National She's Funny That Way Day (March 31st)

Quick facts
When is it?	Every March 31st
Tagged as:	Books & Literature Famous People Movies & Shows Silly & Humorous Women
What's the hashtag?	#NationalShesFunnyThatWayDay
We first published this page on:	Apr 25th, 2024
We last updated this page:	Mar 3rd, 2026

Contents

National She’s Funny That Way Day is a spirited nod to the women who make audiences laugh, gasp, think, and occasionally snort-laugh in public.

It shines a light on the particular spark women bring to comedy, whether that comedy is sharp and political, gently observational, gloriously absurd, or so personal it feels like a secret being shared with a room full of strangers.

At its heart, the day is about recognition. Comedy has long been treated like a tough club to get into and an even tougher one to be taken seriously in once inside. This celebration asks people to notice the writers, performers, and comedic storytellers who have expanded what “funny” can look and sound like.

Women in comedy often get praised with oddly backhanded surprise, as if humor is a rare skill set they’ve borrowed for the evening. National She’s Funny That Way Day flips that script. It encourages audiences to seek out women’s work on purpose, to support it, and to appreciate the wide range of comedic voices that have always been there.

It also highlights how comedy can do more than entertain. A well-built joke can challenge stereotypes, dismantle assumptions, and let people exhale together. When more kinds of people get to deliver the punchlines, more kinds of people get to feel seen.

History of National She’s Funny That Way Day

National She’s Funny That Way Day was started by author Brenda Meridith and first observed to coincide with the release of her novel _She’s Funny That Way_ in 2003. Tying a celebration to a creative release is a very comedian-adjacent move: make something, share it, and invite people to gather around the joy of it.

The day’s purpose is larger than a single book, though. It speaks to the long, sometimes complicated relationship between women and the comedy industry. Women have always been funny, but getting credit for it, getting paid for it, and being allowed to be funny in public without penalties has been a different story.

For generations, comedic opportunities for women were often shaped by narrow expectations. In many eras of stage and screen, a woman’s humor was “acceptable” when it played safely inside a small box: the charming sidekick, the silly romantic interest, the frazzled homemaker, the adorable oddball.

Those roles could be brilliant, and many performers made them iconic, but the box itself was limiting. When women pushed beyond it, they were frequently treated as risky, unfeminine, or “too much.”

Stand-up comedy, in particular, developed a reputation as a proving ground. It demands authority: one person with a microphone, asking for attention and control of a room. That authority has not always been freely granted to women.

Many female comedians have described being underestimated by bookers, questioned by audiences, and judged more harshly for material that would be considered bold, honest, or edgy if delivered by men.

Even language reveals the bias. Male performers are often described simply as “comedians,” while women get categorized as “female comedians,” as if they’re a subgenre instead of half the human race. National She’s Funny That Way Day pushes against that reflex by placing women’s comedy at the center, not as a special exception, but as essential.

The day also aligns with a broader cultural shift toward recognizing the pioneers who carved out space when there wasn’t much of it. Trailblazing performers in earlier decades built careers in environments that could be openly dismissive.

Some made their mark in clubs and on television by leaning into personas that helped them survive the era’s expectations, then quietly expanded the boundaries from the inside. Others refused to shrink their voices, talking about race, politics, family life, work, relationships, aging, or sexuality in ways that startled audiences into paying attention.

In every case, the work required craft. Comedy is sometimes treated like an accident, as if funny people just wander onstage and chaos happens. In reality, great comedy involves timing, structure, point of view, and an almost obsessive sense of what an audience is thinking from moment to moment.

Many comedians refine a single bit over the years, adjusting words the way musicians tune notes. This day honors that professionalism, especially in a field where women have too often been treated like a novelty instead of experts at their own art.

National She’s Funny That Way Day also serves as encouragement for the next wave. Seeing a wide range of women succeeding in comedy matters because it widens the mental picture of who “belongs” behind the microphone, in the writers’ room, or at the head of a cast.

It validates the idea that there is no single correct way for a woman to be funny. Some styles are warm and relatable, others are confrontational, surreal, intellectual, physical, or delightfully weird. The point is choice and visibility.

Ultimately, the day stands for something simple but powerful: when comedy includes more voices, comedy gets better. The laughs get bigger, the stories get richer, and the audience gets to experience more of what humor can do.

How to Celebrate National She’s Funny That Way Day

Host a Comedy Marathon

A comedy marathon is a simple and joyful way to take part, and it works with almost any budget or schedule. The secret is to plan it with intention. Instead of letting the next random video play, build a lineup that shows variety. Combine stand-up specials with sketch shows, sitcom episodes, and even comedy films where women lead the humor.

A carefully chosen “set list” can showcase different styles of comedy: observational storytelling, character-driven humor, sharp satire, improvisation, and physical comedy. Pair a classic performance with something recent to see how styles shift over time and to notice how certain themes remain because everyday life stays strange in familiar ways.

To make the experience feel like an event rather than background noise, add a few small touches that mirror a real comedy night. Dim the lights, silence phones, and focus on the show. If people are watching together, take short breaks where everyone shares a favorite line or moment and explains why it worked. That turns laughter into a small lesson in comedic craft.

It can also be fun to choose a theme for the marathon. A few timeless options include:

“Storytellers” (comedians known for long-form stories and vivid narratives)
“Sketch queens” (fast-paced character work and ensemble comedy)
“Deadpan and dry” (subtle delivery that quietly builds the laugh)
“Joyfully chaotic” (high-energy humor with bold physicality and big swings)

The goal is not to rank anyone, but to enjoy the variety and appreciate the skill behind the laughter.

Read Up, Laugh Out Loud

Comedy books offer a different kind of humor because they reveal how the craft actually works. Memoirs by comedians often blend jokes with the less glamorous sides of the profession: difficult shows, writing struggles, and navigating an industry that can be both exciting and demanding.

Reading comedic writing by women also highlights something audiences do not always notice. Many performers who appear spontaneous on stage are also highly disciplined writers. They construct jokes with the same care that novelists use when building scenes. Even when the tone feels casual, the structure rarely happens by accident.

To celebrate, readers might choose:

A memoir that blends personal stories with humorous reflections
A collection of essays exploring culture, relationships, or work through comedy
A behind-the-scenes book about writing for television, sketch shows, or stand-up

Anyone who wants to go deeper can read like a writer. Notice how the author introduces an idea, builds tension, and then delivers the punchline. Pay attention to rhythm, wording, and the conversational tone of the narrator. Observing those details often makes the jokes even funnier because it reveals the careful design behind them.

A fun addition is sharing a short passage aloud with friends. Comedy is meant to be heard. Even a few paragraphs can become a tiny living-room performance and a reminder that humor thrives in shared moments.

Comedy Night Out

Attending a live show is one of the best ways to support women in comedy because it strengthens the entire ecosystem. Venues, producers, and booking decisions all respond to audiences who show up. Live comedy also restores the original magic of the art form: the immediate connection between performer and crowd.

To enjoy a comedy night fully, it helps to approach it like someone who appreciates the craft, not just the jokes. Look at the lineup ahead of time, arrive early, and stay engaged even if a performance is not perfectly suited to your taste.

Comedy is experimental by nature. Newer performers are learning how to shape their voice, while experienced comics often test new material. That willingness to risk failure is part of what makes stand-up courageous.

If the venue hosts open-mic nights, attending one can be especially meaningful. Those events are where many comedians first learn how to hold an audience. A supportive crowd can encourage someone to keep trying rather than giving up after a difficult set.

For groups, a simple guideline improves the evening: let the comedian lead the conversation. Heckling is not real participation and often affects women performers more harshly. Respectful audiences give comedians the freedom to take creative risks, and that is when the most memorable moments appear.

Sharing a comedian’s work is today’s version of word-of-mouth, and word-of-mouth has always powered comedy’s growth. Recommending a special, quoting a clever line, or sending a short clip can introduce someone to a voice they might never encounter otherwise.

This celebration works best when sharing is done thoughtfully:

Share a clip that shows the comedian’s unique perspective, not just any random joke
Clearly credit the comedian so others can find the full performance
When posting online, add a short note about why the moment resonated with you

It can also be meaningful to recognize the many roles behind the scenes. Numerous comedy projects succeed because of women working as writers, directors, producers, editors, and showrunners. Highlighting those contributions helps correct the myth that women are newcomers to comedy. In reality, women have shaped the industry for decades, sometimes without receiving the same recognition.

In a group chat, try creating a “three laughs” thread. Each person shares something recently discovered from a woman creator that made them laugh. The result becomes a small, crowd-sourced comedy festival that fits in everyone’s pocket.

Try Your Hand at Comedy

Trying comedy yourself can be a bold and surprisingly rewarding way to celebrate. It builds appreciation for performers and shows how much effort sits behind something that appears effortless.

No stage is required to begin. People can experiment with simple, low-pressure exercises:

Write a short list of everyday observations and highlight what feels strange or contradictory
Take a common annoyance and exaggerate it until it becomes absurd
Tell a story that slowly builds toward a surprising final twist
Rewrite the same joke three ways: sarcastic, sincere, and deadpan

For a social activity, friends can host a mini “open mic” at home with a few friendly rules: short sets, no interruptions, and applause for everyone who participates. Keep the atmosphere playful and supportive. A welcoming room encourages better material and stronger friendships.

Anyone interested in improving can start thinking like a comedian:

Premise: What is the core idea?
Tension: What expectation is being created?
Twist: What surprising shift breaks that expectation?
Tag: What additional line can follow the punchline for another laugh?

Even writing a handful of jokes teaches an important lesson: humor is a skill, not simply a personality trait. Celebrating National She’s Funny That Way Day is also about respecting that skill and recognizing the women who have spent years mastering it.

Barriers and Breakthroughs for Women in Comedy

The path for women in comedy has not always been smooth. For decades, female comedians faced closed doors, limited opportunities, and persistent bias in an industry largely dominated by men.

Despite these obstacles, many performers pushed forward, building careers through persistence and talent while slowly reshaping the landscape of stand-up and late-night entertainment.

The following facts highlight some of the challenges women encountered and the gradual changes that helped open the stage to a wider range of voices.

Comedy Clubs Once Banned Women From Performing

In the mid‑20th century, many American comedy clubs and vaudeville-style circuits either refused to book women altogether or limited them to “hostess” or singer roles, which forced early stand‑up pioneers like Phyllis Diller to hone their acts on the road, in strip clubs, or in low-prestige venues before mainstream TV finally opened doors in the 1960s.
Late-Night TV Was Almost Entirely Male Until the 1980s

Although women had been doing stand‑up for decades, late‑night talk shows in the United States remained nearly all-male territory both in front of and behind the desk;

Joan Rivers did not become the first woman to host a network late‑night talk show until 1986, and women still held a minority of writers’ room jobs well into the 2000s.
Women Hold a Fraction of Stand-Up Specials on Major Platforms

Studies of streaming catalogs in the 2010s and early 2020s found that stand‑up specials by women typically accounted for only about 15–25 percent of available titles, reflecting a long-standing imbalance in who gets high-visibility comedy deals, festival headlining slots, and promotional budgets.
Audience Bias Can Hurt Female Comedians’ Ratings

Experimental research in social psychology has shown that identical jokes are often rated as less funny when attributed to a woman rather than a man, suggesting that gender stereotypes, rather than joke quality, can shape how audiences judge a comedian’s performance.
“Unladylike” Humor Has Long Been Used as Quiet Rebellion

Historically, women who made jokes about politics, sex, or their own anger were labeled “unfeminine,” yet scholars note that this so-called unladylike humor has been a subtle way to challenge expectations, from 19th‑century satirical writers to modern comics who openly mock beauty standards and double shifts of work and caregiving.
Comedy Can Help Undercut Sexist Attitudes

Communication scholars have found that exposure to feminist or gender‑equality comedy can reduce hostile sexist attitudes in audiences, especially when jokes highlight the absurdity of double standards and everyday discrimination rather than targeting women themselves as the punchline.
Women of Color in Comedy Face a “Double Bind”

Research on entertainment careers shows that women of color in stand‑up often encounter both racial stereotyping and sexism, which can limit the kinds of jokes bookers expect from them and make it harder to secure mainstream roles, even as their perspectives help diversify what stories get told on stage and on screen.

National She’s Funny That Way Day FAQs

Are men actually funnier than women?

Psychological and neuroscience research does not support the idea that men are inherently funnier than women.

Studies that ask independent judges to rate jokes without knowing the comedian’s gender find little or no difference in actual humor production, although people often assume men will be funnier.

This suggests that the “men are funnier” belief has more to do with social bias and who gets opportunities in comedy than with ability. [1]

Why do people often perceive women as less funny, even when their jokes are similar?

Perception is shaped by expectations and stereotypes about gender and humor.

Experimental work has shown that the same joke can be rated differently depending on whether listeners think it was told by a man or a woman, with a bias toward viewing men as funnier.

In mixed groups, men also tend to initiate humor more, while women laugh more, which can reinforce the idea that men are the “jokers” and women the “audience,” even when women are just as capable of being funny. [2]

Do women and men generally use humor in different ways?

Research suggests that men and women use humor for slightly different social purposes on average.

Men are more likely to use competitive, teasing, or aggressive humor to gain status or attention, while women more often use humor to build connection, smooth over tension, and maintain relationships.

Both styles require skill, but they can look very different on stage or in everyday life, which can influence how audiences interpret “who is funny.” [3]

Are there gender differences in the kinds of jokes audiences prefer?

Across several studies, men tend to prefer humor with more sexual or aggressive themes, while women are more likely to favor neutral, narrative, or absurd humor.

Cross‑national research on “ideal sense of humor” also finds that women often value a partner who makes them laugh, whereas men place more weight on a partner who appreciates their jokes.

These preferences can affect which comedians get booked and how material by women is received.

What does neuroscience say about how women and men process humor?

Brain imaging research from Stanford University has found that men and women activate broadly similar brain regions when they find something funny, but there are some differences in emphasis.

In one study, women showed greater activation in areas linked to language processing, anticipation, and reward.

This suggests women may work a bit harder to detect the punchline and may experience a stronger “reward” response when a joke lands, which can influence how they respond to different comedic styles. [4]

Why are women still underrepresented in professional comedy?

Underrepresentation reflects structural barriers rather than a lack of talent.

Historically, women faced assumptions that audiences would not pay to see them, fewer bookings in clubs, and more pressure to fit narrow roles or styles.

Modern research and industry analyses continue to report gender gaps in stage time, writers’ rooms, and pay, along with higher exposure to harassment. These factors limit visibility and career longevity for many women in comedy.

How has academic research challenged stereotypes about women’s humor?

Over several decades, psychologists and linguists have collected recordings of real conversations, run experiments on joke creation and appreciation, and studied how humor works in relationships and workplaces.

Their findings consistently challenge the old stereotype that women lack a sense of humor, showing that women tell jokes, manage group dynamics with wit, and laugh frequently. The research highlights that what often differs is social expectation and opportunity, not comedic ability.

National She’s Funny That Way Day

History of National She’s Funny That Way Day