Derry Girls actress Nicola Coughlan is consistently one of the best people on Twitter: funny, well-informed and unafraid to call out B.S. when she sees it.
A case in point: her flawless response to a so-called "debate" about women in comedy that's been doing the rounds on Twitter.
In a widely viewed clip from US conservative news site Daily Wire, a male commentator claims that comedy is an "inherently masculine" form of entertainment. He also says that award-winning comedian Sarah Silverman succeeds in being "legitimately hilarious" by "emulating a man".
Adding her thoughts to the ridiculous clip, Coughlan simply pointed out that Derry Girls – a show with four female leads – has been one of the UK's biggest comedy hits of recent years.
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And she definitely has the receipts to back up her point.
Comedy “Derry Girls” (Lead by 4/5 young women) has been:
— Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) September 6, 2019
-@Channel4 biggest comedy launch since 2004
-The most successful comedy launch ever on @All4
-The most watched show in Northern Ireland on record.
-One of the top 10 Most Watched on @NetflixUK https://t.co/T4SR7GDUGq
In a follow-up tweet, Coughlan added: "Dusty old dudes forcing me to humblebrag this early in the day, you hate to see it!"
She also posted a video clip sending up the tired and reductive women in comedy "debate" by flipping it on its head and pretending that people were actually debating whether men can be funny.
"What people are debating is 'are men funny? Why are we even asking that question?," Coughlan says with her tongue firmly in cheek.
"It’s so disrespectful, because women have been given so much more opportunity on television and on radio and on stage since the beginning of time to show how funny they are.
“Guys, I want to say to you: Just because you haven’t proven that you’re funny yet, as men, [that] does not mean that you won’t be.”
My official statement on Women in Comedy and Unconscious Bias pic.twitter.com/bAvKe1LONr
— Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) September 6, 2019
We think you'll agree: "Debate" over. For good.