Who's Funnier and Why?
Podcaster, comedian and recent Ricochet Podcast guest Adam Carolla is on the Twitter hot seat after this New York Post interview. Here's where the fury comes from:
Q. The lesson you learned from a sexual harassment seminar was “Don’t hire chicks.” Do you hate working with women?
A. No. But they make you hire a certain number of chicks, and they’re always the least funny on the writing staff. The reason why you know more funny dudes than funny chicks is that dudes are funnier than chicks. If my daughter has a mediocre sense of humor, I’m just gonna tell her, “Be a staff writer for a sitcom. Because they’ll have to hire you, they can’t really fire you, and you don’t have to produce that much. It’ll be awesome.
As one who listens to his podcast, I agree with him and here's why. First, a cursory look at the comedy podcast section on iTunes tells you it's dominated by men. Go back and think about all the comedians you grew up listening to and most of them are men. And a few of the most famous comediennes have had male-like qualities. Maybe men pursue a living out of it more than women, but some evidence to support him is there. While it's my guess that his last statement to his daughter is a bit of exaggeration, he's expressing in perhaps not the most delicate way the problem of Diversity For Diversity's Sake. But he misses there because I'm sure women are welcome on writing staffs because of the Seinfeldian problem of how to write for a female character. Here's the other reason. When you're a boy growing up, competing for the affection of a girl, you've got to bring something to the table. And all those years of performing to make girls laugh builds comedy muscles. Dudes are funnier than chicks because dudes have had to be funny, funnier than other dudes who are competing for those chicks. Can I say chicks on Ricochet?
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Comments:
Sep '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
After I pocket the silverware and the free drinks.
Jun '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
My wife is one of the funniest people I know. I don't really know very many people, though.
She constantly delights me, I never know what she's going to say next.
She's also smarter than I am. I really have no idea why she married me.
I do love to make her laugh. Sometimes, I even do it on purpose.
Nov '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
I always liked Roseanne when she was "in character" but her schmultz is unpalatable when played out in real life. Like Archie Bunker, the loveable bigot. But most folks genuinely like that are either extremely tiresome, irritating or constantly offensive.
In high school, humour is for men what make-up and clothes are for women. So there may be a natural hormone-driven selection process. That said, there are many lovely and side-splitting exceptions (a favourite is the also-serious Ann Coulter). Do they, perhaps, prove the rule?
Franco: Carolla cites Tina Fey, Kathy Griffin and Sarah Silverman as super funny. Joy(less) Behar and Roseanne Barr, not-so-much.
Funny women are the exception. Besides, women are attracted to funny men, men aren't attracted to funny women generally. I am, but not to Kathy Griffin. I'll sleep with Adam Carolla (if he shaves) before Kathy Griffin. But Sarah Silverman wouldn't even have to shave - that's how funny she is. · 2 hours ago
Jul '11
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
My wife is hilarious but usually in appropriate situations. I can never stop, and nothing is off limits. If my wife was like me she'd be far more likely to be branded negatively. I blame politics and the man for keeping the women down.
Oct '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Don Rickles and those humorists of the day are still the best. We have become far too thin skinned. What a lost and suppressed art. Sadly. Just call some deserving soul, A Hockey Puck. You might feel better.
Carolla is amusing in that the man speaks more in the grab your bootstraps and make something of yourself thing.
Edited on June 20, 2012 at 6:37amDec '11
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Actually isn't it Rica Chicks?
Dec '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
My sister is one of the funniest people I know, but I agree that men are as a rule funnier than woman. It might have something to do with the fact that men are not affraid to be crude. In fact we revel in it.
Baby girls talk sooner and more than baby boys. Babby boys laugh earlier and more than baby girls.
Apr '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Adam Corolla is reacting to the sexual harassment seminar (was it government imposed with a special message from Bill Clinton?) He is expressing a male and female view about the absurdity of it. His podcast is not bad, but the female irritates me because she is being funny in a male way. Women do not go as close to the dangerous Abyss required of comedy where some people fall. The Canadian Human Rights has only convicted male comediens so far and maybe I should file an equal opportunity complaint. Mollie and Mark have an amusing conversation because Mark does the big, jokey, dramatic statement and Mollie yanks him back with a quick, "that's silly". Men are judging each female comedien to see if they would go to home base with her, or so I have discovered reading Ricochet. I Dream of Genie and Bewitched female leads were supposed to be funny if you listen to the sound tracks but the male audience probably did not care. Also, in the recent Ricochet podcast, Rob Long made one of snarky comments and Mollie tells him he is mean, but mean is funny. Very funny.
Sep '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
I just read some comments on Facebook and it's a sad state of affairs we're in between men and women because of knee-jerk feminists. You know, whenever a man comes out and says men are generally better at anything, it will provoke the equality nazis into their bullying tactics.
Yes, women can be bullies. Women are better bullies than men. They have a take-no-prisoners attitude. Once you cross them, you are done. They hate you and will say only bad things about you. They will extend this into other relationships bullying everyone who expressed the least sympathy for the hapless target. If a man were to complain about this - and I doubt Adam will, he'll just make jokes - they are sure to attack him for being unmanly.
When someone says women are better at this or that, nothing really happens, mainly because men don't feel the same need to police public perceptions.
In today's world where the slightest physical push or shove will result in arrest and/or a lawsuit, the realm of bullying is almost the exclusive domain of women in the form of name-calling, smear campaigns and public shunning.
Apr '11
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
I think The Bloggess (Jenny Lawson) is hysterically funny, but part of that is probably her literal insanity (manic/depressive coupled with anxiety disorder). Of course when the depression hits, she's not funny at all, but is quite the moving writer. She also swears too much.
In general, though, men make me laugh aloud more often. Women are more likely to elicit a wry smile.
Apr '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Yes, Franco, the hypocrisy of the feminazis drives me crazy. I was indoctrinated and then reformed by reality.
Nov '11
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
The most popular form is what I call Fart Humor- you know, 4th graders making noises with their arm pits. Next most popular would be sarcasm, the lowest form of humor and the easiest. These two cover most popular TV shows and comedians. Slap stick is a bit out of style right now, and has to be done correctly to be funny and notice both men and women have performed well here. Many women will join in the laughter, but I think you guys are correct in the reasons women don't usually take a lead in the first two. Of course Shakespeare knew all about what the crowd thought was funny and nothing has changed.
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Don't underestimate the importance of a straight man! Er, woman. Whatever.
Apr '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Guys generally don't take themselves as seriously as women do so it's easier to play the fool.
Indaba mentions the abyss, which is exactly the metaphor I use to explain humor. At a deep unconscious level we all know our mortality puts us on the edge of the abyss, humor makes a sudden unexpected connection with others that mitigates this unease. Note that those who live in high drama or close to tragedy are too aware of the abyss to benefit from humor.
That's why we hope to find our friends in good humor.
Mar '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Don Rickles, the late Rodney Dangerfield, and the early Woody Allen were keenly funny. Bob Hope was a joy but not so blatantly funny. I am not seeing that anymore, but then I might not be looking in the right places.
Comedy Central is just not very funny.
Futurama can be hysterically funny at times. Futurama is funniest when anyone but the women are being funny or gross. Leela and Amy just aren't very funny, which appears to be the thesis of this item.
Edited on June 20, 2012 at 4:16pmAug '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Making the world safe for pants one hilarious caption at a time!
That's part of it. I spent my childhood daydreaming about practical jokes, but rarely playing them, because when did, I was easy to shame afterward for all the trouble I caused.
But women and men might also find different topics funny. The funniest standup routine I ever saw was by a woman about family fights over the dishwasher. The Fug Girls are hysterical, but they mock celebrity fashion, not something most men are interested in.
Also, many comediennes these days are take the wrong tack:
The funniest women I've met have earthiness in their humor, yes, but it's grounded in decency and virtue. Their outrageous remarks don't glorify vice, but instead expose its absurdity.
The pointed remark of a virtuous woman is much funnier than a girl debasing herself by trying to talk dirty.
Edited on June 20, 2012 at 8:19pmMay '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Nothing to add, Chazzy Star, but my thanks.
This was a good Post, and the Thread also very good.
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Jul '11
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
I am an (amateur) stand-up comedian.
In our troope (preforming around the country), there are about 12 performers that rotate through stand-up nights, depending on variability. Four of them are women, and two of them have become national stars, on TV and radio.
My impression is that audiences like hearing women do comedy, just because most of the performers are male, and I think that has more to do with a natural shyness of getting on stage than anything else, not because men are funnier than women.
One performer, named Jaanika, has a bit called "The Sea of Balls" that is funnier than 95% of what us males have ever told.
Comedy is hard work. Writing jokes is hard work. But I don't see any gender bias, necessarily, in being funny.
The real truth is; everybody's funny. Most people just don't write their funny down.
May '10
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
I guess you can say "chick" but I could never refer to a guy as a "dude". Just sounds weird to me. I can never call someone "bro" either, especially since it is often pronounced more like "bra", which makes it even more weird.
Apr '12
Re: Who's Funnier and Why?
Maybe it depends on what kind of humor you like. I, for example. find a lot of my female friends much funnier than Adam Carolla, but presumably not everyone would agree.