Why Women Aren't Funny [PROVOCATION]

I recently came across a 2007 Vanity Fair article written by Christopher Hitchens, in which he argues why women are not funny. He concedes that this isn't resolute, and he does list exceptions, though crass: "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."

Naturally those who disagree took aim, and fired. Including Alessandra Stanley's, who's retort in a 2008 issue of Vanity Fair titled "Who Says Women Aren't Funny?" prefaces the above video interview with Hitchens.

The basis of the idea is that men have to be funny...it's how we get women to like us. Women however, do not have to, or rather never had to be funny as we men already like women...for simply being women! Citing university studies, and using anecdotal mechanics along way, Hitchens makes a very good case, one that I prescribe to.

Hitchens speaks with Author Fran Lebowitz about the idea, to which she agrees and sums up the concept rather nicely:

"The cultural values are male; for a woman to say a man is funny is the equivalent of a man saying that a woman is pretty. Also, humor is largely aggressive and pre-emptive, and what's more male than that?"

Touché!

Read the full article here.