Comediennes: Laugh Be a Lady

By Darryl J. Littleton and Tuezdae Littleton

(Applause Books). It wasn't until the 10th century that women were allowed to perform, and then only in rare incidences. Like many art forms, female comedy got its start in the church and expanded to stage, radio, film, and television. For the longest time, it has been believed that women aren't funny. The stories within these pages will not only debunk that myth but will make you wonder how it ever got started in the first place. Women of all races have not only taken center stage in comedy, but in many cases, have dominated it. This book thoroughly explores the genre. Comediennes: Laugh Be a Lady chronicles the evolution of the humor through the research of Darryl and Tuezdae Littleton and the scores of interviews they conducted with veteran female performers from all mediums, as well as Tuezdae's own experiences as a comedienne. Startling facts are revealed and tributes are paid to the icons of yesteryear by the titans of today in their own words and sentiments. Women have always made us laugh, from their outrageous characters, pratfall humor, cutting barbs, clever wit and unforgettable side-splitting moments. Their "herstory" has only just begun.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hal Leonard LLC
• Release date: Sep 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781480329744

Reviews for Comediennes

[davidwineberg · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Comediennes surprised me in a couple of ways. The first surprise came right in the foreword, where the authors offered a French definition instead of an American one. The French use the word comédien for actor, and thereby left the authors the whole universe of American actresses to put in the category of comedienne. The result is long paen to Hattie McDaniel, whose deathless comedy is completely unknown to anyone, but not a single word on Jean Harlow, the anti-bimbo blonde bombshell of the same era. Or Claudette Colbert. Not a breath. Yet we get profiles of Sophie Tucker and Josephine Baker, whom I would never have considered comediennes until this. Far too many of the so-called comediennes in the book are actresses who executed their lines funny, but were not necessarily funny entertainers. Certainly not comediennes - in the American meaning, which I assume Americans would expect when they buy the book.The second surprise was that the authors completely missed the turning point. Yes it was tough to be woman in comedy. By some measures it actually got worse as more media (radio, tv) were added to the vaudeville/stage mix. But women in comedy hit an alltime sub-basement low with the release of the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in 1963. It brought together most of the great comedians of the time, from the ancient Buster Keaton, to the breakout Jonathan Winters - and a couple of dozen in between. It was a work of love, an announced tribute to the past 50 years of Hollywood comedies. But on the female side - zilch. Not one comedienne. The two females in the film were Dorothy Provine and Ethel Merman. The clear message: women were not funny. From that world class insult sprang veritable flocks of women comics, a process still flowering. Call it revenge, call it a slingshot, call it a rebound - but the Littletons don't call it at all.I learned a lot about a lot of comics in Comediennes. It's a collection of bios and credits. It's all here in one place. But I found it odd that the grand dame of comediennes turns out to be .... Betty White? She's the only one who gets her own chapter. Not Lucy, not MTM, not Lily. Just Betty White. Only three comediennes rate actual interviews: Myra J, Nora Dunn, and Loni Love. You are forgiven if you instinctively thought "Who?" The real powerhouses of the craft, who can fill a hall just by announcing a date - Rita Rudner, Elayne Boosler, Phyllis Diller - get respectful mention but nothing more. For some reason black and latina sitcom actresses get two whole chapters, but I don't think they'd fill a hall if they all pitched in together. So the book seemed a little off kilter to me. But then, it is about comedy.My favorite part was the appendix, where the comediennes got to speak for themselves. There is some insight there. For me, the last word goes to Cocoa Brown who explains it this way:Comedy is a jealous boyfriend I like to call Ike 'cause it beats the hell out of you every day, but I love it just the same.If they put that on the cover, I'd buy it - but it would still be inadequate.

[howifeelaboutbooks · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a very cohesive book on comediennes, dating back to the beginning of stage productions. It's interesting to read the history (or as the authors call it, herstory) of females in comedy, but it is a lot to tackle in one book. Many of the early profiles are spotty, which is fine because certainly it's hard to find information on some of these ladies. However, that pattern continued later into the book, with some comediennes having a short paragraph that didn't give too much information. Things were unbalanced because other comediennes would have incredibly long profiles, or entire chapters dedicated to them. I understand some women are more well-known or accessible, but I wish they had been the focus, rather than cramming in a lot of information about others when there wasn't much to say. Overall, the book was informative and interesting, but I think if the scope was narrowed to certain women in comedy, it could have been more effective and well-done. I would have been just as excited about the concept if it profiles X number of women by telling their history herstory and a sampling of their humor so I could follow up with my own research.