I just watched the mash-up where supposedly Amy Schumer stole jokes from other comics. The first lesson I ever had with parallel thinking, was at the beginning of my career. I wrote a p*ssy joke which involved a razor and the punchline of, “But then five hours later you’d have Don Johnson p*ssy.” It was the 80’s, and at the age of 19, I wasn’t exactly a brain trust. Believe me when I tell you — I got sooooo much sh*t for being a dirty chick in comedy. Btw, most of it from the other women comics, who at times, where pretty uncool to me, more so then the men. Anyway, that joke used to kill. Around that same time I went and saw Bill Hicks…and he did that very same joke verbatim. Did I think he stole it? Nope, I thought to myself, “Holy sh*t, I wrote a joke just like the great Bill Hicks!” It was a validation to myself, that I have my own uncomfortable voice, and I shouldn’t let others define me or make me feel less than.
If you’ve been in comedy less then 15 years, or you are a Millennial going at it, and you are trying to call out Amy Schumer for joke theft, just remember that Chris Rock directed that special, and if he didn’t have an issue with her material, ya’ll need to zip it the f*ck up. Very few people are that original. VERY FEW. Is Amy Schumer a genius? Nope. She’s still growing. But she is completely capable, and does a solid job. And is working her ass off. Deal. With. It.
I myself have come around to the fact that we should all rejoice at the attention she is getting in comedy, when so few women get any. Do I think there are other women who deserve it more? Of course! I do however understand where Wendy, Kathleen and Tammy are coming from. It’s a normal reaction to feel frustrated when you see someone being hailed as the female Christ-child of comedy, when the others who broke down barriers first, or wrote those punchlines first — are shooed off into the sidelines. I understand wanting to raise your hand to say, “My voice counts and came before hers.” It’s not wrong to want to understand your place in the food chain. That being said, there are so many comedians out there, it’s almost impossible to know everyone’s act verbatim. She might seriously want to think about retiring those jokes, as I did mine after seeing Hicks do it.
When I was younger, I went out of my way to not watch specials and or listen to comedy records, because I was just trying to figure out my own voice. Now that I know my voice inside and out, I love the history of comedy, and love listening to the women that came before me, like Moms Mabley, Rusty Warren, Totie Fields, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, Elayne Boosler, Carol Leifer and so on… And am continually surprised and admire those who came about within ten years of myself, and should get more props like Laurie Kilmartin, Jackie Kashian, Margaret Cho, Carole Montgomery, Cathy Ladman, Lizz Winstead, Maria Bamford, and of course the three ladies that mash-up was based on. Just to name a few.
If you want to have the back of Wendy, Kathleen and Tammy. How about you buy a ticket and go see them live. Learn from those who came to comedy organically and before you, and did so without a mother-f*cking comedy class.
FYI - I do find it curious that no men have been called out since Mencia. Considering how few women get weekend spots at showcase clubs in LA and NYC, compared to the men. I find that pretty egregious and suspicious.
Christ, I love comedy and am so glad to be back at it.
Artwork by Steven Mellina
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