Pull My Finger
Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2008
by Jackie Papandrew
Jackie Papandrew
As a professional columnist who writes on matters of pressing national importance that frequently involve food-thieving dogs and sanity-stealing teenagers, I sometimes have to deal with difficult people. These people typically share a common trait - they openly admit to being men.
One such brazen fellow contacted me recently to let me know that he did not believe I actually write my columns, suggesting I must employ the services of a male ghostwriter. "Your columns are too funny," he wrote. "And women aren't funny."
Now, understand that this backhanded compliment came from a man probably in urgent need of an eye exam who was looking at a picture of me taken by a professional photographer using all the latest photo-enhancing techniques after I'd gone through a multi-step procedure involving makeup and numerous hair-styling appliances. In other words, it was not representative of how I really look, especially first thing in the morning.
Anyway, this reader's chauvinistic comments really got my goat. But after I'd calmed down, retrieved said goat and put him (or her) back in my mental barn, I started thinking about gender differences in the appreciation of humor. And I did a little research. Turns out, it has been scientifically proven that men and women process "funny" differently. Some scientists with serious inclinations have done some serious scientific studies, and they have discovered that women appear to think a bit more about whether or not they find something amusing.
These serious scientific studies threw around a lot of brain lingo with some pre-frontal cortex mumbo-jumbo attached to it, but to boil it down, women were found to take some time to truly enjoy a comedic experience. Women like sharing narratives that create a bonding moment. If a woman has something funny to say, you should probably grab a seat because the punch line isn't coming for a while. Women laugh more at themselves and they don't do crude. We'd never ask someone to pull our finger.
Men, on the other hand, like making fun of everyone. They like one-liners and sucker punches that come with a sting. They consider bodily noises an art form, from the perfect armpit fart (which I'll admit does take some skill) to the loudest burp. Men are humor primitives - man hears joke, man thinks, "Oh, a joke," man laughs because, well, it's a joke. They don't have the attention span or the desire to wait for the rib-tickling to begin.
This ability to be easily amused is a wonderful quality for members of your audience to have if you are in the business of trying to make people laugh. It also explains the appeal of such nauseatingly stupid (from a female perspective) movies as the seemingly unending "Jackass" series.
But it renders the XY side of our species (AKA men) incapable of appreciating more sophisticated female funnies. That's why, as a professional humor columnist with a duty to tickle as many funny bones as possible - regardless of gender - I often write about simple things. It's also why, if one of my male readers actually laughs at one of my columns, he may be skeptical that it was written by a woman. And that is why men don't think women are funny. In the world of wit, we occupy different planes of existence.
I really am a girl, guys, and I really do write my own material. But in order to further my comedic career and appeal to the widest possible audience, I frequently try to think like a man. Pull my finger.
© Jackie Papandrew, All Rights Reserved
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Jackie, this is a great article. I have often thought that men process "funny" differently from women. Thanks for doing the research and telling us about it. For the record, my mother would often say, "Quick, pull my finger," and then just laugh and laugh. But in support of the research, my dad LOVED The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote and The Three Stooges. My mom, sister and I never really got his fascination. Thanks for a fun article.Thanks Dianne!! All the generations of men in my family loved that unbelievably stupid movie -- Dumb and Dumber. It's got to be a gender thing. I just don't get it.
Jackie, great article. It is true that men and women have a different view of "funny." However, I've always enjoyed your articles and found them quite humorous "despite" being a man! Maybe it's because I was a stay at home Dad for six years and I'm in touch with my feminine side!! Either way, keep up the great writing!Thanks James! I'm so glad you're able to overcome your gender disability and get my jokes!
Hi Jackie, While reading your article, my immediate thought was that the gender differences you discuss are because of those primitive, Neanderthal-types who whistle at woman--you know the type, guys who feel threatened by strong, intelligent, assertive women. I definitely don't fit into that category (I just checked this assumption with my wife and she agreed). But I must confess the following: I laugh quietly when someone trips (do women do this?)--to be honest, people tripping cracks me up (and I'm a psychologist for goodness sake; I shouldn't find people stumbling amusing!). I even chuckled when my wife tripped the other day. I guess these gender differences are more real than I imagined. Thanks for the interesting article.Thanks for reading my article, Richard! I guess even for a highly educated psychologist, it's still difficult to overcome that XY factor. I don't laugh at people tripping, but I do cry at every sappy movie on the Lifetime channel. I guess that's a woman thing...
Jackie, Yes, I agree. Obviously, there are always exceptions, and my sons thoroughly enjoy wit rather than slapstick, still there are many different things we find funny. I'm sure that man who wrote to you was from the lowest common denominator of men, and probably young. Often, men's humour-scope widens with age and things like Jackass lose their appeal. When I was a child, my brother loved to watch the Three Stooges, but I had to leave the room: I found it objectionable. Another, much older brother, convinced me I had no sense of humour but, as an adult, I see he was not only wrong but on an entirely different page - his humour involved nasty stings in the tail and personal barbs, but I like plays on words and clever surprises - which don't rely on hurting anyone. Hmm, you've given me an idea for an article! All that said, I thoroughly enjoyed your article, and it's humour.Glad to help generate ideas, Hannah! Thanks for reading my stuff!
hi jackie, very well written, humorous article that made me smile. i just happen to think men are oh, just let's move on to say i really enjoyed your article! best regards, sue thom
Thanks Sue! Glad you liked the piece...what would we do without the men? :)
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