, I avoid booking too many cis straight men. Nothing against them, but how will the rest of us have a voice if it’s not given to us?

I also turn down shows if I know there’s a rapist on the lineup. And believe it or not, it happens a lot.

This burden shouldn’t be on me. I shouldn’t have to take responsibility for avoiding the rapists. The standup world needs to be doing better so we don’t have to look over our shoulders at every show.

And the standup world is a microcosm of society at large. No woman, anywhere, should have to choose where she goes based on her own safety. No woman should have to turn down opportunities because of the threatening environment. No woman should have to make sure there are other women present so she doesn’t feel uncomfortable. Whether it’s in standup, at work, or simply a party.

Yet here we are.

We can’t change our industries. But at least we can stop supporting the misogyny.