Is women’s involvement in comedy reflective of wider society?
By Emma Horton
By studying most forms of entertainment from the past, the shockingly overt sexism and marginalisation of women is undoubtedly identifiable. Comedy is no exception. Whilst, for most, comedic performances or representation may not act as an obvious source of historical context, the patterns that have existed within it are directly reflective of the patriarchal structures that were enforced at specific times. Even today, the stereotype that ‘women aren’t funny’ is one that remains astonishingly normalised, despite efforts to create a more inclusive narrative surrounding the entertainment industry and the voices of women. So, where were the origins of these misconceptions and, more importantly, who have been the female pioneers attempting to actively dispute them?
Until the early 20th century, Comedy was an industry that, like so many others, was exclusively operated and controlled by men. As a result of this, it became yet another outlet to perpetuate sexist ideologies to the masses, with most women treated as comic foils. This Specifically involved the explicit ridicule and mockery of women, particularly wives and mother-in-laws, which was a prevalent feature of material at the time. This dominated industry was somewhat infiltrated beyond this point, however, in the form of female comedic performers. These women exhibited humour in forms such as dances and physical expressions. Whilst this increased representation and opportunity was undoubtedly positive for the feminist movement, there remained an evident divide between the comedy that was deemed acceptable between men and women. Perhaps this method of denying women the option to present their comedic capabilities vocally and, instead, often offering an element of sex appeal, was fundamentally more beneficial to the desires of men than that of the actual female performers and wider community.
The 1940s was when the comedic landscape truly began to transform. In the US, innovators of female comedy were introduced onto the scene, such as Phyllis Diller, Jean Carroll and Moms Mabley. The impact of hearing women’s voices and opinions was immediately received by audiences. It perhaps provided the primary representation of women fulfilling this role nationwide, exemplifying to other like-minded females that ambition in this field, as well as exhibiting a vibrant and outspoken personality, was no longer something reserved for their male counterparts. This continued further in 1952, with the introduction of the sitcom I Love Lucy on screens and a huge audience response that it accumulated. With a female lead depicting a capable and humorous woman, it was an influential stage of comedy, as it presented a woman formulating the jokes, as opposed to simply being the unfortunate and derided object of them.
Perhaps front runners like Lucille Ball have created a platform for women’s comedy on television, which has been expanded since by British comedians such as Catherine Tate and French and Saunders. The ubiquitous entertainment which they have provided is evidential that the ability to offer laughter and joy to audiences is not isolated within the male mind. Despite this fact, there is still a massive imbalance in the number of male comedians compared to female ones. According to Chortle, a UK industry website, there are currently 1,279 male comics listed, massively outweighing just 269 women.
Historically, it is understandable why women encountered challenges whilst attempting to infiltrate the industry – comedy is synonymous with the vocal expression of contentious, forthright ideas, though this blatantly subverts the passive, gentle expectations of women that were formerly enforced. However, this very fact is why women’s involvement is so imperative. Providing social commentary, particularly about feminist issues in a digestible, humorous format is exceptionally important to offer a sufficient voice for women in the mainstream.