5 Ways to Celebrate International Women’s Day With Comedy

It’s International Women’s Day– an important moment to find ways to honor and celebrate the contributions that women have made around the world. Our world of course, is stand up comedy. Celebrate watching and listening to some of our favorite powerful women who make us laugh, and have something important to say.

1. Binge the Day Away on Netflix’s new female powerhitters. Some of the best recent comedy specials have come from women, and we have a solid list to check out.

Additionally, with an eye on up-and-coming comedians, the second season of The Standups will be released on March 20. Featuring 30-minute sets from six comics, the Netflix Original comedy series includes three female comics that are sure to keep you laughing: Gina Yashere, Rachel Feinstein, and Aparna Nancherla. Season one of The Standups also features the comedic talents of Beth Stelling, Fortune Feimster, and Nikki Glaser, and is streaming now.

2. Spend the Day Listening to All 25 Episodes of Gail Meets Girls.

Gail Bennington from SiriusXM’s Bennington Show is a phenomenal talent, and she also has handpicked a list of 49 amazing comedians to talk to- all women. She talks with comedy’s funniest women, giving their perspective on everything in stand up, and we’ve learned a lot about what women talk about when men aren’t around.  All 25 episodes eye opening and incredibly funny.

You can go to iTunes to listen to all 25 including Adrienne Iapalucci, Sasheer Zamata, Amy Miller, Lynne Koplitz,Yamaneika Saunders, Aparna Nancherla,Morgan Murphy, Tammy Pescatelli, Corrinne Fisher, Krystyna Hutchinson, Jessica Kirson, Bridget Everett, Rachel Feinstein, Bonnie McFarlane, Marina Franklin, Emma Willman, Carly Aquilino, Carmen Lynch, Sarah Tollemache, Christine Marie Evans, Liza Treyger, Annie Lederman, Rebecca Trent, Sydnee Washington, Marie Faustin, Sonia Denis, Kerry Coddett, Maeve Higgins, Mara Wiles, Phoebe Robinson, Christi Chiello, Jacqueline Novak, Molly Austin, Kate Berlant, Emily Tarver, Michelle Buteau, Irene Morales, Clare O’Kane, Laurie Kilmartin, Tricia Bates, Kerryn Feehan, Myka Fox, Kendra Cunningham, Becky Yamamato, Kaytlin Bailey, Brooke Arnold, Joyelle Johnson, and Liz Miele.

3.  Watch Some Female Fronted Funny Films

Hollywood has been unkind to women in many ways, but there are plenty of female fronted comedy films that you can watch to show the industry that women are funny- on film. A few of our favorites make for perfect choices to stay home and laugh on March 8. We picked five current favorites and five classics to get you started, but there are endless choices.

  • Bridesmaids starring Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph
  • Trainwreck starring Amy Schumer, Vanessa Bayer
  • Spy starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne
  • The Heat starring Melissa McCarthy, Sandra Bullock
  • Juno starring Ellen Page
  • Working Girl starring Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver
  • Private Benjamin starring Goldie Hawn, Eileen Brennan
  • 9 to 5 starring Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin,
  • A League of Their Own starring Gena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna
  • How to Marry a Millionaire starring Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable

4. Read!

10 of our favorite comedy books just happen to be written by women.  These aren’t just 10 of the best comedy books written by women, they’re 10 of the best comedy books.

  • Bonnie McFarlane’s You’re Better Than Me
  • Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Unicorn
  • Joan Rivers’ Diary of a Mad Diva
  • Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter 
  • Tina Fey’s Bossypants
  • Kelly Carlin’s A Carlin Home Companion
  • Issa Rae’s Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
  • Nora Ephron I Feel Bad About My Neck

5. Go see live comedy!

Check out your local listings to find out where women are taking the stage near you!

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