5 Reasons Why 2018 Will Be a Blockbuster Year for Women in Comedy

Just ask anyone—last year was a real doozy for women. From the government’s defunding of reproductive rights to the slashing of health benefits to the explosion of sexual harassment cases, women in America seemed to be under constant fire. But instead of buckling under society’s attempts to diminish and silence them, they found the necessary strength and resilience to reassert their natural power. As an embattled demographic, women have survived yet another rough storm of mistreatment and emerged fiercer, more determined—and yes, a whole lot funnier. In fact, it looks like 2018 may just be the breakout year we’ve been waiting for, the year of the woman, when the sheer power and size of the female experience will dominate comedy and perhaps even change it forever. Here are five reasons why:

1.     Struggle Is Funny. Despite its sheen of lightheartedness, the business of comedy depends in large part on the ability to face darkness with light. If you think about it, the best comedians can turn grief into glee by cajoling audiences into finding levity in otherwise serious matters. They use humor to exploit the hardness of reality and make life’s truths softer, friendlier, and easier to swallow. And as it stands right now, women in comedy are more well-equipped than ever to turn their struggles into success—by taking ownership of their strife and turning it into quality material.

2.     The Stage Is Set. Whereas women were once expected to abide by a code of appropriateness—avoiding brassy, catty, or unfeminine personas—their recent evolution has propelled them to a more elevated playing field of funny. This opportunity not only gives women the chance to take comedy up unexplored avenues of wit, but it also offers them a teaching moment in the larger conversation of what it means to be female. The lights have dimmed, and all eyes are on them. The chance to laugh in the face of misfortune is both cathartic and gratifying, which is why women in comedy are poised to snatch the attention of the world by showing them just how far they’ve come—and how far they are willing to go.

3.     No More Silence. The time for accepting the status quo is over, especially as it pertains to the lives of women. If the recent “#MeToo” movement has taught us anything, it’s that women are not going to be silent anymore. But in order to be heard, women must find platforms for speaking out, something comedy offers in spades. Using humor to place their struggles at the forefront of a global discussion is possibly one of the best ways women can engage others on tricky subjects like ignorance, misogyny, and sexism. And through laughter, female comics might just enlighten others on how to let go of past fears and move forward into a future of increased understanding and acceptance.

4.     Comedy Women Drive Innovation in the Genre. As part of a historically marginalized group, women have been pandering to a stale and rigid set of entertainment guidelines for decades. Their voices—along with their creativity and dynamic influence—have been continuously stifled by an industry whose origins date back to the early 20th century, when women were expected to accent the central roles of men and underplay their own narrative. Of course, this stereotype was occasionally tilted upside down by comedic figures like Moms Mabley and Lucille Ball; however, the dominant sketch of how women should appear in these roles was limited, to say the least. But despite these invisible boundaries, women in comedy continued to innovate, explore, and ultimately expand beyond the system to create fresher, more relevant styles of humor which they felt would appeal to modern audiences, always pushing the envelope and driving the new “normal” into unexplored territory. Women like Issa Rae from Insecure and Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson from Broad City—among many others—created their own comedic spaces through writing original material and directing their own web series before tapping into a larger following that allowed them to eventually write, direct, and star in their own television shows on major networks like HBO and Comedy Central.

Rather than waiting for permission to advance, women in comedy have made an inspiring show of their own power, using the tools of the 21st century to create their own personas, publish their own materials, and put their own narratives out there for audiences to enjoy.

5.     Their Real Momentum Is Gaining Major ‘Reel’ Time at the Box Office. Thanks to hits in the last 12 months alone – three of the top five highest grossing comedy films featured women-led casts – the industry itself has no choice but to become more fearless and dynamic, ushering in new perceptions on subjects like independent women having fun all their own, marriage/motherhood, and female sexuality. Girls Trip was the highest-grossing comedy in 2017 with A Bad Moms Christmas at #3 and Pitch Perfect 3 coming in at #4 on the list. Plus, the women-led comedy feature film debuts in 2018 are already in theater pipelines – from Ocean's 8 to The Spy Who Dumped Me, Women in Business, and I Feel Pretty, to name a few – this is going to be an incredible year for redefining what’s funny!

The time is now for women to grab comedic roles that shake off the cardboard stereotypes of frumpy best friend, jealous wife, or brainless pretty girl and embrace those that offer more meaningful displays of female intellect and emotion. The bottom line proves its market worthiness. The cultural landscape is hungry for it. And the world’s audiences are demanding it.

About the Author: A graduate of the master’s screenwriting program at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, Kathy Berardi is a film producer, writer and brand storyteller. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @kathyaberardi. 

Photo Credits: ? ALDECAstudio stock.adobe.com / ? Djordje Radosevic stock.adobe.com / ? elnariz stock.adobe.com / ? Jacob Lund stock.adobe.com