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Here's Why Iliza Shlesinger Has All Of Comedy Twitter In An Uproar

Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images.
If you're an avid follower of all things comedy, you'll know that there's something brewing on Twitter. If not, join in! It's fun, and everyone involved has a good sense of humor. It started with comedian Iliza Shlesinger, who has three specials on Netflix right now and a show on Freeform called Truth & Iliza. In an interview with Deadline, Shlesinger took aim at women who do comedy.
"I’m banging my head against the wall because women want to be treated as equals, and we want feminism to be a thing, but it’s really difficult when every woman makes the same point about her vagina, over and over," Schlesinger said. She added that she could "close her eyes" at the Improv and not be able to distinguish one woman's set from another's. She continued, "I think I’m the only woman out there that has a joke about World War II in my set."
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For the folks in the back, that's what you call "dragging an entire category of women." Shlesinger also helpfully explained that the reason Tina Fey is so successful is because her humor is "smart" and "men can laugh at it, too."
Comics on Twitter are equal parts enraged that Shlesinger would tear down other comedians and baffled by the absurdity of it all. Liza Treyger, who has performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers, didn't mince words. She wrote on Twitter, "I talk about my pussy and fucking and I'm a better stand up comedian than you will ever be. Save your money cause you a hack." She followed up that initial shot with a series of Tweets, all aimed at the interview.
Annie Lederman of MTV's Girl Code piped in with a cheeky admonishment.
Shlesinger tweeted Thursday night in defense of her interview, arguing that she "earned her opinion."
Not all clap backs were harsh — these women are all colleagues, remember? In response, comedian Sara Schaefer agreed that Shlesinger had a good "work ethic" and was "very talented." Schaefer was just confused as to why the comedian decided to drag the comedy community.
It's all a little bonkers. As many on Twitter have pointed out, Shlesinger made one giant pussy joke on Truth & Iliza when she dressed up like an actual vagina. Others are delighting in the fact that, hey, a lot of women comedians do tell World War II jokes. Some have even delivered pussy/Holocaust mashup jokes, because that's what Twitter is for.
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It's not just women comedians who are getting involved. This is Twitter — everyone's got a quip ready. Anthony Jeselnik's got one. Joel Kim Booster's got one. Even Ira Madison, culture critic and columnist, has something to say.
The best part about beefs in this community is that good comedy usually emerges. Schaefer said on Twitter that, in response to the controversy, she'll be arranging her own "pussy jokes" comedy show in the near future. If you're in L.A. or NYC and don't mind casual joking at the expense of the nether regions, should be up your alley.
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