# Really Funny Women? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604 "2011-05-28T22:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/21 "2011-05-30T22:44:10Z")
Oh, thought of another: Gilda Radner. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/22 "2011-05-30T22:49:29Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Oh, thought of another: Gilda Radner. Good one from the classic SNL days. Here’s the updated list: Maria Bamford Elayne Boosler Carol Burnett Margaret Cho Jane Curtin Ellen DeGeneres Tina Fey Dawn French Janeane Garofolo Kathy Griffin Laura Kightlinger Natasha Leggero Kathleen Madigan Andrea Martin Cheri Oteri Paula Poundstone Gilda Radner Rita Rudner Jennifer Saunders Sarah Silverman Pam Stone Wanda Sykes Judy Tenuta Aisha Tyler After 30, I’ll put up a poll with the idea that we can continue collecting names for at least one follow-up, with the top vote-getters in the first poll as seeded entrants in some Ultimate Poll or other. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/23 "2011-05-30T22:55:05Z")
Julia Louis Dreyfuss is a very funny comedic actress. I don’t know if she has ever done true stand up comedy but she would probably be good at it. She worked hard at finding way through show business over several decades even though she is incredibly wealthy by birthright and never needed the money. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/24 "2011-05-30T23:02:37Z")
[Kristen Schaal.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristen_Schaal) She’s best known for her character Mel in _Flight of the Conchords._ ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/25 "2011-05-30T23:19:02Z")
Iliza Shlesinger ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/26 "2011-05-31T00:30:45Z")
Here are some really funny comics who happen to be women (I say that as these are some of my favorite comics of either gender… aren’t I enlightend?): **Jen Kirkman** , from the Drunk History videos and who’s newest comedy album, “Hail to the Freaks,” debuted on the Billboard charts last week - a first for AST Records (awesome comedy label). Here’s [a great bit of her’s about female masturbation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxOR2GHJDoM). A few others: [Morgan Murphy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFgJve3R1O8&feature=fvst) [Tig Notaro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwqPeVkiDR4) [Garfunkel & Oates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHH3brmhPyw) (Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci) [Natasha Leggero](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM6jcUC3ulE&NR=1) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/27 "2011-05-31T00:35:48Z")
[Stephanie Hodge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNvf-BnP14) is a LOT better than her sitcom roles would indicate. She’s damn good, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/28 "2011-05-31T00:44:49Z")
I agree with Carol Burnett, but in the same breath, we mustn’t forget Vicki Lawrence. Her Mother Harper was genius, but the character was ruined by syndication. Still, absolutely great. Bea Arthur could get in some good stuff too. And of course, Jean Stapleton. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/29 "2011-05-31T00:53:58Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > I agree with Carol Burnett, but in the same breath, we mustn’t forget Vicki Lawrence. Her Mother Harper was genius, but the character was ruined by syndication. Still, absolutely great. > > Bea Arthur could get in some good stuff too. And of course, Jean Stapleton. This thread is for really funny women, not really old ones. Just kidding… Those are great submissions. All are (were) very very funny ladies. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/30 "2011-05-31T01:24:44Z")
Julia Sweeney is mostly known for her unfunny It’s Pat skits on SNL, but her bits on fighting cancer, teaching her daughter about sex and atheism are hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/31 "2011-05-31T01:37:21Z")
Keep 'em coming. I’m relaxing the by-30 cutoff until tomorrow since I can’t get the poll up in the short time I have now to deal with it. I may do two polls (or more) as preliminaries if there are enough listed by tomorrow morning. Thanks for the input. This could be fun. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/32 "2011-05-31T01:48:25Z")
Lisa Lampainelli. She is crude, rude and funny. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/33 "2011-05-31T02:30:30Z")
[zoe Lyons](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6zckkoCxQ) is an excellent live stand-up. She’s very good at including audience members in her act, which is to me much more impressive, and much funnier, than standing there on stage doing the same act you could do to a camera with no audience. Jo Brand is the biggest name in British women’s comedy. I used to be a bit meh about her approach - too much about being fat and hating men - but she’s changed a bit over the years and she’s excellent on panel shows. [Shappi Khorsandi](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grRv-rz0CKA) is just good. [Jo Caulfield](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yBNFZ2_ak4) is someone I tend to forget but she does actually make me laugh. [Sarah Millican](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFr_pY2kGk) does a really gentle humour that works pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/34 "2011-05-31T02:54:31Z")
Amy Schumer has some good material. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/35 "2011-05-31T03:02:04Z")
Amy Sedaris (but in smallish doses) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/36 "2011-05-31T04:15:37Z")
I really love [Wendy Liebman](http://www.wendyliebman.com/) Check her out on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wendy+liebman&aq=0&oq=wendy+lie) I love the way she stops and changes direction such as: “This Thanksgiving I made a 28 pound turkey … pot pie,” “I really like to shop…lift.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/37 "2011-05-31T04:23:12Z")
She wasn’t a standup comedian, but if you asked me who was the funniest woman I’ve ever seen, I’d say it was Madeline Kahn. That’s primarily on her roles in Mel Brooks’ stuff, of course - Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein, Lilly von Shtupp in Blazing Saddles, and so on. And she’s a big reason Clue is surprisingly good. > [@cmyk](#): > > [Kristen Schaal.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristen_Schaal) She’s best known for her character Mel in _Flight of the Conchords._ Her career seems to be taking off. She’s also a part-timer on The Daily Show, a regular on Bob’s Burgers, and was on the second-to-last episode of The Simpsons this season. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/38 "2011-05-31T05:14:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Pam Stone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPZQ6K0DmaU) cracks me up. Me, too. I haven’t thought of her for ages. I wish she had stayed with standup. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/39 "2011-05-31T06:01:09Z")
Okay, gang. As of Post #38 we have 46 names that I haven’t checked for spelling or other accuracy. I confess to not knowing quite a few of these women, and I hope I haven’t missed any in the above posts. I’m suggesting two polls to start with, each with 23 names, and just going alphabetical from this list: Bea Arthur Maria Bamford Elayne Boosler Jo Brand Carol Burnett Jo Caulfield Margaret Cho Jane Curtin Ellen DeGeneres Tina Fey Dawn French Garfunkel & Oates (Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci) Janeane Garofolo Kathy Griffin Stephanie Hodge Madeline Kahn Shappi Khorsandi Laura Kightlinger Jen Kirkman Lisa Lampainelli Vicki Lawrence Natasha Leggero Wendy Liebman * * * Julia Louis Dreyfuss zoe Lyons Kathleen Madigan Andrea Martin Sarah Millican Morgan Murphy Tig Notaro Cheri Oteri Paula Poundstone Gilda Radner Rita Rudner Jennifer Saunders Kristen Schaal Amy Schumer Amy Sedaris Iliza Shlesinger Sarah Silverman Jean Stapleton Pam Stone Julia Sweeney Wanda Sykes Judy Tenuta Aisha Tyler * * * However, before doing the actual polls, I wanted to give everybody a shot at corrections, as well as additional names that these may spark in your minds. So I will delay again until some time tomorrow (later today, that is) before doing the actual polls. I would hope that with an honor-system 5-votes-per-voter in each poll that that will provide the right combination of forcing some tough choices and for giving each voter a shot at ten women to select from the over-40 possibilities. As more names crop up here (or in the poll threads) additional follow-up polls may be needed, and we can deal with that as we go. I have at least considered how the artificial break at 23 (half) may push your true 10 favorites apart so that you would have to sacrifice one or more in one poll to be able to limit your choices to five. I’m open to suggestions for dealing with that problem. I just think 2 X 23 would be easier to cope with than 1 X 46. But I’m flexible and can modify to better ideas. At least you’ll have chances to change your vote(s) when the other voters help some of your would-have-beens make it to later polls. Besides, civilizations will not necessarily fail as a result of our playing with this idea! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/40 "2011-05-31T06:40:33Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I really love [Wendy Liebman](http://www.wendyliebman.com/) > > Check her out on [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wendy+liebman&aq=0&oq=wendy+lie) > > I love the way she stops and changes direction such as: > > “This Thanksgiving I made a 28 pound turkey … pot pie,” > > “I really like to shop…lift.” I never liked her because that change of direction … is all she does. She hammers that same rhythm … over and over. I wish she’d … mix it up a little. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604.md?page=3)