I have a strange affinity for women in comedy. Actually, allow me to further clarrify, I have a strange affinity for funny women in comedy. A talented female stand-up always catches my eye and makes me stand-up (no pun intended) and take notice. Of course, being the misogynist that I am, I, personally, believe that there are very, VERY few talented female comedians out there. Honestly, I don’t think too many people would disagree with me, I just have no problem admitting that its my opinion.
Whether or not that throws you into a fiery, feminist rage, it shouldn’t matter. What my above opinion means is that when a talented female comedian comes along and is able to hang with the boys, I respect her all the more. And it’s not easy for women in comedy. I’ll gladly admit it. They have to contest with a bunch of men in an all-boys-club while still retaining their own style and brand of humor (The only thing worse than a bad female comic is a pandering-to-mens-sensibilities female comic.)
Which brings me to THE LIST!!! These are my top 5 favorite female stand-ups currently running the circuit. Each one is hilarious and individual in her own right and has the propensity to draw major crowds in whatever club they frequent. Enjoy!
5. Natasha Leggero
Natasha Leggero is a regular on Chelsea Lately and always comes prepared with an iron wit. Her ‘look of desperation,’ as I call it, delivers the punchline to much of her material and manages to encompass her delivery and personality as somewhat “comicopolitan.” Yes, you can quote me on that.
4. Loni Love
I love Loni…Love. She’s like a big, warm hug in the form of an over-bearing, loud, rapid-fire comic. Her approach manages to be brash, hard, and controversial, while maintaining an almost nurturing effect. As though your favorite aunt were lulling you to sleep with well-thought-out jokes of crack and obesity.
3. Wanda Sykes
Everyone has heard of Wanda Sykes, but not many realize just how prevalent she has been in the comedy scene. Sykes started out in comedy writing for Chris Rock on The Chris Rock Show. From that point on, Sykes has expanded her own illustrious career with multiple Comedy Central specials and roles in multiple shows such Crank Yankers, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and others to boot.
2. Lisa Lampanelli
Wow, what a woman. She’s the certified queen of Comedy Central’s Roasts due to her brash, anything goes persona and her affinity for being downright lewd. Yet, there’s something still original about Lampanelli. Something in her contenance that despite her overtly vulgar subject material, you never get the impression that any of it is contrived or that she is physically trying to be controversial. She’s a genuine comic. A dirty, filthy, loud, blue, hilarious, genuine comic.
1. Chelsea Handler
Admittedly, Chelsea’s stand-up won’t immediately knock you off your feet upon first hearing it. After you take a minute to process the subject matter, however, you realize that the girl is absolutely brilliant. Chelsea attacks any and all parts of our culture and our thinly vieled boundaries that we set up on a daily basis. If for nothing else at all, she should be given credence for continually putting content on the air on an average of 5 nights a week, through the facet of her late night talk show. She expresses any and all forms of disdain that she has for anything at all and refuses to tread a line. Fence-sitting is not in Ms. Handler’s repertoire. FACE-sitting, however, is an entirely different matter…
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Tags: Alex Hluch, Art, Chelsea Handler, Chelsea Lately, Chris Rock, Comedy Central, Crank Yankers, Curb Your Enthusiasm, E!, Female, Funny, Funny Business, Lisa Lampanelli, Live at Gotham, Loni Love, Natasha Leggero, News, Roast, Shway, shwayblog, Tammy Pescatelli, The Chris Rock Show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Wanda Sykes, Women, Women in Comedy
April 22, 2009 at 5:36 pm |
[...] I’m fresh on the subject of female comedians, I thought I’d list a fast up-and comer that I would have loved to insert in the list had I [...]