It isn't news that Jerry Lewis is a little bit uncomfortable with female comedians. He's remarked upon his dislike for funny ladies so prevalently before that, in her book Bossypants, Tina Fey remarked, "...Whenever someone says to me, 'Jerry Lewis says women aren't funny,' or 'Christopher Hitchens says women aren't funny,' or 'Rick Fenderman says women aren't funny... Do you have anything to say to that?'....Yes. We don't f***ing care if you like it." (Then she adds, "I don't say it out loud, of course, because Jerry Lewis is a great philanthropist, Hitchens is very sick, and the third guy I made up.”)
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During Cannes, Lewis was once again asked who his favorite comedians were, and he restated his totally antiquated response, saying that women doing comedy "set him back a little bit." He added, "I cannot sit and watch a lady diminish her qualities to the lowest common denominator. I just can't do that."
Of course, seeing anyone diminishing their qualities to the lowest common denominator is uncomfortable, but that is part of the reflective nature of comedy. But so is surrealism. And hyperbole. And the other 8,000 ways hilarious ladies make us laugh.
If seeing women being cheeky "bother him", these gals might leave him downright befuddled. Try Amy Schumer, Jenny Slate, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, Aubrey Plaza, Whitney Cummings, Charlyne Yi, Jen Kirkman, or Alison Becker. Too unknown for a traditionalist like Lewis? We also love classic gals like Margaret Cho, Roseanne Barr, Aisha Tyler, Melissa McCarthy, Sarah Silverman, Beth Littleford, Gilda Radner, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman and Jane Lynch. And we didn't even scratch the surface, and didn't even mention some of our other favorite female funnygals, who run the gamut from being downright hilarious to multifaceted, dynamic, and talented actresses. We clearly forgot many, many hilarious women (because they are so hard to name all in one place), so let's get a list going in the comments. Let's call it, our own personal send-up to Mr. Lewis. (Huffington Post)
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