Culture is a direct reflection of what is going on in society, and as female comics are now getting far more media exposure than ever before, we’re getting used to seeing women being funny on a regular basis. This opens up the possibilities for women from all walks of life to be braver about using their innate sense of humour both in their public and private lives.
I’m not suggested that we wisecrack our way around the boardroom, but we can afford to be more confident about being entertaining, even in a professional environment. We are no longer obligated to ‘put up and shut up’ and, as women have increasingly become more powerful in public life, this opens things up for us to be more open and natural in our presentation style.
Despite this, a lot of women remain frightened to use humour and when asked about what I do for a living, a regular response is ‘Oh I could never do stand-up’ or ‘I’m not funny’. There is a biological reason for this. Humour is a natural part of the male armoury and has its roots in sexual behaviour.
An ugly man can laugh a woman into bed, but it doesn’t usually work the other way round! In the animal kingdom the male encourages the female to throw her head back in an act of submission during mating rituals, revealing her neck, one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. When a man makes a woman laugh and she throws her head back in hysterics he is unleashing basic animal instincts, in both sexes. So yes, all those male executive are just trying to get into your knickers with their terrible jokes!
Our female behaviour also changes around men, and vice versa. It’s all part of the great game of sexual politics and men continue to believe they have the upper hand when it comes to boardroom hierarchy – I’ve been told several versions of the same story about how the only woman at the boardroom table being asked the make the coffee!
As well as all the pressure from men in the workplace and beyond, women do a great job of intimidating each other and are not always as supportive as we would expect. This is because it has taken a long time to reach the famous glass ceiling and not all women are prepared to share the spoils of breaking through with their female counterparts. Once you’ve got past that, there is much to be engendered in terms of power and performance from those who do succeed.
Stand up is one of the most revealing and fundamental forms of entertainment because you are presenting an enhanced version of your true self on stage which comes more naturally to men. By learning about some of the techniques that stand up comedians use to develop their stage presence and material, in a supportive environment without the distractions or competition of the opposite sex, you can explore the power of using humour.
I believe that everybody has got a story to tell and that we all possess the ability to be funny. Kids and animals are ceaselessly funny because they lack inhibition but we pick up bad habits through social and cultural conditioning. Where men and women work together there is a natural hierarchy and the man who tells the jokes is often a ‘good bloke’ or seen as a bit of a mate by his colleagues. A woman on the other is seen as ‘aggressive’ or even a bit strange if she tries to get a laugh!
The truth is that women don’t always tell set piece jokes so much as funny stories; it’s the hunter gatherer legacy. Women were left around the campfire and used their storytelling skills to pass away the hours while the men were off enjoying the thrill of the hunt, no doubt sharing a few one-liners along the way!
So let’s treat the boardroom table a bit like the campfire and tell a few funny stories in our own unique feminine way. It’s a proven fact that businesses which give femininity the same status as masculinity thrive – they are happier places to work, more nurturing and encouraging to both sexes. Male comics like having funny women alongside them on stage, and the workplace is more productive when women have their say – make a point with humour as well as accumulated knowledge and you will get noticed.
Lynne Parker
Funny Women runs monthly Stand Up to Stand Out workshops in London and offers bespoke training to female business executives. For more information call 020 948 4444 or email info@funnywomen.com Check HERE for more information about Workshops, Challenges and Bespoke Events for business.
The Funny Women 10th Anniversary Charity Challenge takes place at the Grange St Paul’s Hotel, City of London on Thursday 8th March, International Women’s Day. 10 business women perform stand up for the first time in their lives in support of 10 charities, and supported by 10 women’s networks. The show is hosted by television presenter Kate Garraway. For more information visit our Challenge pages HERE.
