# 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:** 3
**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, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/41 "2011-05-31T15:20:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > 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. Argh! How could I have forgotten Madeline Kahn?? “Me too” to everything you just said, plus two more gems: Miss Trixie in _Paper Moon_; and her grand-slam debut performance as Eunice Burns in _What’s Up Doc?_ Her being drop dead gorgeous was a bonus. . ---
**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, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/42 "2011-05-31T17:41:39Z")
I am afraid I have been unduly influenced by this video: Iliza Shlesinger does some [SERIOUS booty shaking](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSyQ46Rf3tU) 15 seconds in. Most of the time when comedy women do sexy, they parody it, they are, after all, comedians. But this is straight up bootylicious goodness. I’m totally impressed! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/43 "2011-05-31T18:31:40Z")
Amy Poehler. For a while, she was SNL’s MVP; and before that, she was part of the underrated, hilarious Upright Citizen’s Brigade. ---
**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, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/44 "2011-05-31T19:03:09Z")
As of Post #43: [Funny Women Preliminary “A-L”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610660) Today, 01:38 PM =========================== 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 * * * [Funny Women Preliminary “L-T”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610661) Today, 01:46 PM Julia Louis Dreyfuss zoe Lyons Kathleen Madigan Andrea Martin Sarah Millican Morgan Murphy Tig Notaro Cheri Oteri Amy Poehler 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 ============================= New names (if any) will go into a third (or more) preliminary. Results of preliminaries will determine further polling. Comments and critiques welcomed! Thanks for the input. Keep 'em coming. ---
**Author:** ![Elvis\_Chimney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/50afbb/32.png) [@Elvis\_Chimney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis_Chimney)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/45 "2011-05-31T19:28:43Z")
I LOVE Josie Long. She has such a genuinely infectious enthusiasm for everything she does and she’s completely brilliant. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLbbxhXt1Ns) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihXmxW19rUg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AsB8c748yp8/hqdefault.jpg "Josie Long meets LYJA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsB8c748yp8) ---
**Author:** ![minkyhaha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@minkyhaha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minkyhaha)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/46 "2011-05-31T20:23:36Z")
Ugg, what a train wreck. Broads just aren’t funny. Wasn’t \*The Piano \*supposed to be a comedy? ---
**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, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/47 "2011-05-31T20:34:42Z")
> [@Elvis\_Chimney](#): > > I LOVE Josie Long. She has such a genuinely infectious enthusiasm for everything she does and she’s completely brilliant. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLbbxhXt1Ns](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLbbxhXt1Ns) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihXmxW19rUg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihXmxW19rUg) > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsB8c748yp8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsB8c748yp8) :smack: How could I have forgotten her? She’s funny, adorable, gay and lives five minutes away from me. It is nice to see humour that’s totally uncynical. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/48 "2011-05-31T20:37:58Z")
Too late to get Amy Poehler on the list? ---
**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, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/49 "2011-05-31T20:42:54Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Too late to get Amy Poehler on the list? Nope. She’s there. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/50 "2011-05-31T20:45:27Z")
So she is, I just didn’t see her. ---
**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, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/51 "2011-05-31T20:51:16Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > So she is, I just didn’t see her. She was the last name to get on the polls already up. Here’s an idea I’ve had and I’m wondering how others might feel about it. 1. Locate some largish list of female comics 2. Take off the names we’ve already used 3. Post the results as another preliminary poll’s contents. (20-30 range) Anybody? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/52 "2011-06-01T04:08:05Z")
It would appear that interest in this topic is mild at best. Here’s a summary of both polls at the 10-voter mark: ```auto View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "A-L" (vote for 5) This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:43 PM Tina Fey 9 90.00% Carol Burnett 5 50.00% Jane Curtin 4 40.00% Ellen DeGeneres 4 40.00% Laura Kightlinger 4 40.00% Garfunkel & Oates 3 30.00% Janeane Garofolo 3 30.00% Bea Arthur 2 20.00% Maria Bamford 2 20.00% Margaret Cho 2 20.00% Kathy Griffin 2 20.00% Madeline Kahn 2 20.00% Vicki Lawrence 2 20.00% Jo Brand 1 10.00% Jo Caulfield 1 10.00% Dawn French 1 10.00% Shappi Khorsandi 1 10.00% Stephanie Hodge 0 0% Elayne Boosler 0 0% Jen Kirkman 0 0% Lisa Lampainelli 0 0% Natasha Leggero 0 0% Wendy Liebman 0 0% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10 View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "L-T" (vote for 5) This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:51 PM Gilda Radner 6 60.00% Amy Sedaris 6 60.00% Paula Poundstone 5 50.00% Sarah Silverman 5 50.00% Rita Rudner 4 40.00% Kathleen Madigan 2 20.00% Amy Poehler 2 20.00% Jennifer Saunders 2 20.00% Jean Stapleton 2 20.00% Wanda Sykes 2 20.00% Judy Tenuta 2 20.00% Aisha Tyler 2 20.00% Julia Louis Dreyfuss 1 10.00% zoe Lyons 1 10.00% Andrea Martin 1 10.00% Sarah Millican 1 10.00% Cheri Oteri 1 10.00% Morgan Murphy 0 0% Tig Notaro 0 0% Kristen Schaal 0 0% Amy Schumer 0 0% Iliza Shlesinger 0 0% Pam Stone 0 0% Julia Sweeney 0 0% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10 ``` ---
**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:** [June 1, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/53 "2011-06-01T04:12:49Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > It would appear that interest in this topic is mild at best. Here’s a summary of both polls at the 10-voter mark: > > ```auto > > > View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "A-L" (vote for 5) > This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:43 PM > > Tina Fey 9 90.00% > Carol Burnett 5 50.00% > Jane Curtin 4 40.00% > Ellen DeGeneres 4 40.00% > Laura Kightlinger 4 40.00% > Garfunkel & Oates 3 30.00% > Janeane Garofolo 3 30.00% > > Bea Arthur 2 20.00% > Maria Bamford 2 20.00% > Margaret Cho 2 20.00% > Kathy Griffin 2 20.00% > Madeline Kahn 2 20.00% > Vicki Lawrence 2 20.00% > > Jo Brand 1 10.00% > Jo Caulfield 1 10.00% > Dawn French 1 10.00% > Shappi Khorsandi 1 10.00% > > Stephanie Hodge 0 0% > Elayne Boosler 0 0% > Jen Kirkman 0 0% > Lisa Lampainelli 0 0% > Natasha Leggero 0 0% > Wendy Liebman 0 0% > > Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10 > > View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "L-T" (vote for 5) > This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:51 PM > > Gilda Radner 6 60.00% > Amy Sedaris 6 60.00% > Paula Poundstone 5 50.00% > Sarah Silverman 5 50.00% > Rita Rudner 4 40.00% > > Kathleen Madigan 2 20.00% > Amy Poehler 2 20.00% > Jennifer Saunders 2 20.00% > Jean Stapleton 2 20.00% > Wanda Sykes 2 20.00% > Judy Tenuta 2 20.00% > Aisha Tyler 2 20.00% > > Julia Louis Dreyfuss 1 10.00% > zoe Lyons 1 10.00% > Andrea Martin 1 10.00% > Sarah Millican 1 10.00% > Cheri Oteri 1 10.00% > > Morgan Murphy 0 0% > Tig Notaro 0 0% > Kristen Schaal 0 0% > Amy Schumer 0 0% > Iliza Shlesinger 0 0% > Pam Stone 0 0% > Julia Sweeney 0 0% > > Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10 > > ``` Zeldar, I have not seen the thread you posted this in yet. Maybe others have missed it as well. Give it a few bumps. Maybe post a link to it in this thread! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/54 "2011-06-01T04:18:38Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Zeldar, I have not seen the thread you posted this in yet. Maybe others have missed it as well. Give it a few bumps. Maybe post a link to it in this thread! See [Post #44.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13863849&postcount=44) Links to the two preliminary polls are in there. Both are Cafe Society polls. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/55 "2011-06-01T17:33:30Z")
It looks like the L-T poll is stuck at 29 voters, since I have been delaying posting this comparison. This is as close as I could get it at the 30-votes mark: ```auto View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "A-L" (vote for 5) This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:43 PM Tina Fey 22 73.33% Carol Burnett 15 50.00% Ellen DeGeneres 15 50.00% Madeline Kahn 13 43.33% Bea Arthur 8 26.67% Jane Curtin 8 26.67% Janeane Garofolo 8 26.67% Margaret Cho 6 20.00% Dawn French 6 20.00% Garfunkel & Oates 6 20.00% Kathy Griffin 6 20.00% Laura Kightlinger 6 20.00% Vicki Lawrence 5 16.67% Maria Bamford 4 13.33% Jo Brand 3 10.00% Elayne Boosler 2 6.67% Jo Caulfield 2 6.67% Stephanie Hodge 2 6.67% Shappi Khorsandi 2 6.67% Jen Kirkman 1 3.33% Wendy Liebman 1 3.33% Lisa Lampainelli 0 0% Natasha Leggero 0 0% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 30 (Latest count: Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 37) View Poll Results: Funny Women Preliminary "L-T" (vote for 5) This poll will close on 06-15-2011 at 01:51 PM Gilda Radner 15 51.72% Amy Sedaris 15 51.72% Rita Rudner 12 41.38% Sarah Silverman 11 37.93% Julia Louis Dreyfuss 10 34.48% Amy Poehler 10 34.48% Paula Poundstone 8 27.59% Jennifer Saunders 5 17.24% Kristen Schaal 5 17.24% Kathleen Madigan 4 13.79% Wanda Sykes 4 13.79% Judy Tenuta 4 13.79% Iliza Shlesinger 3 10.34% Jean Stapleton 3 10.34% Aisha Tyler 3 10.34% Andrea Martin 2 6.90% Pam Stone 2 6.90% Julia Sweeney 2 6.90% zoe Lyons 1 3.45% Sarah Millican 1 3.45% Morgan Murphy 1 3.45% Cheri Oteri 1 3.45% Tig Notaro 0 0% Amy Schumer 0 0% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 29 ``` It might make sense to decide what a reasonable cutoff would be in combining the names from these preliminaries. Ideas? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/56 "2011-06-01T17:39:01Z")
25% of the vote or more gets in? That seems reasonable. That gives you seven from each. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/57 "2011-06-01T18:01:20Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > 25% of the vote or more gets in? That seems reasonable. That gives you seven from each. Seems at least reasonable to me. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/58 "2011-06-04T14:00:58Z")
There have only been a few votes since that summary just above and I’m about ready to do a “final poll” for the funny women. If no more votes come in by Monday, I will. ---
**Author:** ![samjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@samjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samjones)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/59 "2011-06-04T16:47:29Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > There have only been a few votes since that summary just above and I’m about ready to do a “final poll” for the funny women. > > If no more votes come in by Monday, I will. I have seen 2 women in my life who were truly household name comediennes. 2 women whose standup acts were so well known that you would hear their jokes quoted by just about everybody (in their time) and when somebody would make a joke you would think that they were channeling that specific comedienne. They were: 1. Roseanne Barr 2. Joan Rivers I might give Sarah Silverman an honorable mention - but Wanda Sykes and Ellen Degeneres (puh-lease). They were never funny. Not for 2 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Generally\_Giap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Generally\_Giap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Generally_Giap)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2011, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604/60 "2011-06-05T08:41:06Z")
Brett Butler (the child ain’t right). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-funny-women/583604.md?page=4)