Women as funny people.

This is not meant to incite any rioting or appear sexist, I just had a general topic in mind.

My friend Joe and I are writing our second movie, another comedy, and he calls me today with a wild idea.

The movie is about two friends writing a movie., and he says, "What if we changed the two main characters to women?"

We had a lengthy conversation that basically ended with me saying hell no.

Here's my reasoning: I can't think of a single woman I know in their early 20s — either personally or an actress — who is naturally funny. Yes, Lucille Ball was funny, and Sarah Silverman is funny and Roseanne was funny and Betty White and a few others. OK, more than a few, but you get the point.

But to me, most women comedians become funny because of one of these reasons:

1) They are a gilted housewife - the Lucy or Roseanne characters.
2) They can't get laid or they talk about getting laid too much - Julia Louis Dreyfess
3) They have no inhibitions - Sarah Silverman
4) They play dumb - Betty White

Whereas I find several guys my age and around my age just to be funny people - Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd (a little older), etc.

What do you think?

 

Actually, Betty White was known for playing slutty before she took on the Rose Nylund character. If I remember correctly, Rue McLanahan was supposed to play the Rose part and Betty was supposed to play the Blanche Devereaux role. Rue previously played ditzy before getting the Blanche Devereaux role.

I don't think funny has any bearing on gender. I don't think inability to get laid has any bearing on gender, otherwise Mikey would be banging chicks left and right.

It seems to me you're oversimplifying the issue of funny women by typecasting the roles that make for funny women.

 

Yeah, Rue McLanahan was supposed to play Rose and vice versa.

 

Throughout high school and college, I had girlfriends and roommates who were friggin hilarious. Particularly in college, there was one set of roommates... we'd stay up all night laughing to the point that others would complain.

In high school, we did girls' nights out at restaurants and we'd be laughing so loud people at other tables would get annoyed.

And just now I'm thinking of some of my mom's friends growing up. She'd occasionally host bridge parties. My brother and I would literally hole up in my parents walk-in closet and pad the door with pillows reading and listening to the radio in an attempt to block out the laughter. It was like we were in a tornado.

Which brings me to my next realization. All those times, it was a 'girls-only' situation. When the boys came 'round, it's like we were different people. No cutting up, no acting crazy, no cutting loose with the zingers and one-liners.

You might be onto something with regard to female sexuality and humor.

But in terms of what you men are missing.... It's like a secret world you simply aren't privy to.

All that said, I thought the 'Friends' trio of actresses was very funny. They had great material to work with, but they delivered it... and none of them fit perfectly into your categories.

 

Tina Fey??

 

Elayne Boosler is a scream.

 

My mom's pretty funny. And my grandma is hilarious. And there's nothing sexual about either of them, at least that's what's gotten me to this point in life.

 

I feel like the chick from Juno was absolutely not funny.

When the fat kid from Superbad talks about man dick it is hilarious. When Juno girl talks about vaginas it is strange to me.

Also I felt like all of her lines were forced and awkward- SNL felt the same way this past weekend as represented in her monologue.

Anyway to make a long story short thanks for making this post so I can vent, also try to get the fat kid from SuperBad. He is really funny. So is the Aurthur Spooner from King of Queens. That should be your cast.

 

My grandma is funny too, but in an unintentional way.
At 75, she has reached the point where don't care where she farts or who hears it.
Bingo, store, or church she could care less.

 

I think when you get that old, you probably deserve to fart wherever you want.

 

My grandma watches South Park.


I don't know if anyone's grandma can top that.

She's like 82 by the way.

Says she enjoys the characters because they walk funny.

 

Whenever you want to put our grandmas toe to toe, let me know. My grandma is one of my best friends. And she can kick your grandma's ass from here to the bingo hall.