Gender Inequality In The Comedy Cinema

Did I put you to sleep with that title? Sorry.

I like to grind all sorts of axes, but I usually leave the gender axe for my wife to grind so I can take notes and learn something.

But last night I was channel surfing a little bit and landed on a movie I saw and liked in the theater, the bromantic comedy I Love You, Man. Rashida Jones, formerly of The Office and now on Parks and Recreation, plays the fiance of Paul Rudd's main character.

Ms. Jones is funny. But she does nothing but carry the water here. Lots of funny, cameo-ish, weird random character stuff in the movie, but all those laughs go to male actors. Nothing for Ms. Jones. (That, and she was saddled with a pair of jeans that made her ass look terrible, but that's a post for another day when I debut my spin-off blog Ask the Ass-pert)

Now this example came off the top of my head. But I can confidently say that's how it is in most--if not all-- movie comedies. What's up with that, especially considering it certainly isn't so pronounced on TV? Again, off the top of my head, Courney Cox is killing it in Cougar Town, as is Liz Lemon--I mean Tina Fey--on 30 Rock. As for women who are seasonings on the main dish, all the women on The Office are absolutely terrific.

So I ask What's Up With That?