Why do most comedy shows star men?

Question

I know there are those that star women, but it seems the vast majority star men. For example - The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, Futurama, Arrested Development etc. My mind has gone blank but I know there ae many more. Even though there are women characters in these shows the main star is male.
Also it seems most comedians are men, any ideas why?

Answer 1

Men are easier to poke fun at! They often do stupid things on their own naturally, without a script!

Answer 2

My humble opinion - women receive and project in a more emotional manner, which in turn, disallows the amount of humor they absorb or expel.

Example: Comedian tells a (funny) dirty penis joke. The large majority of men would laugh. More women would find the joke disgusting, with older women probably finding it inappropriate.

Or, Comedian tells a (funny) joke about the kid who got caned in the orient for tagging. Again, most men would laugh. A high percentage of women think... 'that's so sad' or, jump into some civil-rights-type of tangent.

Other factors involved are some of the very sensitive 'taboo' subjects that comedians often build their sets around. Women are far more sensitive to the topic than the humor. Men don't seem to be affected by 'shock factors' or vulgarity/profanity. Women more typically are offended by those.

That's my take. Don't get me wrong, there are several unbelievably hilarious women comedians or comedy writers. But they're definitely not your typical woman. Look at Sarah Silverman or Becky Buckwild.

Answer 3

I think it's a social stigma. Traditionally, comedy was a male dominated field. In early cinema, men played these parts because it was okay for them to portray less than appealing characters. It was improper and unacceptable for a woman to act violent (physical comedy like The Three Stooges) or dominant. It just wasn't funny back then.

Nowadays, this is fortunately changing. But there is still a stigma that men are funnier than women. For some reason, men can get away with more types of humor (such as potty humor, sexual humor, and violent humor) than women can. But even knowing this, I still tend to find more male comedies funnier than female ones.

There's also that politically correct smothering society. It's ok for 'white' guys to act dumb and childish. But when it's another race or gender, people believe its instantly offensive.

That's society for ya.

Answer 4

ok, south park, futurama, Family guy are reruns . Arrested development has been cancelled. Woman can only talk about P.M.S. for so long before it's not funny and there aren't that many female writers for shows.

Answer 5

OMG! Don't get me started on that! Because some loser don't want to make a script starting a chick being that most women (so they say; LIERS!) don't watch it; because they think its a waste of time and makes you lose brain cells. Me myself have never heard any chick say that but my mom about southpark.. but only time i have ever heard that! It like omg you can play starring leads of chicks now, the guys won't be oh so heart broken over it (along if its funny and not something sucky). Yah that what i think... along with several other things~!

Answer 6

Because most of the men in comedies are established actors. With a following.

Answer 7

The comedians until recently have been almost all male and males have traditionally played comedic parts on shows.

Answer 8

Because men are funny! It's in our nature. God had to give the women some kind of comic relief.

Answer 9

mostly the writing for those shows is idiotic humor, and I don't know that many women that are willing to be known around the world for that particular talent. I myself would prefer to be known as witty or sarcastic, not stupid or rude.

Answer 10

There doesn't seem to be much individuality in women, and if they all act the same, how can you make a program out of that?