In 2012 the acclaimed sitcom “30 Rock” aired one of its most popular and socially poignant episodes: “Stride of Pride.” The plot followed Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), the head writer of a variety show entitled “TGS,” as she discovers the star of her program doesn’t believe women are funny. In order to rebuff his claims, she performs a series of skits that make the cast and crew of “TGS” laugh hysterically.
Though successful in proving her point, Lemon’s co-worker Frank incredulously asks afterwards,
“That was funny, Liz. So why does ‘TGS’ suck so much?”
In many ways, “Stride of Pride” is the perfect response to the prevailing, sexist statement “women aren’t funny.” The episode proves the argument false through Liz’s successful endeavors and Fey’s self-deprecating screenwriting; Lemon is by no means perfect, as demonstrated by Frank’s comment at the end of the episode, but she can be funny anyway. In this way, Fey utilizes the tried-and-true defense mechanism of female comedians: Jewish humor.
Jewish humor developed as Jewish comedians sought a peaceful, intellectual way to combat prevalent and often violent anti-Semitic sentiments. Though religious in name, the style has become quite secular in practice: Neither Liz Lemon nor her creator and writer, Tina Fey, are Jewish.
Legendary comedian Mel Brooks, known as a founding father of Jewish humor and star of films like “Blazing Sadles” and “Spaceballs,” summarized his humor’s intent in his famous quote:
“Humor is just another defense against the universe.”
Much like with the Jews, “the universe” has not been historically kind to female comedians. Since Shakespeare, men have repeatedly determined women simply are not funny. One possible explanation for this perpetuating stereotype is the pressure to impress and serve men over time. In 1885, Kate Sanborn penned this predicament in her book, The Wit of Women:
“No man likes to have his story capped by a better and fresher from a lady’s lips. What woman does not risk being called sarcastic and hateful if she throws the merry dart or engages in a little sharp-shooting. No, no, it’s dangerous — if not fatal.”
Regardless of cause, this social pattern has not dwindled after several waves of feminism. For example, in 2000, Jerry Lewis stated that he did not like any female comedians.
Some have even attempted to analyze this “phenomenon.” In 2007, journalist Christopher Hitchens explained why women simply could not be funny in an article with Vanity Fair:
“For some reason, women do not find their own physical decay and absurdity to be so riotously amusing, which is why we admire Lucille Ball and Helen Fielding, who do see the funny side of it,” Hitchens wrote. “But this is so rare as to be like Dr. Johnson’s comparison of a woman preaching to a dog walking on its hind legs: the surprise is that it is done at all.”
The physical jokes Hitchens refers to as the only example of women accomplishing good comedy (like Ball in her classic scene along the chocolate conveyor belt) is perhaps the simplest interpretation of Jewish humor — slapstick — which is the visual representation of not taking one’s self too seriously.
However, Hitchens fails to realize that women have been commenting and making fun of “their own physical decay and absurdity” for decades, the audience of which has increased astronomically with television. After “I Love Lucy” (1951-1960) came the “Carol Burnett Show” (1967-1978); “Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970-1977); “Golden Girls” (1985-1992); “Sex and the City” (1998-2004); “Gilmore Girls” (2000-2007). The long list continues into today, from “Girls” to “Parks and Recreation,” each female-driven show with one essential feature in common: self-deprecation.
Whether the subject is glass ceilings, sex lives or the all-encompassing human condition, women have defended the right to broadcast their lives using Jewish humor.
This pattern has taken a huge leap forward with “Broad City.” The Comedy Central show, produced by Amy Poehler, follows the mundane-turned-absurd lives of self-proclaimed Jewesses Ilana and Abbi, played respectively by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson.
In many ways, “Broad City” represents the next frontier for women in comedy. The show combines Jewish self-deprecation with an unapologetic, realistic interpretation of modern women and their refusal to abide by heteronormative depictions of femininity. In an interview with Grantland, Glazer described this approach:
“I don’t think that the representation of women has caught up with the real. Every girl I know shits and talks about it, and fucks and talks about it,” Glazer said. “And people are like, these women are filthy! And I’m like, not compared to my friends. The show may be a cartoon version of us, but the cartoon sometimes gets closer to reality than anything.”
In the recent episode “Knockoffs,” Abbi faces a dilemma when the first hook-up with a longtime crush turns into a question of whether or not to “peg.” The situation centers on gender role-reversal and sexual boundaries, in addition to being plain hilarious.
Later, Ilana is so excited for Abbi and this new sexual expedition that she twerks against a wall. Abbi proceeds to do the deed, owning the sudden awkwardness (before putting the dildo in a dishwasher, leading to more hilarity).
In “Knockoffs,” Abbi and Ilana balance the dirty, unsound parts of life with being confident enough to handle them. In other words, a woman can be imperfect, self-assured, relatable and funny all at once.
Jewish humor may have built the foundation for women to enter the comedic scene and quiet the haters, but now many female comedians are moving beyond that. They are embracing their faults and they’re not caring. And it’s pretty fucking hilarious.
