Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
Prepare yourselves to be appalled and disgusted. Apparently, there are still people out there who think that women can't be as funny as men. Yes, we know, we thought the same thing: "Is this debate still happening?" But, thanks to off-color comments from a Variety critic, the issue is back in our collective consciousness. While reviewing Sarah Silverman's new HBO special We Are Miracles, Brian Lowry said that as a woman, she shouldn't be "as dirty as the guys."
In fact, to make matters worse, his article is not-so-aptly titled Sarah Silverman's Bad Career Move: Being As Dirty As The Guys. In other words, this wasn't just a slip of the tongue; the writer set out to lambast Silverman for not being ladylike enough for his taste. He goes on to claim that the comedian is limiting herself by "appearing determined to prove she can be as dirty and distasteful as the boys," and that her main career-friendly gift is her appearance.
By the end of the "review," Lowry had failed to do just that: review. Instead, he spent the entirety of the article picking apart every aspect of the comedian's taste and personality, and never gets down to the details about the quality of the show. We totally understand the fact that not everybody has to like Sarah Silverman — her brand of humor, as with every comedian, is an acquired taste. But, it's simply offensive to imply that her gender should have any bearing on her jokes or stage presence. She's not trying to be one of the guys — she's just being who she is.
We're not going to pretend that this phenomenon is anything new, though. Comedians have been taking jabs and judgments for an eternity now. But, when it comes to dishing out these sexist remarks, we'd expect them more from obscure bloggers or conservative talking heads, and not experienced editors at reputable institutions. Color us disappointed, and a little bit dejected. (Defamer)