(Amy Sherman-Pallidino, creator of The Gilmore Girls, with star Lauren Graham)Jezebel asks, "Why Aren't the Networks Picking Up Any Pilots Created By Women?" And it's a good question, though it does explain a few things (like Big Love).
Apparently, "3 out of 33 comedy scripts that went to pilot were written by women. That is 9%," while only "6 out of 36 drama scripts went to pilot were written by women. That is 16%." In case you're bad at math, those numbers aren't pretty.
So what's the deal? Are we still dealing with a boys club in Hollywood? How else do you explain this ridiculousness (from WomenandHollywood.com):
NBC had no comedies written by women and Fox had no dramas written by women
HBO had one female written pilot in two years. FX nothing. Lifetime nothing. USA nothing.
To quote Jezebel's hortense,"LIFETIME! Television for motherfucking women! In the words of Angelina from Jersey Shore: "Um, hello?!?"
Um, hello!?!? indeed.
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You know, I've been watching the last 13 seasons of Comedy Central Presents and interspersed with all the generic black comedians and sometimes funny white guys, black guys, Mexicans and Italians (plus others), I have yet to see a really good female stand-up comedian. I'm not being sexist or anything, but every single female "comedian" on CCP has been miserably unfunny.
ReplyDeleteI think it's because women are more spontaneously funny than they are funny in writing.
it's always a problem when you find yourself typing, "i'm not being sexist or anything." but it's good to know that even italian men can be "comedians."
ReplyDeletethe point is that of the total number of comedians on those shows, the vast majority are male. why is that?
who says women aren't funny? is a pretty good article from vanity fair about female comedians, check it out.
right now there are talented ladies out there writing and creating some of the best shows on television (did you know the daly show was created by 2 women?). there just aren't enough to write to the over 50% female audience for most major networks.
some funny ladies i suggest: tina fey, jane lynch, kristin wiig, julia louis-dreyfus, chelsea handler, rachel dratch, amy poehler, jane krakowski, samantha bee, amy sedaris, kristin schall, sarah silverman, wanda sykes, tracy ullman, jeanine garafolo, lisa lampenelli, sarah haskins, jennifer coolidge.
or maybe you should try watching a different show. like 30 rock.