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Christopher Hitchens: As Right About Women As He Is About Iraq

Posted by Katie Halper, Take Part at 5:46 AM on March 10, 2008.


Hitchens makes the incredibly unoriginal, sexist observation that "women aren't funny."

Dear Hamilton Nolan & Gawker:

I want to thank you for your post supporting Christopher Hitchens' claim that women aren't funny. I also I want to apologize for not writing sooner, but between getting my bikini line waxed, shopping, trying, in vain to be funny, and dealing with PMS, I had no time -- and was in no shape -- to write anything. But I want to thank you for having the testosterone-drenched you-know-whats to say what nobody else, besides Christopher Hitchens and lots of men, will say: women comics suck! And Christopher Hitchens rocks! Responding to the unfunny and boring and (I know, this is redundant) female-written Vanity Fair article "Who Says Women Aren't Funny,"

The problem they [female comics] have is they often talk about things that women can relate to--relationships with men, babies, periods, shopping, love. As a man, I can't relate to all that. That puts women comics at a distinct disadvantage when trying to win over me and my fellow men. This is obvious day, right here.

THANK YOU! I can't STAND when Sarah Silverman talks about her babies! Oh, right she doesn't have any, but I bet if she did she wouldn't shut up about them. And Tina Fey, can you please stop talking about your period? I mean, I haven't heard her talk about it, but she's a woman and it happens once a month -- I know, TMI, sorry :( -- and when it does we're really emotional and irrational and out of control. So I bet even if Tina Fey didn't want to talk about her period, it would literally be biologically impossible for her to stop herself from talking about her hormones and her feelings.?And I too wonder why "girls," as you call us, bother getting their frilly pink panties all up in a bunch over Christopher Hitchens. I love your point that:

Chris [that is SOOOO cool that you call him by his nickname!] Hitchens is a brilliant, repugnant slob of a man, and any argument he makes should be taken as one from a male point of view. For him to say that women aren't funny is for him to say that they're not funny to him, a man.

THANK YOU! That reminds me of when the PC Nazis spit up their fair trade soy organic lattes over my occasional harmless observations about black people's inferior intelligence. See, I'm a brilliant, appealing, slob of a white person, and any argument I make should be taken as one from a white point of view. For me to say that black people aren't that smart is for me to say that they're not smart to me, a white person. So take a chill pill ladies... and black people.

Digg!

Katie Halper is a co-founder of Laughing Liberally, a political comedy group, with whom she performs regularly. Katie is also an Artistic Director and Comedy Curator at The Tank, a non-profit performing arts space for emerging artists.


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That Chris Hitchens doesn't have rollicking fun larf-fests with the gels
Posted by: wagadog on Mar 10, 2008 6:06 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...doesn't surprise me.

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This piece would be more effective if it made me laugh.
Posted by: Beastly on Mar 10, 2008 6:43 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just sayin'.

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This isn't funny:
Posted by: motamanx on Mar 10, 2008 6:45 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
..it's a self-fulfilling prophecy

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» RE: This isn't funny: Posted by: herronsmith
Dear Christopher
Posted by: maxfactor on Mar 10, 2008 7:11 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
same observation over here.

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stormy7
Posted by: dpodlogar on Mar 10, 2008 9:13 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
why are men so afraid to accept the fact that woman are superior beings in so many ways. oh yea, now i remember. their brains are in their dicks.

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» RE: stormy7 Posted by: Vik
His Dinner with Andrea...
Posted by: goldmarx on Mar 10, 2008 9:27 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I guess that dinner that Hithchens had with Andrea Dworkin years ago celebrating the Iraq War must have gotten to his perpetually drunked head.

He must think that all women are like Dworkin, who once quipped, "I'm a radical feminist, not the fun kind."

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Christopher Hitchens
Posted by: indepentent on Mar 10, 2008 10:52 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I saw a male comedian last week...he wasn't funny. All he talked about is how to be a player. Many negative jokes about women.

NOT FUNNY!
So by Christopher Hitchens thought process there are no funny male comedians!

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Hitchens is provocative because,,,
Posted by: Doubtom on Mar 10, 2008 11:37 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
,,as a very intelligent individual, he finds much about which to be provocative. I admire his candor about religion and that alone puts him in a very advanced group as far as intelligence goes.

I do not accept his position on the Iraq war but I will listen attentively to what points he makes precisely because he is intelligent enough not to be taken in by the organized bullshit that is religion. Beyond his obvious intelligence, there is the courage to publicly announce his atheism which few others have matched.

Given the above, his views on women are apt to be well thought out and devoid of the usual tributes to their egos. On balance, women are far more complimented by this society than ridiculed or reviled.

Someday there may be "equality" between the sexes but it will require that women willingly step down from that pedestal and not simply defend their perch from predatory males who can see the silliness of the game in which the bulk of women are willing participants.

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Thebigkate
Posted by: Thebigkate on Mar 10, 2008 1:11 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It is very sad to me to see how sick Christopher Hitchens has become with his advanced alcoholism! I pay no attention to what comes out of his mouth, because I think he is so deteriorated and not thinking clearly. He no longer speaks--but gives drunkalogues! I hope some of his friends and family do an intervention with him and get him to help before it is too late. Or, perhaps they have already tried and failed.

In any event, I cannot make seriously critical remarks about somebody who is as obviously ill as Christopher Hitchens. He needs our compassion and help--and a BIG push into treatment if he is to find his voice again!

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» RE: Thebigkate Posted by: Doubtom