Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is Sir Michael Parkinson within his rights?

732 replies

flaviaritt · 07/11/2020 14:51

Says men are funnier than women. He says, ‘It's a very contentious statement, but they're much better'.

My view is that, by the age of 85, if you think men are funnier than women, it’s just your opinion based on your experience and nobody should be getting riled up about it.

Reasonable?

OP posts:
Pumperthepumper · 10/11/2020 17:17

@Staffy1

It's not sexist. It's his opinion based on his experience. I agree with him, does that make me sexist, or is it ok for me to say that as I'm a woman? Apart from Katherine Ryan, I don't find female comedians as funny as male comedians, although in normal conversation and as authors, I think they are equally as funny.
It is sexist - saying you find Jack whitehall funnier than Katherine Ryan, not sexist. Saying you find all men funnier than all women is sexist.
SueEllenMishke · 10/11/2020 17:24

@Staffy1

It's not sexist. It's his opinion based on his experience. I agree with him, does that make me sexist, or is it ok for me to say that as I'm a woman? Apart from Katherine Ryan, I don't find female comedians as funny as male comedians, although in normal conversation and as authors, I think they are equally as funny.
It is sexist.

Replace humour with intelligence because you've encountered more intelligent men than intelligent women - how does that sit with you?

Staffy1 · 10/11/2020 17:28

It would sit fine with me if it was my opinion and experience. Are you saying I'm sexist for agreeing with him then?

SueEllenMishke · 10/11/2020 17:33

@Staffy1

It would sit fine with me if it was my opinion and experience. Are you saying I'm sexist for agreeing with him then?
Yes.

Your experience isn't enough evidence to make sweeping generalisations about a particular group and neither is his.

Staffy1 · 10/11/2020 17:38

@SueEllenMishke, it's an opinion and people should be allowed their opinions. I also think women make better head teachers than men. As with this, there will be exception, but on the whole, that's my experience. Men are better at some things on the whole, women at others.

SueEllenMishke · 10/11/2020 17:42

[quote Staffy1]@SueEllenMishke, it's an opinion and people should be allowed their opinions. I also think women make better head teachers than men. As with this, there will be exception, but on the whole, that's my experience. Men are better at some things on the whole, women at others.[/quote]
Wow. Just wow.

So what evidence do you have which gives you the authority to tell women they don't make good headteachers?
As an academic in career development and someone who has a strong personal and professional interest in women's career development I'd be really interested in how you reached this conclusion......

Part of me hopes you're just on the wind up

SueEllenMishke · 10/11/2020 17:42

[quote Staffy1]@SueEllenMishke, it's an opinion and people should be allowed their opinions. I also think women make better head teachers than men. As with this, there will be exception, but on the whole, that's my experience. Men are better at some things on the whole, women at others.[/quote]
Apologies I misread your post....
but the same applies.

SueEllenMishke · 10/11/2020 17:46

Men are better at some things on the whole, women at others.

Some Individuals are better at some things than other individuals.... there fixed it for you and stopped it being a horribly sexist comment

Pumperthepumper · 10/11/2020 17:56

@Staffy1

It would sit fine with me if it was my opinion and experience. Are you saying I'm sexist for agreeing with him then?
Yes.

And your follow up statement is also sexist.

9ofpentangles · 15/11/2020 22:03

Women are better at cooking, cleaning and making babies while men are good at important things like business, fixing things and intelligent conversation. Women need to stick to talking about washing up, kids and fluffy kittens. Women know your limits

goose1964 · 15/11/2020 22:17

I'm probably old enough to be your mother but until the last few years female comedians we were pretty thin on the ground, you had the very famous, French and Saunders, Tracey can't remember her name, Ruby Wax , Victoria Wood whilst there were a lot more men, and before that there were a few actresses who acted in funny fils, the carry on crew etc. So for most of his life he's only known male comedians , but a dick to say they're better than women.

user1471565182 · 16/11/2020 03:23

The man spent half a decade disappearing up Jamie Callums jazzy arsehole so I'll take his opinions on taste with a pinch of salt, although hes been filed in the professional northerner/possibly dead category for me for at least ten years,

user1471565182 · 16/11/2020 03:28

Oh OP you're such a ruddy bloody maverick.

Original poster
flaviaritt · 16/11/2020 07:01

I am.

OP posts:
LittleTreasure · 16/11/2020 07:30

Sense if humour is subjective so it's his preference/ opinion. I don't set out to like women writers best, but the authors of all my favourite books are female. Sexist? No. They speak to me.

inappropriateraspberry · 16/11/2020 07:38

His opinion, people don't have to agree. Some may say women are funnier than men, people will disagree with that too.

SueEllenMishke · 16/11/2020 07:42

@LittleTreasure

Sense if humour is subjective so it's his preference/ opinion. I don't set out to like women writers best, but the authors of all my favourite books are female. Sexist? No. They speak to me.
But are you saying all women are better at writing than all men?

He didn't say he prefers male comedians. He said men have a better sense of humour and are better at comedy. That's what makes it sexist.

He also recognised that society was pretty sexist in the 70's but that ' it didn't do anyone any harm'. That tells you all you need to know about his outlook.

KiposWonderbeasts · 16/11/2020 07:49

He’s a sexist dinosaur.

Helendee · 16/11/2020 07:57

I agree with him, I can’t think of one female comedian who makes me laugh. I did like Marti Caine back in the day, rest her soul.

Helendee · 16/11/2020 07:59

I forgot the wonderful Victoria Wood there, possibly the best in the planet. I miss her.

Helendee · 16/11/2020 07:59

On the planet at the time.

HannaYeah · 16/11/2020 13:03

I’m not offended, I just don’t understand the point of him saying this. I can’t see how it’s helpful or productive.

Unless...
He wants to talk about the reasons behind it and do something about it.

Pumperthepumper · 16/11/2020 13:09

@LittleTreasure

Sense if humour is subjective so it's his preference/ opinion. I don't set out to like women writers best, but the authors of all my favourite books are female. Sexist? No. They speak to me.
That’s not what he said though - he said the equivalent of ‘men are better writers’.
Original poster
flaviaritt · 16/11/2020 13:18

just don’t understand the point of him saying this. I can’t see how it’s helpful or productive.

I find it quite odd that people think other people always have to be helpful and productive. To me, it’s actually great to know we live in a society where people can say the things they think and not be censored for the lack of social utility in their words. It’s called liberty.

OP posts:
Pumperthepumper · 16/11/2020 13:26

@flaviaritt

just don’t understand the point of him saying this. I can’t see how it’s helpful or productive.

I find it quite odd that people think other people always have to be helpful and productive. To me, it’s actually great to know we live in a society where people can say the things they think and not be censored for the lack of social utility in their words. It’s called liberty.

Censored 😂😂😂😂

This thread is fairly old now so I can’t remember exactly - but wasn’t this quote either printed in a newspaper or in his biography?

Swipe left for the next trending thread