Life

This Dude Mansplained Comedy To A Female Comedian

by Megan Grant

Note: When you're on a date with a woman, it's probably best not to repeatedly insult her and her career field. That's exactly what happens during this joyous date, when the guy mansplains comedy to a female comedian and tells her that female comedians are typically ugly. They instantly fell love and were later engaged. Kidding!

The awkward date appears on the show First Dates, which follows single people looking for love. Russell and comedienne Kelly sit down at a beautiful restaurant; but things turn sour when he pitches in his own two cents on female comedians. Actually, that's a lie — they start off sour when he sits down and says, "For a comedienne, you look hot." Wait... what? Is there a thing with female comedians being ugly? Apparently; and don't worry — he explains this to Kelly, because she's a female comedian and they're not that smart either: "Female stand-up comedians. They're not usually that attractive. They're quite fat." Hm. Interesting. (And also launching an essay's worth of people using the word "fat" as an insult or ascribing it to attractiveness, but that's for another day.) Oh, and if you don't remember the last time we reduced male comedians to their appearances, it's because we usually just don't in general. Also, one must be thin and conventionally attractive to be funny, apparently.

In case there were any uncertainties regarding his feelings toward comediennes, he continues, "Men are usually funnier." They're probably also smarter and less driven by their emotions, too. *eye roll*

Takeaway: women suck. To really put the nail in the coffin, Russell asks what Kelly's comedy is like, telling her, "Right now, it's pretty shit." In a statement that 10 out of 10 women will disagree with, he adds, "I should be the comedian."

Oh, stop flattering her, Russell.

Aside from being a female comedian, Kelly clearly also has the patience of a saint, because she remains polite although clearly looks uncomfortable and taken aback. In between the mansplaining and insulting, though, she manages to get a few of her own thoughts in, telling Russell his jokes aren't funny and pointing out that she has gigs every night of the week. Translation: she doesn't need some random guy telling her about her job, and she's quite good at what she does, thank you very much.

Ah, mansplaining. There's no feeling quite like a man teaching you about something you know more about than he does, and also being completely wrong about it. Mansplaining can happen anywhere — at work, at school, with friends — but it's particularly funny when mansplaining happens on a date, where your dinner partner is traditionally supposed to toss you at least a few compliments and make you feel good about yourself.

The clip doesn't reveal how the cringeworthy date ends, but I'm going to go ahead and guess that they didn't stay for dessert.

Kelly is a female comedian, so I'm guessing she can roll with the jokes — that is, when they're actually funny. What isn't funny is all of the following:

  1. Reducing a person's skills in their career field to their appearances.
  2. Doing the above multiple times.
  3. Judging someone for their appearance, ever.
  4. Telling a person all the reasons their gender sucks at said career field.
  5. Notifying them that they're basically doomed because men will always be better at it.

Hang in there, Kelly. Dating is hard. You'll meet your match. In the meantime, look at this date for what it is: great material for your next gig.