“Oh No, a Woman Comic!?”

People ask me A LOT what it’s like to be a woman comic in a male-dominated field like stand-up comedy. And I truly have to say, for the most part, it’s okay. Sure, there are jerks, but the guys who are jerks to me are pretty much jerks to ALL comics, regardless of gender.?

But one of the most irritating things about being a woman comic is

the PERCEPTION that we’re not funny. If I have a bad show, I feel like I’m bombing for EVERY woman out there. The audience doesn’t think this way about male comics. If he bombs, and another guy comes up, the audience is just happy for a new comic – they don’t automatically think he’s? going to be terrible like the last guy.?

The other perception is that all female comics

are dirty—which I’m not. These two perceptions make some people dread seeing a woman comic.??

I once walked up to the front of a theater and saw a group standing there, looking at my picture. One woman sighed and said, “Oh, darn. There’s a woman comic. I really don’t like women comics.”?

I was standing right behind them. So I piped up,

“Hey, we’re not all that bad!”?

The group turned around, and the woman who had said it looked mortified. I just kept walking into the showroom.?

I made a note of where they sat. Then, when I took the stage, I

had a killer set. Every time a joke hit, I turned in their direction and smirked. Of course, I couldn’t actually see them because of the stage lights, but they didn’t know that. I made it a point to spend my 45 minutes taunting them.?

Something similar happened years earlier at the Comedy Castle in

Royal Oak, Michigan. I had a great show, and afterward, as I walked through the showroom, a group called me over to their table.?

“We have to apologize,” they said. “When we saw there was a woman on the show, we

all turned to each other and said, ‘This is going to be terrible.’ But you were great! We feel bad about it.” I appreciated them acknowledging their misjudgment.?

I love when I can surprise people and dispel the myth that women aren’t great comics—but I hate that I HAVE to.?Next time you go to ANY performance, leave your preconceived notions at the door. Just see what the performers have to offer first! You might find out it’s better than you imagined.?

Jan McInnis is a Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Comedy Writer, and Master of Ceremonies. She has written for Jay Leno’s Tonight Show monologue as well as many other people, places, and groups – radio, TV, syndicated cartoon strips, and even guests on the Jerry Springer show (her parents are proud). For 20+ years she’s traveled country as a keynote speaker and comedian sharing her unique and practical tips on what business leaders can learn from comedians (no, it’s not all about telling jokes). She can be reached at www.TheWorkLady.com, or [email protected]? She’s also a GREAT Master of Ceremonies. Click here for her emcee site?

Some of the stories in this newsletter are taken from Jan’s popular book:?

Convention Comedian: Stories and Wisdom From Two Decades of Chicken Dinners and Comedy Clubs.??

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