Congratulations to Marina Franklin

Seeing as she is three things this blog loves (hilarious, from Chicago, a woman), Wisecrack has previously big-upped Marina Franklin on several occasions for her continued commitment to awesome. So it was with that thrill of excitement/arrogance that comes when the rest of the world realizes something you always knew to be true that we read that Ms. Franklin will be working as a "comic correspondent" on Jay Leno's new show.

From Chicago Now:

Chicago is killing the game, comedy-wise of late. First, Hannibal Buress -- local stand-up star-- gets the call to join "SNL" to be a writer.

Now, we've gotten word that Marina Franklin, another Windy Town native, has landed a gig on the new "Jay Leno Show." She, along with a list of comics including DL Hughley, will serve as a comic correspondent on the show that debuts on Sept. 14.

Yessssss. I'm pretty dubious about the prospects of Leno's new show, especially considering that it's a big fuck-you to Conan O'Brien, and also that Leno's a huge hack, but with Franklin on board, there's a chance it could actually be worth watching. Plus, good for her and all that.

Here's Franklin on YouTube:




Thanks to Chicago Now.

Weekend Wuv: Marina Franklin

Just For Laughs will be hitting the Windy City later on this month.  Making the homecoming journey will be Chicago's own Marina Franklin (her performance schedule). 

A veteran of Last Comic Standing, and the Chappelle Show, Franklin's most recently featured in the standup documentary "The Awkward Kings" which premiered in NY last weekend:

Have a safe weekend, everybody.

Letter from the Editor- 101st Posting: Wisecrack Goes Meta

How about that?  100 posts.  Bust out the Boone's Farm, this calls for a toast.

Conversations about gender and humor happen all the time. Especially if you're a comedienne. Doubly so, if you're a feminist comedienne. Scholars like Regina Barreca and the late Nancy A. Walker have published many books on the subject; these conversations aren't anything new.  We'd just like to bring them beyond the bus ride after improv rehearsal, into the public sphere... the one in your laptop.  

Have we done it? Well, we haven't exactly gone viral. But we do have a steady stream of regular visitors and a healthy core of writers, campus liaisons, and allies.  We've sniffed out our own and discovered that at least half a dozen people hold degrees in comedy and gender studies.  And through hours of dedicated "web research," we've stumbled upon the likes of Marina Franklin, Amy Andersen, Garfunkel and Oates, and many, many other incredibly talented comedians. 

Perhaps most importantly, we've created a space to reclaim feminism in the context of comedy... or is it comedy in the context of feminism? (Cue mind explosions.) Either way, we've created a space where the marriage of feminism and comedy can simultaneously be taken seriously and thoroughly enjoyed. We hope to continue dispelling myths of feminism along the way, as well as encouraging greater intelligence, truth, awareness and intentionality in Comedy At Large. (That's right. It's our sneaky little agenda: World Comedy Domination via open letters to Lourne Michaels.)

We're slowly learning from our mistakes- no more blue text on a black background, I promise. As we mature, we hope to make the space more interactive and inclusive. If you have ideas, feedback, complaints or props, please consider this a solicitation (either respond in comments, or email wisecrackzine AT gmail DOT com). Lastly, we're disappointed by the lack of hate mail we've received. We take it as a sign that we're not saying juicy enough things. We'll try to step it up.

In the words of Lily Tomlin, "We're all in this together, by ourselves."

To the next 100 posts...   

Thanks for reading.  

An Open Letter to Lorne Michaels

Dear Lorne,

I was watching an old episode of SNL the other day, one with Maya Rudolph playing Donatella Versace (a classic), and got to thinking about the gender and race of SNL performers. I did a little research.

Of the 35 seasons of SNL and 122 cast members, 31 have been women. And just a mere four have been female minorities. That's pathetic.

Why so few women? You don't seem to subscribe to the belief that women aren't funny. SNL has been home to many top female comedians of this time. Maybe you just don't know enough female comedians. For your sake, let me offer some suggestions.

My Comedian Wish List for SNL:

* Wanda Sykes - A sketch veteren with The Chris Rock Show; granted, she's about to have her own show, so you probably missed the boat.

* Kim Wayans - Wayans has 5 seasons of In Living Color under her belt.

* Christina Anthony - Second City: check.

* Frangela - It's a two for one and in these tough economic times, that's a comic deal! (Granted, they don't really do sketch, but they would be a welcome addition to the lineup. They would make great anchors for Weekend Update!)

* DSI Comedy grads - Bring a little southern charm to SNL! I can vouch for them, I've seen plenty of their shows and my funny bone was tickled without remorse.

*Marina Franklin- Another Chicago gem, also a Last Comic Standing and Chappelle Show alum.

*Melissa Vellasenor- Have you seen this girl's impression reel?

*Garfunkel & Oates - Cooler than sliced bread, with an already large fan base. Large fan base means more viewers, which is really what you want, Lorne. (Oh yeah. I can speak "biz.")

These are just a few suggestions and I know I've left out a lot of people. If you need more women comedians, check out our list on the left-side column of the blog.

Basically, there's really no excuse for the dismal representation of hilarity of the female kind on SNL. You are missing out on a huge demographic and the endless possibilities of new sketches.

Lorne, I know how much you like Kenan Thompson playing Oprah. But don't let it stop you from casting more women. Keep SNL cutting-edge. Feature more ladies.

Yours truly,
Lauren