It Must Be Tough…

…going through your life constantly aware of little more than race and gender. The latest example: the gals over at Feministing are up in arms over Anthony Lane’s review of Baby Mama, for, well, something. Lane wrote that

Kate [Fey] stalks around bare-legged in skirts that lurch to a halt two inches above the knee, which is a length that Christy Turlington would struggle to carry off. It’s possible that Fey, like other television stars, is unused to being framed in full length, and, though in complete command of her delivery—dry, spiky, but unthreatening—she hasn’t yet made up her mind how funny her body is meant to be. She isn’t big enough to make a joke of her ripeness, like Bette Midler, but she’s no Lily Tomlin, either. She could do worse than steal a trick from Lucille Ball—a lovely, elegant figure who taught herself to be graceless.

To which Ms. Valenti asked “Does this annoy the shit out of anyone else?”

Speaking solely for myself I can say “No. No it doesn’t.” And I honestly don’t even understand why this is a controversial thought; all great comedians use their body type in some way…consider Chris Farley and David Spade (or their predecessors, Laurel and Hardy). Jim Carrey was a master at physical comedy, as was Michael Richards. All of these guys used their bodies (be they fat, skinny, or average) to get laughs. No one would accuse them of bowing to sexism to get a giggle, and no one would think twice if their bodies were commented upon when describing the laughs they inspire (or fail to).

On a related note, there’s a “controversy” over the film’s name. Apparently, some have deemed it racist. Because “baby-mama,” a term used all the time by white people about white people, is, apparently, the equivalent of “black face.” Christ. I really pity these people.