Specifically, stop asking Kristen Wiig about women in comedy.
She’s on the press circuit to promote her new film, Nasty Baby. Kristen plays a woman helping her gay friends to have a baby – the movie’s already received an award for focusing on LGBTQ issues. Spoiler alert, though: a twist very near the end will surprise and shock you, as it did when I accidentally read it trying to find out more about this film. Oops.
In interviews, the question about female comedians is apparently coming up again and again. You’d think that such an unusual film would prompt some more imaginative questions, but no. The original question references no less than 3 other female-led movies (Bridesmaids, Spy and Trainwreck).
Kristen’s response to this, however, has been golden, as reported by The Cut:
“I think the fact that people keep asking it implies that it’s something we need to explain or defend. If [people] would watch movies or look at comedy and see how many talented, funny women are out there and have been since the beginning of time, people would stop asking that. The other side of it is we’re still not there as far as opportunities. But people are doing the work.”
That quote’s from an interview with the LA Times. It’s not the only part of the transcript that’s worth repeating. Just get this:
“Some people said some really not nice things about the fact that there were women [in Ghostbusters]. It didn’t make me mad, it just really bummed me out. We’re really honoring [sic] those movies.”
Ouch. Who says women can’t catch some ghosts? Or a break?
