Love and hate the 8th of march…

PASCALE LÉVESQUE/QMI AGENCY
Silvi Tourigny.

Christelle Paré

Thursday, march 8, 2018 08:05

UPDATE
Thursday, march 8, 2018 08:09

Look at this article

The 8 march is a funny feast for the women in the industry of humour. A party that you love and you hate.

We like it because it is the time of year where the phone rings more for many of them. All of a sudden, companies and groups want to learn more about them, and desire that they come to a conference, a number : “there is not a lot of women comedians, then they must have life trajectories that demonstrate courage, perseverance, boosted values feminists ! “.

It is true that they are the interlocutors dreamed. They are excellent communicators and incredibly funny ! It always passes very well in a program for the Day of the Woman. So, companies, PLEASE, continue to call !

However, we do not like the fact that the phone rings more rarely, the remainder of the year, from the 9th to the 7th of march of the following year, they fall for several in their status of second zone. As if they would be the one day per year… and when you go back in the very old debate on why there are not enough women in comedy.

Today, I’m going to talk to some of them, those who are still young in the business, because they are so much more than the “poster girls” of 8 march !

Moms

I’m going to talk to you about Émilie Ouellette, Silvi Tourigny, Gabrielle Caron, Nadine Massie and Melanie Couture, who are the first female comedians to have taken the risk of having children during their career. Yes ! Because Lise Dion has had her children before getting on the boards, and that the Claudine Mercier and other Marie-Lise Pilot have made the choice not to start a family… for reasons that are their own.

Mélanie Couture

Photo courtesy, Josée Charland

Having a child in showbusiness, this is something to consider ! As Mélanie Couture stated last summer at the congress of the International Society for Humor Studies, some of the agents you stick to your pregnancy for years to come : “As an artist ? Oh no, she is definitely not available, she was pregnant with the latest news ! “… there were three years of it ! And hop ! It disappeared of the radar !

A man who has a child ? Sure it slows down its pace, if he wants to. But a comedian can go on stage the next day that his wife has given birth. For a woman,… let’s say that despite all the good will in the world, the body does not allow it.

Emily, Silvi, Gabrielle, Nadine and Melanie are professional of humor. They are earning their living from their art, They are not a fortune, but they live. And they testify that the times are changing. Of course this is not always easy, but it is coming !

Among others, all five have expressed to bring or to have brought their offspring to work meetings when they are breastfeeding – because, no ! There is no real maternity leave for 12 months in the entertainment industry. It’s done, but it is at risk to be forgotten…

All five have shared have male colleagues are very supportive and generous. Some of them offering to change places in the alignment of a comedy so that they can go home earlier if they needed it. They also mentioned managers and producers to small-care, that have encouraged, they have promised not to let them fall and have kept their promise.

Emilia, in her case, as an independent artist, has made his family a source of creation rather cost-effective. Not only she is an author on several programs that work well (The Parent, family Councils, among others), but she has created her own show, to give Birth to laughter, which is appreciated by several new parents across Canada.

In other words, the future seems more open to the reality of women and work-family balance in humour, and that, that is excellent news ! This is not perfect yet, but there are big improvements.

The casseuses taboos

We live in a beautiful era in terms of content and comedy. For a long time it was said to the women of the humor that they were “the humor of “girls” or that they déguisaient in guys if they sacraient on stage or talking about topics at the bottom of the belt. And it was all compliments ! Think of Cathy Gauthier and the many times she has defended her style !

Now, who would blame anything to Mariana Mazza or Virginie Fortin ? Mélanie Couture or Mélanie Ghanimé ? The girls also have the right to talk about sex without being judged as “bad girls” ! If Amy Schumer speaks of sodomy in English, why Mariana would not have the right to speak of blowjob in French ? We are not so prudish as that, in Quebec, non ?

Jocelyn Malette

Humorists in quebec are also anecdotes of poor fucks, one-night stands, sex-ethyl with their lovers to tell. And it is really REALLY funny ! And this is not just funny for the girls ! I’ve seen men get slapped on the thighs to performances by Mélanie Couture and Mélanie Ghanimé, Mariana Mazza and Virginie Fortin ! Often, they are the ones who laugh the loudest !

And what a delight to hear the content of the social and political mordants in women !!! Do you remember the numbers Kim Lizotte on Jean Charest in 2012 ?!? It was difficult to be as to the point. And now, she gives us The Simone ! You go, girl !

And the list does not stop !

And there are many others ! Young talented as Josiane Aubuchon (comedian), Maude Morissette (comedian), Maude Landry (comedian), Rosalie Vaillancourt (comedian), Marie-Lyne Joncas (comedian), Marie-Ève Saucier (author), Justine Phillie (author), Julie Dignard (stage director), Odrée Rousseau (author), Coconut Belliveau (comedian) and so, so, so much more !!!! Without counting those who have paved the way and those who are on the benches of the national School of humour in this moment !

One of the women in comedy ! They may be even less numerous than the men, but it has and evil good !

My desire to here at the march 8, 2019 : that their phone is ringing more often, and all year long !