Get to the Point
8 years ago by
We’re all a bit obsessed with Whitney Cummings over here at the studio, and the other night I watched her new HBO special I’m Your Girlfriend…
I like watching comedy specials. I’ve watched Aziz’s, Amy Schumer’s, Tig Notaro…I love a good laugh. But I LOVED Whitney’s special because it wasn’t just self-deprecating sex humor, it was also a commentary on dating, relationships, sex and gender. Then I found this article from The Atlantic that totally hit the nail on the head—this type of comedy, which is becoming more common, is part stand-up and part TED Talk. They point out the fact that a lot of celebrities (comedians and others) are taking more of a stance on issues, including everything from politics to dating. All of this just as Beyoncé releases Formation, where her message couldn’t be more obvious…
So what do you think about all of this? Do you like it when personalities make it a point to get a particular message across? Or do you think they should just let it rest?
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Well, I think comedy, in general, is a way of talking about things that are difficult to address. When a comedian makes a “joke” about something, they are really giving their subtle (or not-so-subtle) view on a sensitive issue. So, I think comedians have been taking stances on issues since the beginning…maybe viewers just haven’t been able to pick up on it?Jokes are never really just jokes.
But I think it’s awesome if it seems to be popping up more with female comedians. Men have dominated this profession for far too long, and I’m glad more women are disproving the stereotype that “women aren’t as funny as men.” If it takes comedy to get an important piece of social commentary out to the ears of millions of people, I think that’s great!
I usually don’t like comedians because they don’t usually make me laugh. An intelligent comedian that I’ve listened to is Bryan Callen and he is one of the hosts of The Fighter and The Kid podcast with Brendan Schaub. My boyfriend is mega into comedians.
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We should use the voice we have.
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Great post. I often find comedians can be a little offensive but I don’t think they mean anything by it, they’re just trying to be funny and shock people x
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I think it’s a chance for women to put their own pressure on society to change the way people think and behave. If female comedians took a stand against society forcing women to get married, or that women aren’t accepted if they aren’t always wearing make-up or dressed in something society thinks they should be dressed in, maybe the pressures us women feel will no longer be applied. Times have changed and so should societal pressures. I would rather they end altogether.
N’est ce pas le propre des artistes que d’interpeller sur notre société ? :-)
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It is interesting to have smart and insightful people touch significant subjects with humour and grace. I just do not like it when their approach is borderline patronising.
That being said, I have not yet watched the video you propose which sounds fun!
J’ai pu voir à la télé Amy Schumer, et j’ai arrêté au bout de 30 minutes, car c’est bien écrit et joué je ne conteste pas mais voilà je n’ai pas ri ou réfléchi, en bref pas accroché. Je vais essayer de me “rattraper” avec Whitney Cummings, je ne la connais pas mais je suis curieuse !
I LOVE Whitney! I loved her eponymous show and I loved it when she was called to appear in Undateable – everyone loved her there! And she seems like such a smart woman, all in being gorgeous and witty, she makes us feel like we can all relate – to her stories, to her! That is HUGE for a comedian. Making people feel a real connection with what she’s talking about on stage (be it intentionally flourished or brutal truth) whether we like to admit it or not, it’s because we all know, deep inside, that she’s voicing honest, sheer life facts. Not trying to provoke or to raise question marks but merely to voice. Thank you Whitney for staying true and real. And thank you Garance (and the Studio) for showing me once more that we share so much more than I’ll ever know!