It should come as no surprise that there are comparatively few female comedians. Does this mean that women are genetically incapable of being as funny? Clearly not. There are many hilarious women, such as Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Fey, Rita Rudner, Tracey Ullman, Ellen Degeneres, Jennifer Saunders, Sarah Silverman and Wanda Sykes, to name but a few. Evidently, women are capable of being just as amusing as their male counterparts.
Why Are There so Few Funny Females?
Well, there are many reasons that women may be less attracted to a life of comedy. Firstly, with any kind of humour there is inevitably a degree of self-deprecation that goes along with it. Historically, women tend to be much more self-effacing then men. However, there is a distinction to be made between deprecation that is private and that which is public.
It is also widely espoused that being funny is not an effective way for a woman to snare a man. Men, on the whole, are more ego lead than women. It follows, therefore, that men tend to want to be the dominant partner in a relationship. The male ego is very sensitive and it can be easily bruised by a woman who is more intelligent, powerful, or funny. Most women are all too aware of the fact that ‘funny women’ are not attractive to men, and this may be one of the main reasons that females are not drawn into comedy. Therefore, it tends to be women who feel less confident about their appearance in the first place that delve into comedic careers.
Women and Stand Up Comedy
Another big reason for the lack of female numbers in comedy is that, as hinted at above, women are far more likely to be self-conscious. This is an obstacle for female comedians, because they are often confronted by ridicule. Stand up comedy, in particular, is notoriously unforgiving. Hecklers can make a comedian’s life very difficult. Therefore, it is important for a comedian to have a thick skin. It seems much more problematical for a woman to achieve this than a man.
Can Women be as Funny as Men?
It is a fallacy that women cannot be as witty and humorous as men. Obviously, women are capable of being equally as funny. To claim that there is some genetic predisposition that precludes them from being funny is ridiculous. However, there are clearly genetic traits which indicate that males are perhaps more suited to the trials of a comedian. This does not mean, however, that females are incapable of being comedians. In fact, it could simply suggest that the women who do pursue a career in comedy are all the more brave for it.
