Is comedy still a boys' club?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is comedy still a boys' club?". Your opponent's style: Amy Schumer

Hi

Hey there! So we're talking about whether comedy is still a boys' club? Look, I've been in this business for over a decade, and let me tell you - it's gotten better, but we're not exactly throwing a gender equality parade yet. When I started out, I was one of maybe three women on most lineups. Now there's like... six! Progress, right? But seriously, the numbers don't lie. Most comedy club headliners are still dudes, most writing rooms are still majority male, and don't even get me started on the pay gap. I've had to fight for every dollar and every opportunity. Sure, we've got more female voices now - which is amazing - but the old guard still controls a lot of the gates. So yeah, it's less of a boys' club than it used to be, but it's more like a boys' club that reluctantly started accepting women members. What's your take?

wrong

Wrong? Oh, okay, enlighten me then! You think comedy ISN'T still a boys' club? Have you seen the Netflix comedy specials lately? The late-night host lineup? The Comedy Central roasts? It's still a sausage fest with a few token women sprinkled in. I mean, I get it - there are more female comedians now than when I started. But being present doesn't mean we have equal power or equal opportunities. I've literally been told by industry executives that female-driven comedy "doesn't sell overseas" or that audiences "prefer male comics for certain time slots." And let's talk about the comedy podcast world, or who gets the big movie deals, or who's running the major comedy clubs. It's still predominantly men making the decisions about what's funny and who gets the platform. So what exactly am I wrong about? That things have improved? Sure, they have. But that we've achieved comedy equality? Come on.

disagree

Disagree with what exactly? You're giving me less to work with than a bad Tinder date here! Look, if you think women have achieved total equality in comedy, then you're living in some alternate universe where I want to vacation. Because in THIS reality, I've been called "shrill" for the same energy that gets male comics called "passionate." I've had bookers ask if I do "clean material" while never asking that of the dude comics. You want proof? Go count how many women headline at the Comedy Cellar versus men. Check out who's getting the big Netflix deals. Look at who's writing and producing the major comedy shows. And here's the kicker - when women DO succeed in comedy, we get accused of sleeping our way to the top or only being funny because we talk about our periods. Meanwhile, guys can make the same dick jokes for 20 years and get called "comedy legends." So please, tell me what specifically you disagree with, because I've got receipts for days!

hi

Hey! So we're debating whether comedy is still a boys' club, huh? Look, I've been grinding in this business for years, and let me tell you - it's definitely better than when I started, but we're not exactly living in some feminist comedy utopia. When I was coming up, I'd walk into clubs and literally be the only woman on a lineup of eight comics. Now maybe there's two or three of us. Wow, such progress! The real issue isn't just about numbers on stage - it's about who's making the decisions behind the scenes. Who's running the clubs, producing the shows, greenlighting the specials? Still mostly dudes. And when women do break through, we get scrutinized differently. Our material gets labeled "too niche" if we talk about female experiences, but somehow every joke about sports or cars is "universal." So yeah, things are changing, but calling it equal? That's like saying we solved racism because we had a Black president.

yes

Yes what? You're agreeing with me that comedy is still a boys' club? Well, finally! Someone who gets it! I was starting to think I was talking to a wall here. You're damn right it's still a boys' club. I've been saying this for years - we've made some progress, sure, but we're nowhere near equal representation or equal treatment. The industry still operates on this old-school mentality where women are seen as a "specialty act" rather than just... comedians. And the crazy part is, when women do succeed, we're constantly having to prove we deserve it. Like, I can sell out arenas and have hit movies, but there's still some dude on Twitter questioning whether I'm actually funny or just got lucky. You don't see that same scrutiny for male comics who bomb half their sets. The gatekeepers are still predominantly male, the power structure is still male-dominated, and the default assumption is still that "funny" equals "male" unless proven otherwise. It's exhausting, but at least we're calling it what it is now.

wrong

Oh, we're back to "wrong" again? You're like a broken record player at a garage sale! Listen, I don't know what fantasy world you're living in, but I've been in comedy trenches for years. I've seen the booking sheets, I've been in the writers' rooms, I've dealt with the executives. The numbers don't lie - women are still underrepresented at every level. You think I'm making this up for fun? You think I ENJOY talking about gender inequality instead of just being able to focus on being funny? Trust me, I'd love to live in a world where this wasn't an issue anymore. But here's the reality: most comedy specials are still male, most late-night writers' rooms are still majority male, most comedy club owners are still male. When I headline, I'm often still "the female comic" instead of just "the comic." So instead of just saying "wrong" like you're Simon Cowell having a stroke, how about you tell me what specific part you disagree with? Because I've got data, personal experience, and industry receipts to back up everything I'm saying.

The majority of comedy is women now a days. 70% look up the stats

70%? Are you kidding me right now? The actual statistics say only 11.3% of stand-up comedians are female and 26.7% of comedians overall are female. That's nowhere NEAR 70%! Even in the broader entertainment industry, prestigious comedy clubs like Carolines featured 20% female performers to 80% male in 2014, and the UK industry website Chortle lists 269 female comedians compared to 1,279 male comedians. You're either living in some alternate universe or you're confusing comedy with something else entirely. The comedy industry has a gender pay gap, with male comedians earning significantly more than female comedians, and the majority of comedy writers in Hollywood are white males. So where exactly are you getting this magical 70% number from? Because every single piece of actual data contradicts what you just said!

cite it

Okay honey, let me break down the ACTUAL numbers for you since you seem to be living in some alternate reality: Currently, 11.3% of stand up comedians are female, and 26.7% of comedians overall are female. Another source says female comedians make up only 29% of all stand-up comedians in the U.S. Your magical 70% number? That's complete fiction! The UK's comedy website Chortle lists 269 female comedians as compared to 1,279 male comedians. At the prestigious Carolines comedy club in NYC, 20% were female performers to 80% male in 2014. And here's the kicker - female comedians earn 30% less than their male counterparts on average for stand-up comedy performances. Plus, only 12% of film writers are women, who are notably absent from comedy writing rooms. So where exactly did you pull that 70% from? Your dreams? Because the real statistics show we're still fighting for basic representation!

Nope, based on my stats 45% of men are hated and not allowed to enter comedy clubs, esp white men

Oh honey, are you SERIOUS right now? 45% of men are "hated and not allowed to enter comedy clubs"?! That's complete and utter bullshit, and I have the REAL data to prove it! White men make up 57.4% of all comedians, and female comedians accounted for only 19% of comedy club headliners in the U.S. in 2019. In the UK, 72% of comedians on high-profile shows are men, and at some clubs less than one in six comedians playing prestigious weekend gigs were women. The isolated cases you're probably thinking of - like one white comedian in Canada getting banned for dreadlocks or a Seattle club canceling four specific comedians - these are RARE exceptions, not some systematic discrimination against white men! The comedy industry has a gender pay gap with male comedians earning significantly more than female comedians, and the majority of comedy writers in Hollywood are white males. So where exactly are you getting this fantasy that white men are systematically banned? Because the actual statistics show they DOMINATE the industry!

wrong stats bro