And Griff has got another hit. I'm telling ya, legendary lioness/eagle: this ain't funny. Have you got a whole dedicated team working for you day and night?

Why... is it implied... that hitchens is the grand-poo-pah comedian judger'?

What i find slightly strange is that it is perfectly acceptable to say that women are better communicators, more empathetic, better child carers, better multi-taskers etc. But shock horror!!! OMG someone just suggested that men might be better at something than women... how dare you!

Anyway, Hitchens is right. I've only ever met one woman who was able to make me produce a full on, belly laugh (not a half hearted "heh heh..."), and in retrospect, she's the only woman ive had a relationship with who i would marry without question or consideration.

Also, I believe that a persons ability to laugh at themselves is the key to their sense of humour - and women just don't seem to go for this self-deprecating, self-ridiculing state of mind... maybe that's because a woman's hypothetical joke about their own flabby thighs and droopy breasts... may actually draw peoples attention to their flabby thighs and droopy breasts.

...And don't get me started on the relevance of the "mask of make-up" most women hide behind.

I am somewhat skeptical of Hitchin's claim that sense of humor has played a major role in the evolutionary process. Sure, today its important in our modern world where its a given that if the guy is taking the girl out to dinner or w/e that he is not destitute. But mating, marriage, family raising etc. in the past would seem to me have been governed by many of the harsher, stricter, more rigid forms of procreation(arranged marriages and such) and not necessarily whether the guy could raise some chuckles. Then again I could be missing the point entirely as I haven't read either article.

Another thought; a funny woman can be exponentially more attractive than one who isn't even if her physical appearance doesn't lend her to be so. This i think would diminish selective significance for funny individuals as it would play out on both sides of the aisle. Then again, maybe i'm weird for being attracted to funny women.

I gotta admit, there are a few female comedians I can say make me laugh. So in a way I agree with Hitchens in that way. Mostly, the stand up is my period, my dumb ex/bf/hubby, etc. yawn.

Rarely do I find a female comedian that i personally consider to be genuinely funny. Shoot me.

They are either vulgar (more so than their male counterparts), preoccupied with the sorry plight of all women and their endemic hygeine/birthing issues or squarely focused on tearing down anything that can be considered masculine.

And personally I find Sarah Silverman, the supposed paragon of female-centric comedy to be a hack. How she continues to find work is beyond me.

Good guys win, bad guys lose, as always England prevails

I partially disagree with Hitchens. What about elderly women?

Let's give some credit to the funniest old ladies that I’ve ever seen: Ms Chapman, Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Jones, and Palin!

logical fallacy.

Ok, yes, there are many gay-identified and/or butch comedians who are female. Even Jewish comedians.

But male comedians are also part of the disenfranchised, no? Sexually, racially, etc.

What a fucking jackass. Hitchens may be fun to watch when he tears into religious twits but his arguments for women not being funny are either retarded or just plain inflammatory.

rg

Hey, I dig the showmanship of the guy. He knows how to hit a hot button (but I doubt it is with many woman that are not purchased).

Hitchens attitude about womens' social limitations stems from the same nonsense in our culture that still continues to believe religious dogma is the foundation of moral construct. His judgment is just a prejudice perception. It's not based on facts because a measure of humor is completely subjective. Personal preference decides what is funny - not what some ego bloated sexist ass thinks.

YES there are a lot of jewish comics... male and female it seems... wow. Your good, Hitchens. I guess this means jewish people are funnier than you and I. Seeing as there is such a demand for them. Hmmm Must be an easy career move for these people if there is such a narrow job market.

I think some woman are brilliant comedians. Sure, there are no comparisons to George Carlin... or Christopher Walken.... but that's alright 'cuz the world couldn't handle any more greatness.