1 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie, and you're listening to stuff Mom 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: never told you. Today, we're joined by a guest co host, 3 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: and I'm very excited about Beth Newell. She is the 4 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: co host of the podcast We Knows Parenting. She's also 5 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: the creator, co founder, and editor of Reductress, which Wired 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: calls the most brutally truthful comedy site out there. Thank 7 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: you so much for joining us, Bet, thanks for having me. 8 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: Could you tell the good listeners out there about yourself 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: and about your podcast? Sure? I am trained as a 10 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: sketch and improv comedian. In two thirteen, I launched the 11 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: website Reductress, which is a satirical news or sorry, a 12 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: satirical women's magazine website. Sorry, I haven't had to explain 13 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: that in a while. Um. I have a podcast with 14 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: my husband called We Knows Parenting. It's just two comedian 15 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: parents kind of riffing on parenting with no good expert advice. Excellent. 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: And you pitched an episode on women in Comedy and 17 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: do you have over a decade of experience in the 18 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: New York comedy Senior. Yeah, that's right. I started out 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: doing improv and then slowly moved over to sketch and 20 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: then reductress. I um, I've done some improv, but I 21 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: am more into the acting side of things. And I 22 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: actually was so afraid of doing comedy that for my final, 23 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: I mean, this was like a I'm talking about it 24 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: as if I did in college. It was just like 25 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: a class I took outside of work. It was sort 26 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: of structured like a class would be. And from my final, 27 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: like I had done, I'd finished the course. It was 28 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: the last class. My professor gave me two things. He 29 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:11,839 Speaker 1: terrified me, comedy and an accent. I like to think 30 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: I did Okay. Yeah, I was also terrified when I 31 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 1: started doing improv. I was not a performer prior to that, 32 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: so I just the act of like saying words in 33 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: front of people was terrifying, and I would I would 34 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,839 Speaker 1: show up to all my classes like shaking. Yeah, oh 35 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: I would too. I remember I would get to class 36 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: early because it's kind of a hike from where I worked, 37 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: so the traffic is really bad and the only way 38 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: to get around that was to leave really really early 39 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: and then just wait outside the class. So I had 40 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: like this thirty minute period where I'd be waiting for 41 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: class to start. I'm getting more and more nervous. That's 42 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: exactly what would happen to me, because I came in 43 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: from Brooklyn and I didn't want to be late, so 44 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: I would be like a half hour early, and then 45 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: i'd like get a cup of coffee. That made me 46 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: even more anxious. Yeah, and yet here we are, here 47 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: we are talking on podcasts. Yeah, it's actually interesting to 48 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 1: me how many podcasters I know that are nervous about 49 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: performing and speaking in front of people and that is 50 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: their career. Yeah, there's something nice about being like behind 51 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: the screen or you know, not. When never see myself 52 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: on video, I panic, right, And I do think there 53 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: is something about sort of playing a character that's not 54 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: really what we're doing. But you you, you exaggerate parts 55 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: of your personality. Um, and I find something about that comforting. 56 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. But today we're gonna focus on on women 57 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: in comedy, and I thought that you would be a 58 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: perfect person to to speak to this because, as I said, 59 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: I really don't have any experience apart from like this 60 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: one improv class and then that that final where I 61 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: remember the monologue. It was about a third four year 62 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: old Brooklyn woman who hadn't lost her virginity anyway, um, so, 63 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: if we take a look at the state of the 64 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: union for women in comedy, Historically, women have been kept 65 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: out of the comedy sphere. It was seen as improper 66 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: or unladylike, and people who booked comedians who were and 67 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: are mostly men, followed the rules of the club like, um, 68 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: only one woman in a set, never two women back 69 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: to back, separating female comedians for an all are mostly 70 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: female audience, and this kept women from getting in front 71 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: of the producers, who again were mostly men, that could 72 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: help them take that next step in their career. And 73 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: the timeline of the female comedian in many ways mirrors 74 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 1: the timelines of feminism. The first surge of female comedians 75 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: took place in the seventies and eighties, as more women 76 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 1: were entering the workforce. And yet when people ask Tina Fey, 77 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: for example, um, isn't this an amazing time for women 78 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,119 Speaker 1: in comedy, she replied, it's a terrible time. The boys 79 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,239 Speaker 1: are still getting more money for garbage while the ladies 80 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: are hustling and doing amazing work for less. Um, have 81 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: you experienced any sexism in your time as a comedian? 82 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: I mean yes, but it's so hard to illustrate it. 83 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: To people who haven't experienced it. I think because it's 84 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: these days, I think it's often so subtle. It's not 85 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: like someone you know calling you abroad or something. It's 86 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: like you're just like your ideas are overlooked. And that's 87 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: part of the inspiration for your actress is that when 88 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: Sarah and I started doing uh Sketch comedy at a theater, 89 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 1: it was we were often one of the only women 90 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: in the room or one of two women in the room. 91 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: And I started doing these workshops to get more women 92 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: involved in the program, and in doing so, I realized 93 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: that the women in the room were laughing at each 94 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: other's jokes so much more than I ever would have 95 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 1: experienced in other rooms because men don't always get the 96 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: reference points, and when they don't, they just assume you're 97 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: not funny instead of assuming that they don't understand something. 98 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: Of course, Yeah, I read a lot of um accounts 99 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: of female comedians being turned down because there already was 100 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: a female comedian in the lineup, or the m C 101 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: if there were women in the lineup, playing up that 102 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: and being like, oh, lady, get ready, she's about to perform. 103 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: And I've never watched the marvelous miss MASL. But I 104 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: do know that that happens in the commercial, and I 105 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: think it's funny because even as we're starting to do 106 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: better with diversity, and I mean by better, I mean 107 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: like a little bit better, I think people's attempts to 108 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: do that are often sort of for them to get 109 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: like points instead of what the actual purposes of diversity 110 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: would be, which is to increase the like different kinds 111 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: of voices you have in the room. So again, when 112 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: you're one the only black person in the room, or 113 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: the only woman in the room, or even when you 114 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: have like two or three women in the room, it's 115 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: still you're still often expected not to really speak to 116 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: the things you care about and to sort of go 117 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: with the flow of the people in charge, because we 118 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: still rarely have women in charge in those situations. Um, 119 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: we have, you know, some women on camera, but it's 120 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: rare with movies and TV that we have women head 121 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: writers and women directors and the people who actually control 122 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: what's happening. Yeah, and if we look at some numbers, um, 123 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: men are two point six times more likely to play 124 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: the funny one when compared to women. Amy Schumer is 125 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: the only female comedian to rank in Forbes magazine and 126 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: the first to headlines show at Madison Square Garden. And 127 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: there seems to be this belief um that women do 128 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: women's comedy and therefore is niche kind of like what 129 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: you're you're talking about just a second ago. It's so 130 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: funny because I've brought up Productress to people who ask 131 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: what I do for a living or you know, why 132 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: there's a group of women congregating somewhere that men will 133 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: be very curious when women are congregating, And when I 134 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: explain what Productress is, I've literally had men' tell me, oh, 135 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: that's niche. And it's so funny because we're more than 136 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: fifty percent of the population and men have no problem 137 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: doing like Batman everything, like that's not necessarily like everyone's interests, 138 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. But they have no problem 139 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 1: channeling their own niche interests into media, you know, like 140 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: they'll have like a Game of Thrones after the show shows, 141 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Like it's just like such 142 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: specific stuff that they're allowed to do, and we still 143 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: haven't been allowed to tell I think some of the 144 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: most basic stories of our existence. Yeah, and I think 145 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: a lot of us have heard the whole stereotype that 146 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: women aren't funny. There have been studies about this, of 147 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 1: course there have, and the short version is men are 148 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: more willing to take risk and more confident in their 149 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 1: funniness whether they are are not, but they aren't funnier um. 150 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: Men are also likelier to include humor when prompted to 151 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: write free form. One study conducted in where a group 152 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: of undergrads were tasked with captioning and cartoon men, on 153 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 1: average rated themselves at like two point three on a 154 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: scale of funniness um, one being the least funny and 155 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: five being the most funny, and women gave themselves a 156 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: one point five of the male participants believed men in 157 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: general were funnier of women. Agreed. I think there's so 158 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 1: many reasons why women are less likely to pursue a 159 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: comedy in the in those small ways you mentioned, like 160 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: obviously imposter center and plays a big partner, but also 161 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: I think, you know, like car comedy is sort of 162 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: it can be a weapon of truth, like something's only 163 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: funny if it's true, And when women point out the 164 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: truth of our reality, we're punished for it again and again, 165 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: whether it's uh, you know, losing out on job opportunities 166 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: or like just being scoffed at on a regular basis. 167 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's hard. It's much harder to take that 168 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: leap if you're a woman. Yeah, that's a great point. 169 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: And I wonder how much if I think about why 170 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: I was afraid to do comedy, it was because I 171 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: thought people wouldn't think I was funny, And I wonder 172 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: how much of that is what's that called when you're 173 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: like worried you're going to prove a stereotype to be true, 174 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: and that hamstrung me because I thought that I was 175 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: less funny. I've definitely had that fear. But I will 176 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: also say it's it can sometimes be scarier when you 177 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: are funny because people then don't like it, you know 178 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: what I mean, like they I remember being in class 179 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: in high school and I was in a psychology class where, 180 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: you know, we would talk about human nature a lot, 181 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 1: and there was a guy in my class who was 182 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: able to make all of these like body jokes, and 183 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: the teacher, who is male, would let him get away 184 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 1: with it and sort of like laugh at off. But 185 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: then if I did something like that, he would sort 186 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: of just like look away, like he would just try 187 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: to avoid the fact that I was making a joke 188 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: because I think it made him so uncomfortable that a 189 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: girl might have those same like thoughts and reactions. And 190 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: I had the same experience when I was dating in college, 191 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: where like I went on a date with someone from 192 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: my improv class and he would try to make me laugh, 193 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: and then I would make a joke and he would 194 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: kind of look at me like perplexed, Like he would 195 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: laugh and then be confused as to the fact that 196 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: he was laughing at a woman. What just happened. It 197 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: does not compute, Like he was like, that's my job here, 198 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: mm hmm. And at the same time, one of the 199 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: I don't know if trend is the right word, but 200 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: you might see a lot lately funny is the new hot, 201 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: and this is not a good way to look at things. 202 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: It means that we're still valuing women on their attractiveness. 203 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: And female comedians have been told time and time again 204 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: from the beginning up until now that they have to 205 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: the audience has to think they have a chance with you. 206 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: I read that in so many places that that was 207 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: advice coaches were giving women. Um, they're going to be 208 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: thinking about having sex with you. Ah, and if you 209 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: don't want people to be thinking about that, then dress 210 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: all man like, which is terrible advice. Yeah, it's really 211 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: the Like, the double standard for women who appear on 212 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: camera is so incredibly high, and then there's also a 213 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: double standard for when you work off camera, where you 214 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: still are expected to look pretty presentable. It's just I mean, 215 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: it's unavoidable. Mm hmmmm. And comedy isn't really sexy. It's 216 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: sad and gross and messy and angry and a lot 217 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: of other things that aren't sexy. And that's okay. Things 218 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 1: don't have to be sexy. Um, and I know someone 219 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: out there, probably a lot of people out there are thinking. 220 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: But people are attracted to humor, Yeah, they kind of are. 221 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: Some science does suggest that women are more attracted to 222 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: funny men, while men are more attracted to women who 223 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: think they are funny. Doesn't surprise me, that's definitely true. 224 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: But I also know a lot of men who appreciate 225 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 1: funny women, So I do think it's a little bit 226 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: of a nurture versus nature thing. Like it's the same 227 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: way that we find that men are very willing to 228 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: sleep with women who are heavier, like in general, like 229 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: they're not not attracted to them. They're just less willing 230 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 1: to walk out in public dating someone who's had bear, 231 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So the things that men 232 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: at their core field versus what they will admit to 233 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: publicly are two different things. That's true. That's true. Also, 234 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: I always think in UM surveys and studies like this 235 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: that there you always have to take into account that 236 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: people know that their responses are it's for a survey, 237 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: it's for a study, I think impacts their responses. Yeah, 238 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: I just I know with my friends in particular, like 239 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: for bigger women, it's like, not to keep harping on 240 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: this one point, but they have a very easy time 241 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: finding men who are attracted to them and want to 242 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: sleep with them. It's just when it comes to long 243 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: term relationships and things where you are, you know, meeting 244 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: each other's friends and family, that men freak out and 245 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: don't want to commit. And I think it's like, especially 246 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: an issue with bigger women. That's uh worth returning to 247 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: an episode UM. There have been other studies that show 248 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: that this whole thing of women aren't funny leads to 249 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: a stereotype threat and women are actually more likely to 250 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: tell jokes when in all female groups. Yeah, that's so true. 251 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: And that's something that, again I feel like does because 252 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: we have so few women in working in the entertainment 253 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: industry and various capacities, we don't see that represented on 254 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: TV very often. You know, we have like Broad City 255 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: and a handful of other things, but we don't have 256 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: a lot of female ensembles. And it makes me really 257 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: sad because in my experience with my female friends, they're 258 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: so funny hanging out with each other, you know what 259 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: I mean. Like, it's just so much funnier than other 260 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: conversations you're having day to day, and I just would 261 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: love to see more of that on screen. Yeah, I 262 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: would too. Um. Another part of this conversation, unfortunately, is 263 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: sexual harassment. Um. It's based a problem faced by a 264 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: lot of women in comedy, and we've seen this in 265 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: the news. There are no HR departments really in comedies, 266 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: so women have taken to private Facebook groups or other 267 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: similar things to share stories and experiences people to avoid 268 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: things like that. Yeah, I mean, I definitely think, like 269 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: I said, having only one or two women in the 270 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: room really impedes a lot of things. And I've noticed 271 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: in the New York comedy community as there's been a 272 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: better balance towards women in certain rooms that I think 273 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: it's easier for women to talk to each other and 274 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: share stories of these experiences. Yeah, and I know that 275 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: I think increased social awareness just because it is kind 276 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: of an onslaught all the time of sexual harassment. Um, 277 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: I think that people are more willing to talk about 278 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 1: it in the open right now. And I remember reading 279 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: when I was doing the research for this episode, UH, 280 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: that a woman was describing how she was in an 281 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: improv I guess a show with um, someone she respected 282 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: who was a teacher, and UM, they started the skit 283 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: and it was like the boss. He was playing the 284 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: boss and she was playing the secretary, and he pushed 285 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: her against the imaginary copy machine, which was a table, 286 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: and started like kissing her and groping her, and she 287 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: didn't want she didn't know what to do, but she 288 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: didn't want to appear like she wasn't gonna play along 289 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: with this guy that she respected, and that that experience 290 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: stuck with her for so long. Yeah, that's that's really hard. 291 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: I know. I started doing in prov when I was 292 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: nineteen years old, so there was definitely some experiences like 293 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 1: that where I, as a young person didn't know what 294 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: what was normal, you know what I mean. I didn't 295 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of frame of reference for like being 296 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: a working person in the world and what was appropriate. 297 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: And um, yeah, you just because these men, in particular 298 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: I found in our comedy community, they tend to pray 299 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: on younger women. Um. Whether it's because they find them 300 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 1: more attractive or they realize they're better victims, I don't know, 301 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: but they seem to be very good at finding women 302 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: who are better prey I guess, and that people that 303 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: are younger and newer to the community and easier to 304 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: single out. And yeah, it's just very scary when that's 305 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: happening to you at any age, but I think especially 306 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 1: at a young age because you just have not been 307 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: given a lot of coping mechanisms. Yeah, and if you're 308 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: starting out in your career, UM, I think it's just 309 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: difficult if it's someone I mean, it's always difficult, but 310 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 1: if it's someone that you respect and you feel like 311 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: maybe you need this person to to further your career, 312 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: and yeah, you don't have the world experience in coping mechanisms, UM, 313 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: can be really really hard to do, And I feel 314 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: like until very recently, I feel like most people just 315 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: didn't have the language to describe these issues. You know, 316 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: So when things like this were happening to me in 317 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: like two thousand and six, for example, I don't not 318 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: only did I not necessarily realize the extremes of things 319 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: that might have been happening to me, but if I 320 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: had reached out to the people around me, like, they 321 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: just wouldn't have been a great support system for that. 322 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: And in many ways, the community still isn't always a 323 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:05,399 Speaker 1: great support system for women experiencing these things. Yeah, how 324 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: how many? How so, like what's an example? Well, I 325 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: mean it's hard because you know, as you know, uh, 326 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: comedy doesn't have an HR department, and in general, from 327 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: what I've heard, you know, HR department served the companies anyway, 328 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 1: so there's a few people to really report to. And 329 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,959 Speaker 1: then if you do tell people, I think, you know, 330 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: it's sort of like a trial by uh what's the 331 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: word I'm looking of course, sorry, it's like a trial 332 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: by your peers, like sort of he said, she said, 333 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 1: And it just, um, it becomes very difficult. The men 334 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: in these scenarios almost always have more power and influence. Um, 335 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:48,120 Speaker 1: and I think that's why they know they can get 336 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: away with what they're doing. But um, you know, it's 337 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: like you don't necessarily want to go to a theater 338 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: to complain about man who performs there are works there 339 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: or runs or owns the theater, because there's just so 340 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: small a chance that that's going to work out in 341 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: your favor, right, Yeah. And we were talking about on 342 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: an episode recently about how and this is kind of 343 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: a tangent, but comedy is very much, at least most 344 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: of the time, you're the person is that person, if 345 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: that makes sense, so like that is coming from a 346 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: place of truth. And then if that person turns out 347 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: to be a sexual harasser and there's somebody that you 348 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: really um identified with, how it can be so personally 349 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 1: painful for you. Um, it's just a really interesting I 350 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: don't know how to describe it. But the betrayal you 351 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: you yeah, I mean that's the thing is it's like 352 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: you don't want to believe these things when they happen, 353 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 1: like none of us do. And I think especially if 354 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 1: it's you know, one of your heroes that supposedly committed 355 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 1: a certain crime, you really really don't want to believe it. 356 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: And if you're a man and you don't have a 357 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: frame of reference for experiencing something like that done to you, 358 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: I think you especially don't want to believe it because 359 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: you don't I want to believe that these things happen 360 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 1: to women. So it's just it's very difficult. I mean, 361 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: I I feel like so many situations where I've seen 362 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: this happen, people close to it are they're just it's 363 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 1: a lot to reconcile. And I think that's what a 364 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 1: lot of people are doing right now in every industry 365 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: is sort of like learning how to come to terms 366 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: with how do we deal with these things and how 367 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: do we find sort of like a punishment to fit 368 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: every crime. And you know, it's complicated, It is very complicated. 369 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: But there are some things that are improving, some positive 370 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: things that are happening, and we're going to get into 371 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 1: that after a quick break forward from our sponsor and 372 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: we're back, thank you sponsor. So yeah, things are improving 373 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: for female comedians. Um and therefore I would argue for 374 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: all of us, comedy is diversifying very very slowly, but 375 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: it is. Uh. Lena Way became the first black woman 376 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: to win an Emmy for Comedy Writing last year. Last year, 377 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: uh Sae became the first black woman to create a 378 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: star in a premium cable show. And I was wondering, Beth, 379 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: if you have you seen any positive changes in your 380 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: time working as a comedian or being a part of 381 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: the comedy scene. Uh, yeah, for sure. I mean there's 382 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: definitely a lot of diversity initiatives happening right now, and um, 383 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: there's just I think so many more performers out there, 384 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: you know, even attempting these things. I don't. I've seen 385 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: the New York comedy scene grow. It feels to me 386 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: more diverse. It might just be, you know, I'm more 387 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: aware of the stand up scene than I used to be. 388 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: But um, the New York comedy scene is also had 389 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 1: sort of an explosion of queer comedy community. So it's 390 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,199 Speaker 1: really great to see people be able to put up 391 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: shows that are not just one woman or two women, 392 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: but like a show that's all women, or a show 393 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,959 Speaker 1: that's all queer people or you know, black people. And 394 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 1: it's just it's like what we're saying earlier, it's just 395 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: easier to laugh at certain things and have those kinds 396 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 1: of conversations when you're with like minded people who've had 397 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: similar experiences. So it's very exciting to see people not 398 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: just get to be a part of it, but to 399 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: really UM have their own vision that they're putting out 400 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: there for their experience has been and what they think 401 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: is funny about their experience. It's exciting and it's refreshing 402 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: just to see to hear these new new stories UM, 403 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: because I feel like we've been telling kind of the 404 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 1: same same things for a while, and not just in 405 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: comedy but in general UM entertainment, and I love that 406 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: it's finally diversifying a little bit. Yeah, I mean, I 407 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: will say I think it's diversifying on the ground. I 408 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 1: think it's still very hard for people of color or 409 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: women to get paid for comedy or to make it 410 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: to TV and or movie stage. Like basically the people 411 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: who hold all the money and power are still for 412 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: the most part, white men, and that's like, it's really 413 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: hard to get your ideas across to them. What is 414 00:25:55,240 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: the in your experience, Like how I guess I I'm 415 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 1: just I'm new to them. I've never been working in 416 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: comedy before. How does payment work on the ground level? 417 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 1: Are you getting paid by like the club. Um. The 418 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: most common thing that I've seen is you know, people 419 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: putting up their own shows and then the club might 420 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:18,880 Speaker 1: give them a cut of that, and then they might 421 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: pay their performers. Um. Sometimes the club does pay performance directly. 422 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 1: I think the average like stand up comedian is probably 423 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: not getting paid for their show at all, and if anything, 424 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: I would say there maybe getting like fifty bucks or something. 425 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: It's not a way to make a living unless you 426 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: have really made a big name for yourself and you're 427 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: touring or you're getting a TV show or something. Uh. Yeah, 428 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,959 Speaker 1: that's been my experience in acting as well. I wonder 429 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: how many jobs are like that that we just don't 430 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: know about, where a lot of people are doing work 431 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: without getting paid, um for like in the case of acting, 432 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 1: it's for exposure. Maybe you'll get some footage for a 433 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 1: real or something like that. But well, and I think 434 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: to some extent that's like a necessary part of the 435 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: industry because if you you know, have taken a few 436 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,360 Speaker 1: improv classes and you're getting up on stage doing improv, 437 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: like number one, the theater is not making that much 438 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: money off your show, and number two, your show at 439 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: that stage in your career might not be that great, 440 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 1: to be honest, so that you do really need to 441 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: like charge people a low rate to see your early 442 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: work of comedy. That's something I think people have to 443 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 1: understand is like in other fields, by the time you're working, 444 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 1: you've probably done four years of college to become somewhat 445 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 1: of an expert in that field, and in comedy, you're 446 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: kind of learning on the fly. So I think you 447 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: do have to expect to put in a few years 448 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,360 Speaker 1: of your time before you're like really generating any kind 449 00:27:55,359 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 1: of income from it. Yeah, that's true. You've gotta sharpen 450 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: your skills on your skills a little bit. It's tough 451 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:07,880 Speaker 1: out there. It's it's hard for everybody. And I think 452 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: even the people you see on TV or writer's Rooms 453 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: or whatever, I like, I think for the most part, 454 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: those people are probably making a lot less money than 455 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,560 Speaker 1: you realize because they might get an okay rate for 456 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: you know, eight weeks of a writer's room, but then 457 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: the show goes on break and then they have to 458 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: hustle to find more income for the rest of the year, 459 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. It's it's just it's really 460 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: hard at a lot of different stages. It's always been 461 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: interesting to me that kind of this disconnects with comedy 462 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: and comedians you would think are I guess generally, I 463 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: don't know how happy is the word would like to laugh. 464 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: But then you hear about all of the work and 465 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: that the years of not getting paid and toiling away 466 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: a bad hood's hell rooms, and it just kind of 467 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: a disconnect. Yeah. No, it's rough. Yeah, and it's particularly 468 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: for stand ups I think. I mean, some people are 469 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: more built for it than others, but just hanging out 470 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: in like dark dingy clubs all the time is not 471 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: great for your mental health. M hmm. Surprising. Um. I 472 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: wonder they're actually isn't that much data specifically looking at 473 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: women in comedy, because I was trying to get to 474 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: the bottom of like pay and how much compared to 475 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: male comedians are women getting paid. Um, But I am 476 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: curious if anyone out there has has some data that 477 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: I did not find. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it's lower, 478 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: as is every industry. Um, and mostly just because you're 479 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: not getting the same opportunities. Um. For example, with writer's rooms, 480 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: you tend to get paid on like your level of experience, 481 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: which usually is how many writer's rooms you've been in before, 482 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: and so like we're saying, people, there's just less women 483 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: in writer's rooms, so it's more likely that you're on 484 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: the more inexperienced side, especially if you're a person of color. 485 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: There's just like even less rooms that are staffing up 486 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: with many people of color. So that's true. And we 487 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: we went into the break saying that this was going 488 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: to be the positives that I've gone in. But would 489 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: you say, are there things benefits for you personally that 490 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: you've gotten from doing comedy? Yeah? I mean, like as 491 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: we were saying speaking to improv before and how scary 492 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: it is, I will say that doing something that feels 493 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,479 Speaker 1: that terrifying really makes a lot of other things in 494 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: your life seemed less terrifying. So if you can make 495 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: up words on the fly in front of a crowd 496 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: of people, it makes other public speaking where you don't 497 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: have to make it up on the fly seem a 498 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: little bit easier. And um, improv in general has a 499 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: really great yes and philosophy and a lot of tools 500 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: for being on stage with people that require a level 501 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: of give and take that I think it's just a 502 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 1: really useful tool to have as a human in terms 503 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: of how to interact with other people and how to 504 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: be considerate of, you know, their needs in space, and 505 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: how to make sure you're you know, speaking up for 506 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,120 Speaker 1: yourself and not just like standing on the back line. 507 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean, the reason I do comedy, and I think 508 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 1: the reason a lot of people do comedy is just 509 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 1: because we can't not do it. So it's sort of like, 510 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: as hard as it is, if I were to quit comedy, 511 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: my mental health would go down the tubes immediately, because 512 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: this is sort of like what keeps me going, Like 513 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: this is what I get excited about. Yeah, it is 514 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: a very rewarding experience in the little experience that I 515 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: do have. Um. I remember specifically one we had to 516 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: do a show and improv show and I was so 517 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: nervous and they're only four of us, so you really 518 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: had to pull your weight. And I came up with 519 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 1: a kind of way to close the scene that was 520 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: going on for a long time, and people really dug it. 521 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: And clearly it's stuck with me because I still think 522 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: about it, like, oh, yeah, I mean that's another great 523 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: thing you learn and improv is editing your scenes, and 524 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 1: I think editing is like a sort of underappreciated life tool. 525 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: There's so many times when you know people are communicating 526 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: information and there I think a lot of us just 527 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: have a tendency to be so long winded, and it's 528 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: sort of like learning to get to the point and 529 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: stay on topic and all those things. I think that 530 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: it's really great, absolutely, and that could be one of 531 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: the reasons why I many offices and ours is included 532 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: bringing in people to do kind of a We did 533 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: a six hour improv day because it's supposed to improve 534 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: your your skills, skills that are useful at work as well. 535 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 1: That's great. Yeah, it was really fun, um and I 536 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: think it also helps people be present and really listen, 537 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: which is something that is lacking in my opinion often. 538 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: But it's it's definitely well, I guess it depends on 539 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: who you are. I was going to say it's definitely terrifying, 540 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: but once you get over it, it's really really fun. 541 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: So we have a little bit more for you listeners, 542 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: but we have one more quick break for a word 543 00:33:50,360 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: for a sponsor m HM, and we're back, Thank you sponsor. 544 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: So we've touched on a lot of problems that have 545 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: female comedians face a lot of obstacles, so we wanted 546 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: to look at things that we can do to to 547 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 1: change that, to improve things. One thing that I ran 548 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 1: into and a lot of places is making sure that 549 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 1: female comedians are a part of our children's media diets, 550 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: because it does start pretty young. I'm the stereotype are 551 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: kind of internalizing of women aren't funny, which I do 552 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: think we're moving away from, but slowly. Um, I think 553 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,800 Speaker 1: it starts pretty young, and if all you're seeing our 554 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:48,919 Speaker 1: comedians of a certain type, then you might start to think, 555 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 1: then that's what funny looks like. Yeah, for sure, I 556 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:58,320 Speaker 1: think you know, representation has a huge impact on our psyche, 557 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: not just in terms of like being something once, but 558 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: the amount of times you see you're someone like yourself 559 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: represented on screen is like going to have a huge 560 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: impact on how important you feel to the world around you. 561 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: I know that a lot of women had sort of 562 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:19,399 Speaker 1: like a revelatory experience watching Ghostbusters when it came out 563 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, because it was just not 564 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: just seeing you know, four women on screen, which is 565 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 1: actually so unfortunately rare in the film industry, but to 566 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: see them be like these action heroes and fight ghosts, 567 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: you know, like it sounds so dumb in theory, but 568 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,839 Speaker 1: then when you see it, you like almost burst into 569 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:41,520 Speaker 1: tears because you just don't get to see something like that. 570 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, I am. I would describe myself as someone 571 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: who does not cry often. And both times where people 572 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,959 Speaker 1: have told me like, oh, Annie, you're gonna you're gonna 573 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: tear up seeing this movie because it's mostly women and 574 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:04,800 Speaker 1: they're like well written and powerful and funny, I was like, fah, 575 00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:09,719 Speaker 1: I don't cry, and both cry Yeah, like within the 576 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 1: first three minutes. Oh my gosh. Well, and another funny 577 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: thing about that movie is like it's a really silly 578 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 1: movie about ghosts, obviously, but the female friendship and the 579 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: way those women hung out with each other and made 580 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 1: fun of each other and stuff was actually like one 581 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: of the most realistic portrayals of female friendship I've ever 582 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 1: seen on screen. And so that was like very exciting 583 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 1: for me because I think, you know, like the quality 584 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,479 Speaker 1: of representation matters too. There's plenty of women on TV, 585 00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:42,400 Speaker 1: but they're playing stereotypes of women, and I myself and 586 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: a lot of other women don't really see ourselves in 587 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: those women, and it's sort of just like a it's 588 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 1: an underwhelming thing to watch Yeah, and something I was researching. 589 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: Oh it was for games and gaming and um, a 590 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 1: point one of the articles brought up is there is 591 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 1: more representation of women, but it's not great representation, specifically 592 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 1: looking at the example of UM action heroes and how 593 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: there are more female action heroes now, but they are 594 00:37:16,640 --> 00:37:21,279 Speaker 1: not allowed to be funny in the same way that 595 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 1: male action heroes are. And it gave off like the 596 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:27,399 Speaker 1: list of examples, and almost all of them are all 597 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:32,320 Speaker 1: the female examples are super badass and no nonsense, which 598 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: is good, but if that's all you see, then you're 599 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:38,799 Speaker 1: still telling only one thing. And then for the male 600 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: superheroes are just heroes. They were much more varied and 601 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 1: much more allowed to be funny or quirky or something 602 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 1: else on top of being an action hero, Like there 603 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 1: were more dimensions to them, more nuance. That's really interesting 604 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 1: because I've always found that the only superheroes that I'm 605 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,480 Speaker 1: interested in are the ones that are pretty funny, and 606 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:00,840 Speaker 1: then there's a lot of other superheroes where the movies 607 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 1: get pretty dark or whatever, and I just I don't 608 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,760 Speaker 1: feel invested in it, and I know, like seeing Wonder Woman, 609 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: and I don't mean to like knock any of the 610 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 1: women involved, because I think it's so great that they're 611 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:16,320 Speaker 1: doing it. But I didn't really connect with that character. 612 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 1: And I was also very frustrated that, you know, like, 613 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 1: we're finally getting a female action figure and sorry action star, 614 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 1: and she spends maybe like ten or fifteen minutes with 615 00:38:27,719 --> 00:38:29,359 Speaker 1: other women in the beginning of the film, and then 616 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,359 Speaker 1: the rest of the film she has to hang out 617 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: with a bunch of random guys. Like it's just like 618 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:35,640 Speaker 1: I was, just like, this is just a movie about 619 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,879 Speaker 1: a bunch of guys. There happens to be one girl there, 620 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Yeah, Yeah, The part of 621 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:48,840 Speaker 1: that movie that's my favorite is when the beginning fighting 622 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: and they're super strong. Um. Another piece of advice I 623 00:38:55,120 --> 00:39:01,400 Speaker 1: saw was signing up young girls form classes or even 624 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 1: young boys but with a female teacher to get to 625 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:09,600 Speaker 1: normalize that women are funny and that there are female 626 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 1: comedians out there. And I would I would say probably 627 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: for a lot of us. If you think of the 628 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: class clown, the thing that comes to your mind is 629 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 1: probably a young fellow. Certainly is in my mind. And 630 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 1: I remember reading an article doing getting ready for this episode, UM, 631 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: where it was sort of similar to what you were 632 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:34,200 Speaker 1: talking about earlier. Um, the author, as a young girl, 633 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: had been the class clown but kept getting in trouble 634 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 1: for it in a way that her male the male 635 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:46,400 Speaker 1: students didn't. Yeah, I definitely found that to be my experience. 636 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: I mean I was a pretty shy kid, so I 637 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:50,560 Speaker 1: wasn't putting myself out there that much. But when I did, 638 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: on the rare occasions I you know, tried to crack 639 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 1: a joke, it was like just not nearly as well received, 640 00:39:56,040 --> 00:40:02,399 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like, yeah, everyone just goes 641 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 1: kind of quiet and looks around, looks away. Yeah. I 642 00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:11,720 Speaker 1: when I was I'm pretty shy, but I was sometimes 643 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 1: I would make a snarky I would say, funny comment, 644 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:23,240 Speaker 1: but most people just interpreted interpreted it as oh Annie 645 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 1: is in a bad mood today. Yeah, I mean my 646 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 1: friends would laugh at me, you know what I mean, 647 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:30,919 Speaker 1: if it was like a few of us hanging out. 648 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 1: But it's just when you sort of shout something out 649 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: in a classroom, it's just not the same as a woman. Right. 650 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:44,799 Speaker 1: Our class clown was a dude, and he definitely could 651 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 1: get away with a lot of stuff. He He once 652 00:40:50,719 --> 00:40:56,359 Speaker 1: started a food fight, like stuff that. Um, I'm sure 653 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:59,840 Speaker 1: if I had started a food fight it would have 654 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:02,239 Speaker 1: been a different story. Well, that's the thing is like 655 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:05,360 Speaker 1: even when teachers were mad at boys like that, they'd 656 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:07,440 Speaker 1: sort of be like laughing at the same time, like 657 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, it's like Jimmy, And then when you're a girl, 658 00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:13,759 Speaker 1: you just sort of get this like cold response, like 659 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 1: where they're like, Okay, let's move on. You know, Yeah, 660 00:41:16,719 --> 00:41:22,160 Speaker 1: how irresponsible of you. Do you have any advice for 661 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: young girls and women who are interested in comedy, Um, 662 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 1: I think just do it as much as possible and 663 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:34,880 Speaker 1: try not to focus too hard on getting approval of 664 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 1: from the people in charge in your community or theater. 665 00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:41,080 Speaker 1: It's um not that you shouldn't try to do comedy 666 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:43,560 Speaker 1: in those spaces because you do want to be seen, 667 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 1: but there I've noticed there's a lot of ways around that, 668 00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:51,080 Speaker 1: people putting up their own shows or creating their own 669 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 1: web series or whatever. It's just you just really have 670 00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 1: to get experience. So if the if you're not getting 671 00:41:57,719 --> 00:41:59,799 Speaker 1: a lot of green lights from the gatekeepers, you have 672 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:05,040 Speaker 1: to find your own way to get it out there. Absolutely, 673 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:10,240 Speaker 1: that is something that I have done through other creative 674 00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:13,279 Speaker 1: things like acting, our writing, and I will say to like, 675 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,920 Speaker 1: if it's something you love, well, there's a lot of things, 676 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:21,840 Speaker 1: try not to burn out on it, which happened to me, um, 677 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:30,960 Speaker 1: and then be prepared for rejection and just move on. Like, 678 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:35,360 Speaker 1: if it's it's constructive criticism, absolutely take that in. But 679 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:40,160 Speaker 1: I mean it's competitive and there's so many other things 680 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 1: that play that are out of your control. Uh So 681 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: if you take things personally, it's going to be a 682 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:50,040 Speaker 1: miserable time. And I know that's hard because it is personal. Yeah, 683 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:52,760 Speaker 1: I mean, despite what I said about you know, discrimination everything, 684 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: I will say that comedy just by its nature involves 685 00:42:55,719 --> 00:42:58,240 Speaker 1: a lot of failure. So you do have to phase 686 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 1: a lot of rejection and become ok with that and 687 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:03,160 Speaker 1: understand that some things just aren't going to be there 688 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:08,680 Speaker 1: for you. M yeah. Yeah. And I always try to 689 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: you know, silver linings it and think, well, this is 690 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:16,440 Speaker 1: more material that I can once I've moved away from it. 691 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:21,360 Speaker 1: It's not so upsetting that I can incorporate into creative outlets. 692 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. There is a US nonprofit called Women in 693 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: Comedy and they are pushing for better representation of women 694 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 1: and other marginalized folks in comedy and they're based in Chicago. 695 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:37,319 Speaker 1: They have classes, events, resources for women looking to get 696 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,760 Speaker 1: into comedy, and they put up chapters in cities across 697 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:41,560 Speaker 1: the United States. So check them out. If this is 698 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 1: something that resonates with you, um, and I would give it, 699 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:50,160 Speaker 1: give it a try. If it's something you may be 700 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:53,439 Speaker 1: barely in the back of your head thought maybe I'll 701 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:56,200 Speaker 1: do it, I would give it a try. Yeah. I mean, 702 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:58,239 Speaker 1: even if you don't end up pursuing comedy, I think 703 00:43:58,239 --> 00:44:00,920 Speaker 1: it's a really great life skill first, so many areas 704 00:44:01,000 --> 00:44:05,200 Speaker 1: of your life. Yes, I agree. What would you like 705 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:09,319 Speaker 1: to see change as someone who's worked in comedy? Are 706 00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:17,200 Speaker 1: there any actionable things that that we could do? Um? Yeah, 707 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:20,759 Speaker 1: I so one thing I've noticed, you know, in the 708 00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:23,879 Speaker 1: last few years, obviously we've had more kickstarters and things 709 00:44:23,920 --> 00:44:26,640 Speaker 1: like that. I would say, there's just a lot of 710 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:29,520 Speaker 1: little people struggling in the comedy scene, and if we 711 00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:32,279 Speaker 1: want them to survive, they are going to need our 712 00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:36,360 Speaker 1: help at some point because there's just so little money 713 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:39,799 Speaker 1: going into comedy at that level, and there's so much 714 00:44:39,880 --> 00:44:41,799 Speaker 1: time and energy that you have to put into it 715 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:45,600 Speaker 1: to get anywhere. So if you know people pursuing it 716 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:47,880 Speaker 1: or you can find people in your city, you know, 717 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:51,760 Speaker 1: support their kickstarters, their go fund means, whatever they're putting 718 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:55,719 Speaker 1: out there, even their Venmo. Like sometimes you know, young 719 00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:59,720 Speaker 1: struggling comedians in the community will like literally just say 720 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:03,080 Speaker 1: like I can't make rent this month and whatever. They 721 00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 1: might publicly complain about it and sort of jokingly reference 722 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:09,799 Speaker 1: their Venmo account. But that's like a real need. So 723 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,279 Speaker 1: for those of us who can spare you know, ten 724 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:14,480 Speaker 1: or twenty bucks here and there, I think things like 725 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: that make a big difference. UM On a larger scale, 726 00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:24,640 Speaker 1: I think just support UH TV shows, UH theater shows 727 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:31,400 Speaker 1: that feature diverse groups of people, UM watch TV shows. 728 00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:35,719 Speaker 1: I also, personally my thing is kind of like divesting 729 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:39,279 Speaker 1: from white male stuff. So if there's a TV show 730 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:40,799 Speaker 1: that other people are watching that has a bunch of 731 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:42,799 Speaker 1: white dudes, I mean, first of all, I get kind 732 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:45,120 Speaker 1: of like turned off by watching and immediately because it 733 00:45:45,160 --> 00:45:50,040 Speaker 1: just feels so stale in but I won't I'll just 734 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,920 Speaker 1: not watch it. Like, just because a bunch of guys 735 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:56,239 Speaker 1: are recommending something to you does not necessarily mean it's 736 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:58,399 Speaker 1: that good or worthy of your time, and you don't 737 00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:02,200 Speaker 1: have to have something to talk about with them. Uh 738 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:05,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, Like, it's just be a 739 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:10,040 Speaker 1: discriminatory about what you're uh supporting with your time, energy 740 00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:16,839 Speaker 1: and money. Sure, And I know it's um a joke 741 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:19,839 Speaker 1: that I see at least a lot among my friend group, 742 00:46:19,840 --> 00:46:22,720 Speaker 1: because there is a lot of improv, especially improv among 743 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:27,759 Speaker 1: my friend group of sorry to spam you again, and 744 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:32,240 Speaker 1: I've got another show and it's sort of a running 745 00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:36,120 Speaker 1: thing like, oh no, I'm gonna invite me to another 746 00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:42,440 Speaker 1: improv show. But being there and being supporting um is 747 00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:48,080 Speaker 1: is very important and I've almost always had a good 748 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:54,000 Speaker 1: time even when I had my reservation. Um. Are there 749 00:46:54,040 --> 00:46:59,040 Speaker 1: any female comedians that you're particularly into right now? Um? 750 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:01,440 Speaker 1: Here in the York we have a lot of great 751 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:09,600 Speaker 1: comedians um Io Debris, Patty Harrison, Katherine Cohen, um Out 752 00:47:09,600 --> 00:47:14,360 Speaker 1: in l A. There's really great character actress named Chloe Fineman. Um. 753 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:17,120 Speaker 1: You should check them all out on Instagram. They're all 754 00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:20,120 Speaker 1: super funny and put out a lot of great videos. 755 00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:28,160 Speaker 1: I love some recommendations. So thank you very much, and 756 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:31,360 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us as well. Beth. 757 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:34,640 Speaker 1: Where can people find you? You can find me on 758 00:47:34,680 --> 00:47:38,920 Speaker 1: Twitter at Beth new Um on Instagram, at Beth Newell 759 00:47:39,080 --> 00:47:42,560 Speaker 1: with no second e. It's a little bit confusing. Um, 760 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:46,560 Speaker 1: you can find my podcast we know as Parenting wherever 761 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:50,200 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, and we Know as Parenting is 762 00:47:50,239 --> 00:47:54,680 Speaker 1: also on social media, so you can buy us there. Yeah, 763 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:58,640 Speaker 1: go go check those out. And if you would like 764 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:04,080 Speaker 1: to send does an electronic letter, you can. Our email 765 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:07,160 Speaker 1: is mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com. You 766 00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:09,880 Speaker 1: can also find us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast 767 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:13,120 Speaker 1: and on Instagram at stuff Mom Never Told You. Thanks 768 00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:15,560 Speaker 1: as always to our producer Andrew Howard, and thanks to 769 00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:16,800 Speaker 1: you for listening.