To say dudes dominate comedy is a sweeping generalization, but one that is, well, kind of true. Sarah Schneider, one of two female staff writers for the fraternity boy-tailored CollegeHumor.com, wrote an article in January about the lack of funny content helmed by the fairer sex. Among her statistics, she found that of the 15 sitcoms currently airing on primetime television, only three were created by women.

 

‘Are women intimidated by the lack of women in comedy and therefore don’t see the possibility of their own success? A self-fulfilling prophecy, where women don’t see other women succeeding, so they don’t try themselves, so they then aren’t able to succeed?’ Schneider demands in the column (followed by a couple of appropriately placed expletives).

 

The women who do make it in the boys’ club tend to stand resilient, making their success seem like a hard-won exception and not the rule for everyone else (i.e. Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in ’30 Rock,’ goddess of wit and compulsive snacking on Mexican Cheetos). But that shouldn’t stop women from trying. ‘The bottom line is … if more women put themselves out there as comedy writers, then more successful comedy writers are going to be women,’ Schneider said.

 

One way to do it is to follow a formula that works, not through the usual romantic comedy that comes built in with a female audience satisfied by one glimpse of Matthew McConaughey. Taking a cue from the bro-tastic plot of ‘The Hangover,’ actress Kristen Wiig of ‘Saturday Night Live’ co-wrote the upcoming movie ‘Bridesmaids,’ the trailer for which was released last week. Replace beer, boobs and fart jokes with … oh hey! Beer, boobs and fart jokes!

 

The strung-out storyline of wedding planning takes a turn for the delightfully crass in this film about a bride-to-be and her wacky group of girlfriends, directed by Paul Fieg (creator of stoner-comedy pioneer ‘Freaks and Geeks’). ‘Bridesmaids’ even includes a bachelorette party to Las Vegas, the city of sin and reliably outrageous shenanigans.

 

And though it seems to play off the sad, single-girl trope – making jabs at Wiig as the dateless maid of honor – other comical moments appear gender neutral or have a feminine twist that would still appeal to reluctant boyfriends in the theater. I also wasn’t kidding about the fart jokes. Involuntary release of bodily gas is always a cause for great amusement, especially when it’s followed up by a sheepish Melissa McCarthy admitting, ‘I’m not even confident of which end that came out of.’

 

So do funny women have to resort to masculinity to be acknowledged? Funny is funny – whether it’s smart or slapstick – and there’s no reason for humor to be separated by gender. In his 2007 Vanity Fair article, ‘Why Women Aren’t Funny,’ Christopher Hitchens attributes humor to be something men are required to have, while women just have to appreciate the opposite sex’s foolish but valiant attempts to make them laugh. He also states women are simply too sensitive: The indecent but hilarious tragedies of life, usually involving anatomical parts, are not topics women usually like to tease or be teased about.

 

I, for one, beg to differ. I find erectile dysfunction as ripe for ripping on as the next guy who snickers at the quip. At the same time, he’s probably silently praying he won’t be the poor unfortunate soul at the other end of that joke in 30 years. So while the male population continues to paint us as emotional saps who get weepy at weddings, commercials, bad haircuts and just because we’re so happy, it’s time to get on the offensive and start being offensive. Let’s go, ladies – balls out.