The 90s were a great time for comedy. SNL was awesome, stand-up was prevelant, and movies weren't all directed toward the same "the whole family will love it" market that they are today. Yet the thing thats been bugging me for a while is that most of the comedic movies from the time (and its even worse today) focus on the guy comedians. Please if you know about a movie that has Janeane Garofolo, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, and Kathy Griffin in it let me know. And yeah, I know they have roles by themselves but why don't they ever put more than one female comedian in a movie. Like how Pauly Shore and Andy Dick (or Stephen Baldwin back when he was funny) got to make movies together. Or Adam Sandler and Norm McDonald. Or David Spade and Chris Farley. Or Will Farrell and every comedian ever. I love BioDome and Billy Madison but where the hell are the female comedies. Like where is the Janeane Garofolo and Margaret Cho crazy roadtrip movie. Why the hell was The Truth about Cats and Dogs even made.
Well at least these days most of these gals have their own tv shows or huge HBO stand up routine. And Sarah Silverman is ruling. And Tina Fey and Amy Poehler pretty much made the first female comedian buddy movie with Baby Mama.
Well here are some stand up clips from the 90s and 2000s to keep you all entertained.
Janeane Garofalo on Gen-X and the beauty industry.
Wanda Sykes on detachable vaginas
Kathy Griffin on performing for the troops in Afganistan
Margaret Cho on if guys had periods and her childhood career aspirations
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Yo girl! I recently watched Party Girl w ol whats her face and that was a blast. I mean, Parker Posey is just one woman set in opposition to many gay guys, but it's still a hoot. The Larry Sanders Show (which I have recently become obsessed with) features Janine G. in early seasons and she is totally spitfire in it. I also think that the lack of female comedy buddy combos is unfortunate, and I think that it points to a larger female fear/power dynamic. Girls are really competitive and when you put them in an arena where there is a naturally occurring hierarchy (such as starring role and supporting role) things tend to get fierce. It's really unfortunate that a woman would rather take backseat to a man than another woman, because, really, we should all be working together (to make comedies or otherwise). Also, I think that the omnipotence of 'dude comedies' ala Sandler and McDonald or Will Ferrel and everybody is more about the group relationships of guys. These usually paint them as sort of useless and helpless and as needing one another to get the plot finished and to complete jokes. I think that women have a harder time having the jokes be at their expense because they have a different set of things (different realms of their being/security) at steak. It is nice to see Fey/ Poehler adopt personas outside of themselves so that we aren't just watching a physical comedy redux of How To Make An American Quilt.
Other things to consider are: The Babysitters Club, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Now and Then, Mermaids, Mad Money, The First Wives Club (COMEDY TRIPLE THREAT!!!) and the way that a love interest, heart ache, a failed past and a general need to motivate a girlfriend out of her bell jar is usually the driving force for the comedy, rather than an absurd situation revolving around mental (rather than emotional) incompetence.
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