Oh no--"hairy-legged" alongside "man-hating" and "anti-family"? As if that's a really bad thing? I stopped shaving during the height of the pandemic, and found I really preferred my legs soft and fuzzy. I'm not really sure why we shave at all (it's just a fashion, and an unhealthy one at that), but there's powerful pressure to do it. (I'm not mad--I adore you, Liza! I just wanted to point this out as food for thought...)
This “WOMEN on MEN” cartoon is my favorite so far. It depicts accurately my relationship with my wife of 55+ years. She is both my CEO and my CFO, and my life is far more relaxed because of it (or them, ie, the two roles she plays). I handed all the money management to her years ago when I began to understand Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
It’s not just the knuckledraggers who have struggled to adjust to how the position of women has over the past 75 years. Leading edge Boomer men who consider themselves relatively enlightened, such as my grandfather’s face in the mirror self still get trapped in 50s-think. It wasn’t really until I entered my dotage that I got past that and realized that women in ordinary life can be really formidable people. Who knew? <insert ironicon here>
On that topic I highly recommend a book my reading group just finished. “The Exceptions, Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science” written by Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times reporter Kate Zernike. It is a fascinating story about some very brave women who took on the male dominated bureaucracy at MIT in the 90’s. We will be discussing the book tonight and are thrilled to have one of the key figures joining us as a guest.
You are surely right that humor can advance causes. In the early stages it puts the first big crack in the status quo. If you can make fun of something, it's vulnerable, and if it's also bad, it's doomed. I think that some men, especially foolish and insecure men, resist the advance of woman because they know in their gut that women are better than men. Most of us saw it in school. Yes, perhaps sometimes, the brightest student was a boy. But even if that were true, and often it was not, 8 of the top 10 students were usually girls. Men today know that their days as overlords are over, Lordy! Someday women will stop making fun of men because men will be an obvious underclass. It's clearly starting to happen even in the traditional bastions of male power. Humor is actually one of those, and men for now seem to be holding their own. But many women I know are clever, funny, hilarious. Watch out guys! You'll be laughing to death. But don't worry too much. In humor there's always a place for the underdog.
Thank goodness I haven't heard a "blonde joke" in a long time. I like having the playing field leveled with humor and otherwise. Let's go after inequity in pay with humor, albeit biting humor. It's still happening under the radar.
I love love love the cartoon with the little girl asking for a beauty app in exchange for being schooled in the Feminine Mystique. Hysterical. You know as much as men find humor in women, women humorists can return the favor. One of my most popular books, Why a Cat Is Still Better than a Man, (which I describe as "not male bashing, but cat enhancing,") ribs men because sometimes, men are just too too funny.
I remember the discussions around that absolutely awful “women aren’t funny” talk in the comedy world in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I was with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and Amy Poehler was one of the founders (and my incredible teacher) and her friend Tina Fey was often in the house, and there was an unstoppable team of female players on every team who were killing it. There was rightfully an angry, passionate thread that kept the pressure on the old habits to finally make overdue changes to the face, and faces, of comedy. The work goes on. 🙏🔥
It was horrible! I was teaching women's studies at Vassar when Christopher Hitchens said women aren't funny. Made for some great conversations. I LOVE Amy, and Tina. The work does go on! I am trying to keep that conversation going, as you know, with my film!
we’ll be visiting NY week 5 so we scheduled to see your show on 2/3. Didn’t know the Society existed until you posted about it. Thank you.
Great!!
Oh no--"hairy-legged" alongside "man-hating" and "anti-family"? As if that's a really bad thing? I stopped shaving during the height of the pandemic, and found I really preferred my legs soft and fuzzy. I'm not really sure why we shave at all (it's just a fashion, and an unhealthy one at that), but there's powerful pressure to do it. (I'm not mad--I adore you, Liza! I just wanted to point this out as food for thought...)
My point exactly! Man hating and not shaving legs and anti family are the stereotypes some people have of feminists. All wrong!
This “WOMEN on MEN” cartoon is my favorite so far. It depicts accurately my relationship with my wife of 55+ years. She is both my CEO and my CFO, and my life is far more relaxed because of it (or them, ie, the two roles she plays). I handed all the money management to her years ago when I began to understand Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
It’s not just the knuckledraggers who have struggled to adjust to how the position of women has over the past 75 years. Leading edge Boomer men who consider themselves relatively enlightened, such as my grandfather’s face in the mirror self still get trapped in 50s-think. It wasn’t really until I entered my dotage that I got past that and realized that women in ordinary life can be really formidable people. Who knew? <insert ironicon here>
On that topic I highly recommend a book my reading group just finished. “The Exceptions, Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science” written by Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times reporter Kate Zernike. It is a fascinating story about some very brave women who took on the male dominated bureaucracy at MIT in the 90’s. We will be discussing the book tonight and are thrilled to have one of the key figures joining us as a guest.
Great! Thank you for the recommendation!
No retreat, no surrender.
👊🏻
You are so brilliant! And you are right women are diverse. In these times some women even have penises! And they excel at sport !
You make me laugh. Jerry Lewis never did.
Thank you!! How about Hitchens?
Don't know him.
An intellectual who said women aren't funny. Caused a uproar.
You are surely right that humor can advance causes. In the early stages it puts the first big crack in the status quo. If you can make fun of something, it's vulnerable, and if it's also bad, it's doomed. I think that some men, especially foolish and insecure men, resist the advance of woman because they know in their gut that women are better than men. Most of us saw it in school. Yes, perhaps sometimes, the brightest student was a boy. But even if that were true, and often it was not, 8 of the top 10 students were usually girls. Men today know that their days as overlords are over, Lordy! Someday women will stop making fun of men because men will be an obvious underclass. It's clearly starting to happen even in the traditional bastions of male power. Humor is actually one of those, and men for now seem to be holding their own. But many women I know are clever, funny, hilarious. Watch out guys! You'll be laughing to death. But don't worry too much. In humor there's always a place for the underdog.
Love it, Chuck. Someday it will be in bad taste to punch down at men!
Thank goodness I haven't heard a "blonde joke" in a long time. I like having the playing field leveled with humor and otherwise. Let's go after inequity in pay with humor, albeit biting humor. It's still happening under the radar.
I enjoyed the "they called you a feminist so I punched them out" cartoon as much this time than when I first saw it! Brilliant!
I love love love the cartoon with the little girl asking for a beauty app in exchange for being schooled in the Feminine Mystique. Hysterical. You know as much as men find humor in women, women humorists can return the favor. One of my most popular books, Why a Cat Is Still Better than a Man, (which I describe as "not male bashing, but cat enhancing,") ribs men because sometimes, men are just too too funny.
Men are funny! And I do love poking fun at women, too....
I remember the discussions around that absolutely awful “women aren’t funny” talk in the comedy world in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I was with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and Amy Poehler was one of the founders (and my incredible teacher) and her friend Tina Fey was often in the house, and there was an unstoppable team of female players on every team who were killing it. There was rightfully an angry, passionate thread that kept the pressure on the old habits to finally make overdue changes to the face, and faces, of comedy. The work goes on. 🙏🔥
It was horrible! I was teaching women's studies at Vassar when Christopher Hitchens said women aren't funny. Made for some great conversations. I LOVE Amy, and Tina. The work does go on! I am trying to keep that conversation going, as you know, with my film!
Indeed!
Absolutely love your cartoons here! Each of them made me LOL, in turn. Witty and poignant and delightful! Thank you, as always!
Thank you, Jack!
Mazel Tov on the opening of your exhibit. I wish I lived closer and could see it. It sounds great.
Thank you, Helen. It was great, and I'll post more about it soon.