The hilarious posts you’ll find on this list have all been pulled from X, but we wanted to find out more about the world of comedy, particularly for women. So we reached out to Lynne Parker, Founder and Chief Executive of Funny Women. Funny Women is the UK’s leading female comedy community and is dedicated to helping women perform, write and dive into the world of humor.
Lynne was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss the difference between comedy for stage and the internet. “Playing to a live audience standing on a stage in a venue is for most people the ultimate experience, as it's where you get instant feedback, whether that's laughter or silence,” she shared.
On the other hand, Lynne says creating comedy for the internet is about second-guessing what your followers will relate to. “And while feedback can also be instant, you can't see the whites of their eyes!” she noted.
Plus, it's important to know that the internet isn't always a welcoming place. “Social media can be a hostile competitive environment, and you're only as good as your last post,” Lynne added. “Judgment in both cases can be swift and brutal, and nowhere is it more instantaneous than in comedy.”
Creating comedy for the stage and for the internet often go hand in hand, the expert says. “I coach performers and develop new talent, so my best advice is to work with what comes naturally to you in terms of material both live and online,” Lynne told Bored Panda. “Good content will work in both environments, and you can build an audience with your online persona so that when you tour, ticket sales are guaranteed.”
We were also curious if it’s important for stage comedians to post content online nowadays. “A strong online presence will help to market your live performances and shows,” Lynne says. “Take Mammy Banter, who won our Funny Women Content Creator Award in 2023. She had never performed live stand-up, but with 3.5million followers on social media like Instagram and TikTok, she has a ready made audience and sold out her first ever gig and her latest tour!”
The comedy expert also shared some advice for women who want to dip their toes into the comedy scene. “Massive plug here, but at Funny Women, we run brilliant online Comedy Crash Courses,” Lynne shared. If you’re interested, you can find the details for the next one from June 24th to 28th right here!
Lynne noted that they also cover the building blocks of creating comedy for both live performance and online content at Funny Women. “If you prefer to work with us in person, I'm running my Stand Up to Stand Out Summer School on Saturday 17th August in London. In both events, the principals are the same, where we help you to structure your comedy and develop material. You find out what works by experimenting with us in a safe place.”
