“I mean Ally McBeal was sort of the closest thing I can think of to kind of being a comedy-drama but that had its own kind of style that meant it got kind of big sometimes. But it was a great show.” ThinkingKindMeanI CanSometimesShowsBigsComedyStyleDramaAlliesClosestAlly Mcbeal Author:Paul Feig
“I try not to blame the public, because the public - men, especially - have seen not great portrayals of women in supporting roles, because they're not given the lead roles a lot of the time. Especially in comedy, they're relegated to the adversary, which is like "the mean girlfriend."” MenTryingMeanGivenRolesComedyBlameGirlfriendAdversariesPortrayalSupporting Roles Author:Paul Feig
“Internationally and in foreign markets, movies starring women don't make as much money as movies starring men. And then you can blame filmmakers, especially in comedy, which is my bread and butter, because it's become a bit of a boys' club over the years. With the boys in charge you get these takes on women which are either the girlfriend or the mean wife or the girl who appears in a romantic comedy. You're just getting either men's fantasies about women or what they think is the reality about women instead of men just having a healthy attitude about women.” ThinkingMenMeanRealityGirlAttitudeBoysFantasyComedyWifeHealthyBlameFilmmakerGirlfriendMovie Star Author:Paul Feig
“I'm the biggest proponent of test screenings now. There's two ways to face test screenings. For dramas, I don't know if I would rely on them as much, although I still think you need them, because you're making a movie for an audience at the end of the day. But with comedy... You could go through a script or anything I ever worked on, where you go, "This is hilarious," and you put it in front of people and you get nothing. And then the other side of it, is something you're like, "I think this is really stupid," and it gets a giant laugh.” PeopleThinkingAudienceLaughingComedyStupidDramaRelyReally Stupid Author:Paul Feig
“A lot of comedies fall apart because they just go from joke to joke, and the characters are all sort of being crazy off on their own.” CharacterFallComedyCrazyJokesFalling ApartBeing Crazy Author:Paul Feig
“Bad women's comedies are made by men who didn't consult enough women.” MenMadeEnoughComedyBad Woman Author:Paul Feig
“I have an inability to enjoy things, but that's why we're in comedy. If we were happy, we wouldn't be funny, I guess.” IfsEnjoyComedyInability Author:Paul Feig
“My style of comedy is very real and bittersweet, and sort of always on the verge of kind of being tragic.” KindRealComedyStyleTragicBittersweetVergeBitter Sweet Author:Paul Feig
“The reason most comedies don't win awards is that the filmmakers put the comedy first. This means you have to create a story around the jokes.” FirstsMeanReasonStoriesWinningComedyJokesFilmmakerAwards Author:Paul Feig
“We didn't used to be so precious about women in comedy back in the old days.” UsedComedyUsed To BeOld Days Author:Paul Feig
“Period costume films are fun to discover, but they're not relatable. It's more, 'Wow, that's cool - did it really look like that back then?' Whereas with a comedy, you're like, 'Yeah, that's me, that's my friends.' No matter what, I want people to relate.” PeopleWantLooksMatterFilmFunComedyPeriodsMy FriendsNo Matter WhatYeahRelateWowCostumesRelatable Author:Paul Feig
“Whatever makes you laugh is fine, and all we can do as comedy professionals is try to steer you towards something that we think is a little better - but not put you down or just perplex you in the process.” ThinkingTryingLittlesProcessCan DoLaughingComedyFineSteersMake You Laugh Author:Paul Feig
“Women comedy is different than men comedy. Guy comedy is very aggressive, it's about insulting each other, name-calling, and kind of busting each other's chops, and that's not what women's comedy is.” MenKindDifferentGuyNamesComedyCallingAggressiveInsultingName CallingBusting Author:Paul Feig
“For years, it's driven me crazy that women don't have better roles, especially in comedies. I know so many funny women but I always felt... misogynist streak is too strong a term - but a dismissiveness.” KnowsYearsStrongFeltTermRolesComedyCrazyDrivenStreaksFunny Women Author:Paul Feig
“The dueling maturity levels in high school is such a source of comedy to me. I was always such a late developer. I was last to walk. I was last to ride a bike. I was last to have sex. That's why it's fun to portray one side of your childhood onscreen.” SchoolLastsFunSexSidesWalksLevelsComedyChildhoodSourceLateHigh SchoolMaturityYour ChildrenBikeDevelopersDuelingMaturity Level Author:Paul Feig
“The greatest way for people to experience a comedy is to go in not knowing anything about it. But because of marketing, it's impossible. Marketing meaning that in order to get people to come you can't just go, 'Hey, there's a great movie - we're not going to show you anything from it but trust us!” PeopleWayShowsOrderKnowingComedyImpossibleMarketingHeyNot Knowing Author:Paul Feig
