I'm going with the theme of the thread, wherein the majority of the post seem to be referring to this. Plus it is the only aspect I have any real insight into, and is the avenue a great majority of TV comedians and writers use to get into the biz.
Podcast on women in comedy Page 2
Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 25 2012, 1:18 PM BSTMaybe us wimmin just need to learn to be thicker skinned? Maybe.
And there is the truth in the matter, most of the male comics I like aren't top of the bill or have their own television programmes despite being funnier and more talented then their more successful contemporaries.
I would imagine, not being directly in the stand up industry, but having been to many stand up shows, including 'Funny Women', that people are chosen on their talents to perform. Even 'Funny Women' had competitive heats with the best acts going through to the finals. Did the women who didn't make it complain about sexism? Jeez, probably, they complain about everything else. 
Stand up is a business, you have to network, promote, sell yourself and get a following. If you don't have these skills, male or female, then you're only going to get so far.
Finally, if you take a comparable entertainment industry, such as music, these allegations never arise. Which is strange as the parallels and similarites between the two are infinite. It must come down to numbers, more women sing then tell stand up comedy, therefore their chances of making it are increased. Blame your own gender's lack of enthusiasm for performing stand up before you start blaming men.
*implodes*
Nat, do you think women have to actually be better than the men they are gigging alongside, or they have to sell themselves better to actually get a gig in the first place?
I know female comics who won't even attempt to go for a certain gig because there are no other females on the bill. They either feel intimidated or assume women aren't being booked. That saddens me because it means their confidence in their ability is lacking. If they can crack that...they can make a start, but they just keep on falling back into the insecurities they feel...which they really shouldn't.
Do some women think it should be easier to break into a career in comedy and are confused when it doesn't happen or people don't laugh at them (like their friends do)? Are men more determined by nature? (I doubt that) Are some women put off by having to show themselves in front of an audience and being ripped apart/ridiculed? Heckling is all part and parcel of it. is it their handling of the audience that worries them? A cruel crowd can be a killer if you're not hardened to it? Do men cope with that better?
Is it just about the proportion of women compared to men that are in the business? Less women gong into it, therefore, less women appearing.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 25 2012, 1:18 PM BSTThe bitter truth is, particularly in standup, the the female act going onstage has to be a lot better to be considered equally as good. Mainly by the audience, but also by some acts and promoters.
That's a bit sad then, but the way to change that is fairly obvious - more women need to be in the audience and more women need to be in promoting. OR if women want to remain in the minority going to these places and running them, they need to develop their acts to make the men laugh more.
In other words what's the point of doing a very female centred routine when you don't have many females there to appreciate it? Can you blame the male audience for feeling exluded by it?
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 25 2012, 1:43 PM BSTThat's a bit sad then, but the way to change that is fairly obvious - more women need to be in the audience and more women need to be in promoting. OR if women want to remain in the minority going to these places and running them, they need to develop their acts to make the men laugh more.
In other words what's the point of doing a very female centred routine when you don't have many females there to appreciate it? Can you blame the male audience for feeling exluded by it?
Female centred comedy is a myth in all but the smallest examples. I don't know a single New act who does this. Not one.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 25 2012, 1:46 PM BSTFemale centred comedy is a myth in all but the smallest examples. I don't know a single New act who does this. Not one.
But you yourself do comedy songs about cats with an accoustic guitar. If that's not female centric comedy, then I don't know what is.
Now I'm really confused.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ August 25 2012, 1:49 PM BSTBut you yourself do comedy songs about cats with an accoustic guitar. If that's not female centric comedy, then I don't know what is.
Now I'm really confused.
Are you f**king kidding me?
I'm no expert in stand up comedy of course, the last person I saw was Ben Elton in the 80s, but almost every female comedian I've seen do their act on TV has done a very female oriented routine, so I'm very surprised to hear they don't start off this way.
For the record, I have a song about cats. One. Cats quite clearly aren't a 'female' thing. I also have a song about XBox live and Modern Warfare.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 25 2012, 1:50 PM BSTAre you f**king kidding me?
You're going to have to expand on your argument a little more then just swearing, otherwise I don't know how to further the conversation.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ August 25 2012, 1:49 PM BSTBut you yourself do comedy songs about cats with an accoustic guitar. If that's not female centric comedy, then I don't know what is.
Now I'm really confused.
Men do those songs too.
The thing is, women will write about what pisses them off, what they like, what they don't. So it's bound to be mostly about what they feel about life. The same as men. Men can't talk on a personal level about giving birth or using their first tampon (okay, some can). You know what I mean. Men will talk about their girlfriends and wives. The best comedy comes from the heart and from experience.
We can't be debating the type of humour, we should be debating how that humour is delivered and if the comic (male or female) has the ability to pull it off. That is the key to being a good comic. Good material, whatever the subject, is nothing without a good comic to deliver it to its fullest potential.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 25 2012, 1:53 PM BSTFor the record, I have a song about cats. One. Cats quite clearly aren't a 'female' thing. I also have a song about XBox live and Modern Warfare.
Okay, fair enough, but the whole comedy song thing is an incredibly sexist stereotype. Even at the 'Funny Women' competition, half of the acts insisted on throwing in a musical number.
I've yet to hear Frankie Boyle, Richard Pryor or Dave Chappelle suddenly break into song half way through their stand up sets. So yes, there is female centric comedy which only appeals to half or sometimes less of the audience.
Again, it's down to the business model, find out what your audience likes and perform to their expectations.
Quote: Joyce @ August 25 2012, 1:56 PM BSTMen do those songs too.
They're not men, they're women dressed up as men to try and get ahead in stand up comedy.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ August 25 2012, 2:00 PM BSTOkay, fair enough, but the whole comedy song thing is an incredibly sexist stereotype. Even at the 'Funny Women' competition, half of the acts insisted on throwing in a musical number.
I've yet to hear Frankie Boyle, Richard Pryor or Dave Chappelle suddenly break into song half way through their stand up sets. So yes, there is female centric comedy which only appeals to half or sometimes less of the audience.
Oh that must be why the 40% of the audience who were female the other night had a rollocking good time, and the 60% of them who were men who can't enjoy comedy because it includes a musical element sat in stoic silence.
No, wait a second. That didn't happen. If the world was the BCG I would have given up a long time ago.
Incidentally of the acts on the circuit (not counting myself as I am a new act and not really part of the circuit) doing musical comedy, I can think of one woman who plays an acoustic guitar and around 10 men.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ August 25 2012, 2:00 PM BSTOkay, fair enough, but the whole comedy song thing is an incredibly sexist stereotype. Even at the 'Funny Women' competition, half of the acts insisted on throwing in a musical number.
I've yet to hear Frankie Boyle, Richard Pryor or Dave Chappelle suddenly break into song half way through their stand up sets. So yes, there is female centric comedy which only appeals to half or sometimes less of the audience.
Again, it's down to the business model, find out what your audience likes and perform to their expectations.
They're not men, they're women dressed up as men to try and get ahead in stand up comedy.
Ahh...my son and his friend use guitars in everything they do (both standup nutcases) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUkwAFJCXro Yes this is them messing about, but the guitars are there!
I'm old, so I remember Jasper Carrott and his guitar and also Max Boyce! I've also seen a guy lately doing the 'Drawer full of shit' routine. Hilarious...plus guitar!
Hmmm...men dressed as women, singing about cats? That's a very sweet idea, dear. <pats you on the head>