Women Aren't Funny - Vanity Fair

[Sundae]

Below is an edited excerpt from this article in Vanity Fair this month.

Be your gender what it may, you will certainly have heard the following from a female friend who is enumerating the charms of a new (male) squeeze: "He's really quite cute, and he's kind to my friends, and he knows all kinds of stuff, and he's so funny … " However, there is something that you absolutely never hear from a male friend who is hymning his latest (female) love interest: "She's a real honey, has a life of her own … [interlude for attributes that are none of your business] … and, man, does she ever make 'em laugh."

Now, why is this? Why is it the case?, I mean. Why are women, who have the whole male world at their mercy, not funny? Please do not pretend not to know what I am talking about.

This is not to say that women are humorless, or cannot make great wits and comedians. And if they did not operate on the humor wavelength, there would be scant point in half killing oneself in the attempt to make them writhe and scream (uproariously). Wit, after all, is the unfailing symptom of intelligence. Men will laugh at almost anything, often precisely because it is—or they are—extremely stupid. Women aren't like that. And the wits and comics among them are formidable beyond compare: Dorothy Parker, Nora Ephron, Fran Lebowitz, Ellen DeGeneres. (Though ask yourself, was Dorothy Parker ever really funny?)

In any case, my argument doesn't say that there are no decent women comedians. There are more terrible female comedians than there are terrible male comedians, but there are some impressive ladies out there. Most of them, though, when you come to review the situation, are hefty or dykey or Jewish, or some combo of the three.

For women the question of funniness is essentially a secondary one. They are innately aware of a higher calling that is no laughing matter.

Childbearing and rearing are the double root of all this. As every father knows, the placenta is made up of brain cells, which migrate southward during pregnancy and take the sense of humor along with them. And when the bundle is finally delivered, the funny side is not always immediately back in view. Is there anything so utterly lacking in humor as a mother discussing her new child? She is unboreable on the subject. Even the mothers of other fledglings have to drive their fingernails into their palms and wiggle their toes, just to prevent themselves from fainting dead away at the sheer tedium of it. And as the little ones burgeon and thrive, do you find that their mothers enjoy jests at their expense? I thought not.

I can't help thinking he misses the point. Whether men find women funny does not define whether the women are funny. I appreciate humour in both sexes, but I had a long hard think after reading this article. I realised that the times I have laughed hardest face-to-face have always been with or because of other women. When reading the written word I laugh most at men's writing, but hardest at women's. When it comes to stand up or comedy programmes it is men. Which simply suggests horses for courses to me.

He only seems interested in whether a woman is funny to a man, and why a man doesn't find her attractive even when she is. Fair enough - he's a man and obviously one who doesn't gaze far away from his own navel.

I can only assume he doesn't get to appreciate the same humour as I do. I have often laughed so hard at something a female friend or colleague has told me that I can't speak. But I guess he doesn't experience that, rooted as his idea of humour is in sexual attraction.

He can blame it on the fact some women squeeze out babies if it makes him fell better, I'll carry on laughing at who I want to regardless of gender.

[Clodfobble]

I think that rather than women being unfunny, it's more that "being funny" isn't high on the list of typical attractive qualities in women. You will also never hear a man say, "and she makes a great living!" It's not that women don't sometimes make a lot of money, or even that the men don't appreciate this fact, merely that it's not a quality one necessarily brags about when sizing up a potential female mate.

I will agree that of the women and men I know, the women tend to have a maturing sense of humor over the years, whereas many of the men tend to find the same things funny at 40 that they did at 20. I don't know whether it's childrearing or just aging that causes this though.

[Shawnee123]

puh...I make men laugh out loud in spite of their grim selves just about every day. Not funny? Not important? Then not my type.

[Undertoad]

You're funny alright... but not barefoot serpent funny!

[DanaC]

Just goes to show, any idiot with a word processor can type up some tripe and parade it as thought :P

We have a lot of very funny chicks on tv and mostly they aren't in comfortable shoes either. Smack the Pony, Tittybangbang, Nighty Night, Jam and Jerusalem all very funny programmes, all with very funny women in them.

Actually one of the funniest stand-ups I've seen in recent years was an American lass. I wish I could remember her name, she made my sides ache, literally. She was on the Secret Policeman's Ball and was about as far from the stereotype of female standups as it's possible to be.

I think the idea that guys just don't have that at the top of their lists of things to notice/talk about in a woman, may have some truth. That said, last time Judah went out with a girl he described her to me as 'drop-dead gorgeous, loves indie films, and makes him laugh'.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Actually one of the funniest stand-ups I've seen in recent years was an American lass. I wish I could remember her name, she made my sides ache, literally. She was on the Secret Policeman's Ball and was about as far from the stereotype of female standups as it's possible to be.

It might have been Sarah Silverman...?

The guy is just an idiot... that is all.

[Undertoad]

The guy is Christopher Hitchens and it should be pointed out that the section of Vanity Fair he was writing in, is called "Provocation"

[Elspode]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

It might have been Sarah Silverman...?

She is totally hot and totally hysterically funny.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The guy is Christopher Hitchens and it should be pointed out that the section of Vanity Fair he was writing in, is called "Provocation"

My bad - I linked to the article from another website and didn't pay attention to the section title (which is clearly marked)

[DanaC]

Oh it's Hitchens? Well that explains it.

Sundae...yes that was her! She was awesome!

[xoxoxoBruce]

I like both men and women that make me laugh because it's a sign they are talking about something besides inane drivel that tends to dominate daily conversations.

What!?.....No way....your cat actually chased a ball of yarn? That's so precious.
Oh my goodness, your sister-in-law's, cousin's, step-father got the wrong pizza delivered and didn't discover it until after he tipped the driver? That's like sooo unfair!

Good grief, if you can't exhale without making noise, please learn to whistle rather than babble.
That's probably why I enjoy the Cellar, people here usually think and write at the same time. Thanks peeps.

[warch]

I wonder what Mr. Hitchen blames for the unfortunate migration of his brain cells? (sad really, the strain of it all).
And perhaps he's found himself the butt of too many female jokes, (dont pretend you dont know what I'M talkin about!)
They don't call them cock-tails for nothin! cheers! ; )

[bluecuracao]

I once met and had a couple of drinks with Mr. Hitchens several years back (he used to sit at Monkeyboy's bar). Besides being brilliant, he is a complete smartass.

[Undertoad]

Drinks with Hitchens...! I envy you. There's a guy not afraid to tell anyone what he thinks, and it's usually going to upset an apple cart. (such as "women aren't funny")

What can you say about a guy who tore into Mother Theresa with a blistering condemnation? It would be interesting to say the least!