Tag Archives: women in comedy

Watch “StandUp In Stilettos” This Saturday!

Jessica WakemanJune 29, 2012 //
Erica Watson Q&A
The actress talks about her on woman show and "Precious." Read More »
Fat Shaming Controversy
Erica Watson Love That Girl
TV show should be ashamed of their fat-shaming. Read More »
Whitney Talks Comedy
Whitney Cummings on why it's okay for a woman to be pretty in comedy. Read More »
Women We Love
Erica Watson on Standup In Stilettos
Watch "Standup In Stilettos" This Saturday!

Get real, girl, you are not going be able to get those opening weekend tickets for “Magic Mike.” Instead, park your butt on the couch this Saturday night at 10/9c for “StandUp In Stilettos.”  That’s the night that friend-0f-The-Frisky Erica Watson — who was in “Precious” a few years ago and will be in “The Bitter Pill” with Rooney Mara and Jude Law in 2013 — perform. The other performers are Paula Bel (from season seven of “Last Comic Standing”) and Felicia Michaels (winner of American Comedy Awards for Funniest Female).  I promise, they will be only slightly less entertaining than Channing Tatum on the pole. [YouTube]

“Saturday Night Live” Adds Lady Cast Member Kate McKinnon

Jessica WakemanMarch 29, 2012 //
Vag Magazine
"These skirts need to be more feminist!" Read More »
Whitney Talks Comedy
Whitney Cummings on why it's okay for a woman to be pretty in comedy. Read More »
Why Funny Women Rule
Mind of Man
John DeVore on why funny women are a natural resource. Read More »
kate mckinnon from SNL

Squee! Rumor has it “Saturday Night Live” has added a female cast member named Kate McKinnon and she is someone we already know and love around these parts! Kate starred in “Vag Magazine,” the kickass webseries that spoofed women who work at a feminist magazine, as the flaky girl Bethanny. Comedic Kate hails from the Upright Citizens Brigade, appeared on LOGO’s “The Big Gay Sketch Show” and has a movie coming out called “Hannah Has A Ho-Phase,” which sounds right up our alley. Deadline Hollywood reports that “SNL” head honcho Lorne Micheals has been auditioning several ladies for the show and Kate will debut next Saturday in the episode hosted by Sofia Vergara. The Mary Sue tells us that Kate is the first out lesbian to ever appear on the show and she’ll be the first openly gay cast member in 27 years. Mazel tov, Kate McKinnon — we’re a fan already. [Deadline Hollywood; IMDB; Vag Magazine; The Mary Sue]

Contact the author of this post at Jessica@TheFrisky.com. Follow me on Twitter at @JessicaWakeman.

Funny Or Die Removed Comic’s “Obscene” Breastfeeding Skit (NFSW)

Jessica WakemanJanuary 24, 2012 //
Breastfeeding Celebs
These famous moms know breast is best! 12 Photos »
The Breast Milk Diet
Say what?! Read More »
Breast Milk Attack!
Why did this woman attack cops -- with breast milk? Read More »
Watch Video

… because what is more obscene than feeding your hungry children?!  I mean, UGH.

I am being hyperbolic; the comedy site Funny Or Die was not. Comedian Ahna Tessler is a breastfeeding mama of twins and she submitted a skit of herself, which incorporated the breastfeeding, on Funny Or Die. The short skit called “Leah Got A Job” is about a woman who just got hired as an art teacher even though she hates children — and while she’s bitching about kids, the camera pans down to where a baby is latched to each boob. It’s shocking only because seeing a woman breastfeeding her child on camera is shocking — after two seconds of shock, it’s just “oh, she’s feeding the kids.” The video isn’t even that funny. Overall, it’s not a big deal.

At least, not to me. Funny Or Die thought differently. According to The New York Times, Ahna Tessler’s video was flagged as “obscene” — perhaps by a moderator — and not published. But what’s really a headscratcher is that her previous Funny Or Die videos were all taken down and her account with the site was suspended. Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Sexist “Letterman” Comedy Booker Removed From Job

Jessica WakemanJanuary 17, 2012 //
  • The “Late Show With David Letterman” comic booker who made a sexist comment about female comedians in the New York Times this weekend has been removed from his job. Eddie Brill, who booked comics for the past 11 years and only booked one female comic on the show during all of 2011, told the newspaper he didn’t feel most female comics were “authentic.” He was reportedly removed from his post for speaking to the press without authorization, however — not for the content of his comments. [Mirth Mag]
  • Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., included LGBT folks in her call for unity in a speech in Atlanta on the celebration of her father’s birthday. [The GA Voice]
  • The New York Times takes a look at the historical role of priests’ wives. [NY Times] Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Letterman’s Comedy Booker Makes Dig At Female Comics

Jessica WakemanJanuary 16, 2012 //
  • “The Late Show with David Letterman”‘s comedy booker, Eddie Brill, was profiled in The New York Times this weekend, and was asked about how only one woman (Karen Rontowski) was booked on the show during all of 2011. “There are a lot less female comics who are authentic,” he said. “I see a lot of female comics who, to please an audience, will act like men.” Now that he’s being criticized for his sexist attitude and commentary, Eddie Brill is accusing the reporter, Jason Zimon, of having it out for him. The reporter just says he was accurately quoting what the “Letterman” booker said … and, well, the fact that he only booked one woman on his show all year kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it?  [New York Times, Mediaite, Mirth Mag] Keep reading »

How Could You Do A “Bridesmaids” Sequel Without Kristen Wiig?

Jessica WakemanJanuary 4, 2012 //
Review: "Bridesmaids"
Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids photo
This is one chick flick you shouldn't miss! Read More »
McCarthy On SNL
Internet commenters meet their subjects! Watch »
"Bridesmaids" Rules
Kristin Wiig & Co. have the #1 female comedy ever. Read More »
Why Funny Women Rule
Mind of Man
John DeVore on why funny women are a natural resource. Read More »
bridesmaids photo

If Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy (and Chris O’Dowd and Jon Hamm, yum) were to star in “Bridesmaids 2,” I would buy tickets tomorrow even if the movie hadn’t started filming yet. But Kim Masters from The Hollywood Reporter writes that even though Universal is planning a sequel to 2011′s blockbuster comedy, Wiig has confirmed she is is not involved. ”We aren’t working on that,” she said, referring to co-writer Annie Mumolo. ”Annie and I aren’t planning a sequel. We are writing something else.” What the eff? Keep reading »

Mindy Kaling Isn’t Dumb Just Because She’s Girly

Jessica WakemanNovember 10, 2011 //
All Hail Rom Coms!
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling defends this disrespected genre. Read More »
Mindy Kaling Facts
mindy kaling photo
Five things you should know about "The Office" star. Read More »
How to Insult Mindy
Mindy Kaling photo
Find out what insults Mindy Kaling. Read More »

“I think people still think that I’m like my character [on "The Office"], or that because I like girly things and I have a lilt in my voice that I’m dumb. But I don’t think you can be dumb and write a big chunk of a TV show. … I think of myself as a smart and funny person, but I am very girly, and in the past I’ve been hurt by people who criticise me for liking things they think are beneath me, like shopping or whatever, and the people who give me the hardest time about it are women. I think it may be because there are so few women in comedy and so there’s a feeling that we shouldn’t sell women out, but I don’t see talking about fashion as selling women out.”

— Mindy Kaling on the misperception that a smart girl also can’t like “girly” things like fashion, makeup and boys (!!!). Interestingly, this is a view held by Vogue editrix herself Anna Wintour. [Guardian UK] Keep reading »

In Defense Of “Whitney”

Jessica WakemanOctober 28, 2011 //
Whitney On "Whitney"
whitney cummings photo
Whitney Cummings on her new sitcom. Read More »
Female TV Writers
These ladies are making big stride in comedy this year. 15 Photos »
Why Funny Women Rule
Mind of Man
John DeVore on why funny women are a natural resource. Read More »
whitney cummings photo

Over the summer I learned Whitney Cummings, whom I loved from “Chelsea Lately” (a show I watch religiously), would be starring in a sitcom herself and would be producing a second sitcom as well.  I felt excited for her new projects coming up in a way I get about celebs like Jon Hamm and Kate Winslet. It wasn’t entirely because of my feelings for her; I like Whitney Cummings, but I’m really a Chelsea Handler girl. And it wasn’t entirely because of any feminist loyalty I feel for her because she is a successful woman working in comedy. I just thought, Hey, cool, this really funny comedienne is starring in her own sitcom! Now I’ll have something new to watch on TV because, uh, “Two and a Half Men” is not my “thing.” Keep reading »

The “Bridesmaids” Sex Tape Is All Kinds Of Wrong

Jessica WakemanOctober 7, 2011 //
Review: "Bridesmaids"
Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids photo
This is one chick flick you shouldn't miss! Read More »
Why Funny Women Rule
Mind of Man
John DeVore on why funny women are a natural resource. Read More »
Female TV Writers
These ladies are making big stride in comedy this year. 15 Photos »
"Bridesmaids" sex tape photo
Watch Video

Was there ever any doubt that Melissa McCarthy goes there and then goes 100 paces farther? Add the “Bridesmaids” sex tape as another piece evidence in the case for her complete fearlessness in the pursuit of being funny. The  ”sex tape” between her character Megan and Air Marshall Jon is all kinds of wrong. Like, Cheez-Whiz-and-a-taser wrong. Melissa, you are my hero. [Funny Or Die]

Whitney Cummings Says It’s OK To Be Pretty In Comedy

Jessica WakemanSeptember 28, 2011 //
The Boob Tube
16 lady writers behind TV shows this season! 15 Photos »

“When I first started doing stand-up, I would wear hoodies and no makeup and I would wear my hair back and sneakers. I used to self-deprecate a lot: I just got cheated on, I just got broken up with, I hate myself—to make women go, ‘Okay, she’s just like us, she has problems too.’ But whereas I used to think that looking pretty or sexy would alienate women, now it’s the opposite. Now I feel like when I embrace my femininity, it makes women relate to me more, because they go, ‘Oh, she’s just like me, she puts on makeup, she tries to look cute, she wears Spanx and she wears heels.’ And I think that being known helps, you can get away with more.”

— Whitney Cummings on the difficulties she has faced as a woman in stand-up. Hmm. Either a female comic is purposefully not pretty so men don’t find her threatening or she is so pretty that New York Times reporters ask about sleeping her way to the top. What a choice! [The Daily Beast]

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