The folks on Huffington Post are huffing and puffing about an article that appeared on the Fox News website. They’re mainly upset because the author(ess) supposedly compared Janeane Garofalo to Chris Farley.
Of course the author(ess) did nothing of the kind.
But the folks at HuffPo never let the facts get in the way of a good huff. It’s in the title of the website, after all.
The article, by someone (or something– we’re not sure it’s actually written by a human being, as it seems to be written by some sort of program that has been fed lots of cliched information, hinky data and ludicrous aphorisms and designed to spit out fluffy and seemingly thoughtful pop culture articles) named “Holly McKay” (a likely name) proposes that funny females (alliteration is a big part of the program!) are “hot” now! Citing Anna Faris, Mila Kunis and Olivia Munn, they conclude that gals who are in the laff biz “all combine funny bones with bangin’ bodies.”
Eye candy is supplied by a photo of Carrie Keagan (who?), pictured in her boyfriend’s oxford shirt, lounging (still in heels!) next to… BREAKFAST! I think you know what we mean!
(Keagan turns out to be the main source of quotes for the story, so we figure the piece was engineered by her handlers at VH-1– where she’s a host of “ultra-edgy morning entertainment show ‘Big Morning Buzz,.”)
Regardless of the genesis of this sorry story, it seeks to hang its hook on this notion (that’s being echoed elsewhere) that all of a sudden, funny females can be sexy and– why stop there– funny females MUST be sexy.
The argument is bolstered by numerous examples of comedic actresses and “presenters,” but none (or nearly none) are standup comics. Which is curious.
And the trend is not new! No! it comes from way back. Let’s listen:
But Keagan et al didn’t come out of nowhere. Some of our favorite “old-skool” sitcom stars like Jennifer Aniston, Jane Krakowski and Julia Louis-Dreyfus have transformed themselves in recent years from somewhat awkward to stylish sex symbols.
Wow! How far back will they go to prove their point? As far back as Jennifer Aniston!
This article is silly on several levels.
There have has always been a handful of funny women with smokin’ hot bods studding our pop culture landscape.
Conversation overheard on the internet, in a bar, in a magazine, in church: “Who would you rather bang? Ginger or MaryAnn?”
Has Holly McKay ever seen any footage of Lucille Ball in her early movie career?
What about Carol Wayne? What about Loni Anderson? What about Judy Holliday? What about Mae West, ferchrissakes?
One has to ignore an awful lot of cinema and television history to concoct a ridiculous story like this one.
And what about this charge that Garofalo was compared to Chris Farley? Well, it’s goofy. They quoted from “entertainment expert Patrick Wanis,” who said that “funny women who aren’t all that sexy may struggle in the new comedy landscape,” and that:
Rosie O’Donnell and Janeane Garofalo will be relegated to playing the female versions of Chris Farley.
Which is just the good doctor’s way of saying that Garofalo and O’Donnell will be playing the funny, unattractive, non-threatening roles in future funny pics.
But… waitaminute… what about Melissa McCarthy? She’s the co-lead on Mike & Molly and the most talked about cast member of “Bridesmaids?” Wasn’t that the picture that grossed nearly $300 million dollars? (And will probably make twice that in DVD sales?) She hardly has a “bangin’ body!”
The other huge gaffe in this article is the uncomfortable fact that the only women they cite as “unattractive” are mainly standup comics, known primarily for their prowess onstage and not really notable for their box office drawing power. It’s kind of incongruous (and more than a little tawdry… catty, maybe!) to drag them into this discussion. Really: they bring them in just to make some sort of awful, tenuous point.
How about, instead of writing some sort of fragile, slapped-together article about attractive, funny women are starring in film or TV (a “new” phenomenon since… sound was introduced… maybe earlier), why not write an article about how there is a crop of funny, hot, sexy standup comedians?
There have been attractive women in standup for quite some time now. But they always played down their “assets.” But these days there is no shortage of funny women who are hot and not the least bit apologetic.
Rhonda Shear was alone for a while. She was eventually joined by others. To the point where we are awash in competent, wickedly funny, attractive standup comics who are sexy in obvious and not-so-obvious ways.
This myth that a hot gal couldn’t elicit laughs has long been demolished in the theater, in the movies and on the telly. But the meme has always has persisted that a pretty woman couldn’t excel at standup. Even that one’s been shattered. And largely ignored.
Should any of us consider a woman’s looks when deciding on whether or not to laugh at her standup? Certainly not. But there are folks out there who can’t get over it– Audience members, people in charge and others. But they will get over it. And, after a while, a hot babe soliciting laughs won’t seem odd any more.
But hot-looking women in film and television a new trend? Don’t make us laugh.
Isn’t the chick on VH-1– by herself– enough of a story? It’s embarrassing when they try to make larger points by dragging in such icons as Jennifer Aniston and PhD Patrick Wanis but only end up looking foolish.