That’s an actual question I’ve been asked. More than once! It doesn’t get asked frequently because most people don’t care. Most people live happy lives without quantifying the qualities of female comedians. The majority of the population has more pressing questions like, “Are there any good vacation options for my family in 2020?“

People who live in Comedy World (especially the women folk) contemplate this question a lot. I’ve received numerous inquires over the years from people booking events who say things like, “We’d like to offer some diversity. Do you know any female comedians?” If I was prone to take offense at dumb questions, this would ruin my week. However, I possess a vibrant sense of humor so I respond with jocularity.

“I know lots of female comedians. They’re all homicidal heroin addicts. Is that okay?”

Recently, I came across an article entitled, “Enjoy These Hysterical Jokes from Funny Women“. If I was prone to take offense at dumb articles, this would ruin my week. I don’t want my jokes included in an article entitled, “Enjoy These Hysterical Jokes from Funny People Who Aren’t Women.“

I got a phone call a couple of years ago from a promoter who asked me if I could recommend any black comedians. If I was prone to take offense at dumb questions, you know. The event was at a church on the West Coast that explicitly requested a non-white comedian. A church, mind you!

I responded to the question.

“Absolutely! I know a bunch of black comedians. They’re club comics. Lots of F-Bombs. Lots of sex jokes. They’ll bring diversity to the church! I’ll contact them and give them your number.”

Many years ago I listened to a female bemoan the unfair treatment she received from comedy club managers. The woman, I’ll call her ‘Terry’, told me the comedy scene was rigged in favor of men. She insisted that she wasn’t getting booked because she was a woman.

I (gently) suggested, “Maybe they don’t think you’re funny.” As I said earlier, this was many years ago. I was young and stupid. I didn’t know to keep my opinion to myself. Terry’s outraged shriek taught me the proper way to respond to a woman expressing her experience with sexism.

Just agree. Men are truly awful.

Since Terry is not in the room right now, I’ll say the truth instead. Comedy clubs are interested in making money. That’s it. The club manager doesn’t care who is on stage as long as people are buying tickets and drinks. Color doesn’t matter. Gender doesn’t matter. Even COMEDY doesn’t matter. I’ve seen dozens of comedy shows featuring famous people who were terrible comedians. Their fame filled seats and the club made money. That’s the bottom line.

The main thing stopping women from succeeding in comedy is un-funniness. That’s the same thing that stops men from succeeding in comedy.

An audience, ANY audience, will laugh when something funny happens. No audience will stifle their laughter because a joke came from a woman. Neither will a set of xx chromosomes elicit laughter from lame material. “Funny” is not gender dependent.

The idea that funny females are somehow proving the value of all women and winning a victory over toxic masculinity is…hilarious. There are millions of feminists missing the joke and that is…HYSTERICAL! Every comedy clip posted as proof of “girl power” is completely tone-deaf to irony. Funny, right?

To answer the original question, “Yes. There are good female comedians.” My question back to you is, “Why do you care?”