Many female comedians are making their presence felt on television. We can see the lot of them making the audience of Saturday Night Live sit up take notice, and guffaw loudly in the process. These women present the complete package of punch lines and sarcasm to entertain any given audience.
Despite some of the insanely talented women in the world of comedy, the industry remains highly male-dominated. The men get better money and are more influential. However, female comedians are turning the tide, and below are some of these uber-talented women who are changing the landscape of comedy.
Aidy Bryant
Bryant joined Saturday Night Live in its 38th season and has kept her audience in splits since then. Some of her best acts include Tonker Bell, the coy co-host of Girlfriends Talk Show, and Lil Baby Aidy.
You’ll find Lil Baby Aidy crooning along with Back Home Ballers and Do It on My Twin Bed, some of the most outstanding performances on the show. Her comic acts have earned her nominations for two Emmys, and in 2019, she also became a part of Hulu’s Shrill.
Nasim Pedrad
After entertaining her audience for days, Pedrad left Saturday Night Live in 2014. She continued her comedic journey with some renowned TV series, like Mulaney, Scream Queens, and People of Earth.
Till 2018, Pedrad even had a recurring guest role on New Girl, an American comedy show, as Aly Nelson. She was also a part of Netflix’s comedy movie, Desperados, starring along with Heather Graham and Anna Camp.
Nicole Byer
Byer is an American comedian known for hosting gigs on Netflix’s Nailed It. She is also famous for sharing her opinion on MTV’s Girl Code. Her diverse interests motivated her to experiment and pull through with them. Hence, apart from doing stand-up comedy, she is also known for her podcasts, such as Why Won’t You Date Me?
Some of the other shows that tickled the audience’s funny bone were 30 Rock, The Good Place, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Her performances and ger hosting gigs earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program, and her stint in Nailed It.
Kate McKinnon
The Saturday Night Live comedian, McKinnon, joined the program in 2012 and made a mark with her impeccable comic timing. The Emmy winner impressed everyone with her role in the genre of sketch comedy. She has also been a part of several movies and her roles in Rough Night, Ghostbusters, The Spy Who Dumped Me, and Bombshell added to her popularity and fame.
Catherine O’Hara
O’Hara got off to a flying start with Toronto’s Second City comedy club as a part of an improv comedy troupe. Her next big leap was the Second City Television in 1976 which turned out to be the stepping stone to bigger and better things.
She also went on to star in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Waiting for Guffman. Her next big break came along when she played the role of Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. The sitcom became highly popular and she was back in the game. The show earned her countless nominations and awards including the Critics’ Choice for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
Paula Pell
Pell was largely content with behind the scene action at Saturday Night Live, mostly with her skill as a comedy writer. Most of her creations were largely successful such as the Spartan Cheerleaders, and Debbie Downer – played by Rachel Dratch.
Of course, her other many writing accomplishments include Bridesmaids and This Is 40. She became part of NBC’s A.P. Bio and also starred in the popular comedy film, Wine Country on Netflix, teaming with the other female comedy powerhouse talents including Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Tina Fey.
Lily Tomlin
Tomlin’s career as a stand-up comedian started as a performer for Off-Broadway, a professional theatre in Manhattan, in the 1960s. Her most famous portrayal has been as Frankie on Netflix’s show called Grace and Frankie. She starred in the show with other great actors such as Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen, and Sam Waterston. Her outstanding performance in the show helped her win countless awards and accolades.
Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson
The comedy duo lent their voices to 2 Dope Queens, the podcast that became popular enough to have earned an HBO special spanning four episodes a few years back. Williams also became a regular correspondent on The Daily Show and Robinson put her comic writing skills to good use with her books. Some of the famous titles penned down by Robinson include You Can’t Touch My Hair, and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay.
These actresses with their incredible comic timing prove that true talent knows no bar, and certainly no gender!