As long as there have been women in comedy, there have been men saying that women aren’t funny — an assumption tackled head-on by the upcoming FX documentaryHysterical, making its debut this March during (the virtual) SXSW. “If there’s anyone left who still actually believes women aren’t funny, then that opinion is going to change,” director and executive producerAndrea Nevins(Still Kicking,Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie) said via email. “These women will make you laugh in all kinds of ways — at yourself, at their predicaments, at their honest self-evaluations. And, if you believe women aren’t finding success in comedy, that preconception will change as well.”
The film promises an intimate look at what it’s like to be a woman in the world of comedy, featuring comedians includingKelly Bachman,Margaret Cho,Fortune Feimster,Rachel Feinstein,Marina Franklin,Nikki Glaser,Judy Gold,Kathy Griffin,Jessica Kirson,Lisa Lampanelli,Wendy Liebman,Carmen Lynch,Bonnie McFarlane,Sherri Shepherd, andIliza Shlesinger.
Instrumental in bringing together that collection of comics was Kirson (The Comedian,Crashing,Bill Burr Presents Jessica Kirson: Talking to Myself), who is also an executive producer on the film. “Most of the women I pitched this documentary were eager to share the story of their journeys out of their deep respect for my producing partner,” Nevins said.
Kirson said via email that when she spoke to these women, “I told them about our ideas and our ultimate goals. I made it clear that it was very important to show that women are powerhouses on stage. The audience members will get to know us in a very personal way. Also, they will see how strong our relationships are and how we truly do support each other.”
Of course, there were some concerns, according to Nevins: “Some were still trepidatious because they really didn’t want to rehash the antiquated axiom that women aren’t funny. I assured them I wouldn’t, but at one point in the film, Iliza Shlesinger thinks I’m heading down that path, and she cuts me right off!”
Added Kirson, “it is ridiculous when people say that women aren’t funny. The truth is there are so many women that are funny on and off stage. A lot of people are threatened by that. We are powerful and we are the truth-tellers. We speak from our hearts.”
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Beyond challenging said antiquated axiom, Nevins noted that one thing she was able to capture inHystericalwas the feeling of community that exists amongst female comedians. “I was well aware going into makingHystericalthat sexism had long stifled the comedic voices of an entire gender. I also suspected, because it’s true in every industry, that it would likely be really hard for female comedians to advocate for one another because, so often, the competition was too fierce,” she said. “But I found that there is a crack in the glass ceiling, made a little wider by the gender reckoning of #MeToo, and telling that story was really gratifying.”
While Nevins is disappointed that this year’s SXSW will be virtual, she did note that the bright side is that “I don’t have to fly. I’m a nervous flyer.”
And Kirson noted another bright side: “For everyone who can’t make it to the actual festival, they can log online and watch the whole thing. I think it’ll open it up to a lot more people to be able to be a part of it.”
Hystericalmakes its SXSW debut this March, and will air on FX April 2nd. Check out our exclusive look at the film’s posters below.
