A full house and a lot of laughs!
The cinema was packed on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 for our screening of Gail Singer’s 1991 film Wisecracks about women stand-up comments.
We were able to interview Gail on Zoom from the San Francisco area about the making of the film — her serendipitous meeting with Whoopi Goldberg at an ice cream stand, her refusal of Robin Williams pleas to take part in the film in drag, and her visit to Phyllis Diller’s house, where the talented comedian played the harpsichord for her.
We were thrilled to have performers Sandra Shamas and Johanna Householder, both of whom had been in the film, and stand-up comedian Carolyn Bennett at the cinema for a discussion after the screening. Thanks to everyone who came out to the event.
The 1991 film, directed by Gail, explores the experiences of women stand-up comics, featuring interviews, performances, along with some archival clips of pioneering women comedians.
What a group of talent she captured more than 30 years ago: Ellen DeGeneres, Phyllis Diller, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Carol Burnett – and the list goes on.
Their performances will have you laughing, as they take on taboo subjects: abortion, sanitary napkins, premature ejaculation, fashion models, married men. Their comments about doing stand-up in the misogynistic world of comedy are inciteful.
As one critic commented, “Beneath the hilarity of these funny women . . . is the hope and desire that their burgeoning numbers will create a growing force of acceptance by both their male counterparts and audiences alike.”
Gail’s documentary is a joint production of Zinger Films and the National Film Board of Canada.
Our Special Guests:
Gail Singer: A Toronto-based documentary filmmaker, Gail has explored feminist topics and socially progressive issues in her films, including battered women, abortion, breastfeeding, mercury poisoning in Canadian waterways and Arctic oil spills. She has also taught at York University and at U of T’s University College. She will join us on Zoom to introduce her film.
Sandra Shamas: Sandra is an expert on how to deal with life through humour! Since her first one woman show, My Boyfriend’s Back and There’s Gonna Be Laundry in 1987, she has unflinchingly used her experiences, whether dating, marriage, divorce or farming, to make us laugh and profit from her insights. Through her one-woman shows and her books, Sandra teaches us we’re not alone!
Carolyn Bennett: Carolyn cut her teeth performing at the Comedy Nest in Montreal, Just for Laughs, and Yuk Yuks. Selected TV credits include This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC COMICS and Chilly Beach. Her debut novel Please Stand By was published in 2019. Bennett co-founded and performs at Hirut Hoot, a monthly stand-up showcase at Hirut Cafe on the Danforth. Check her out at the not to be confused with politician Carolyn Bennett’s website www.carolynbennettwritercomic.com