Megan Grano isn't a household name -- at least not yet. But, as an up and coming NY comedienne, she moves in the circles with household names -- such as Tina Fey. I discovered Megan through her mother, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan, who is a friend of mine. Corrigan suggested I talk to her daughter after she heard I was looking for ambitious, accomplished, Gen Y women to interview for the book I am writing on women's leadership. Megan and I ended up having a fascinating conversation about women and comedy.
Women may have come a long way in the last few decades, but we have a long, long way to go in comedy. Talk about a male-dominated field! Women comediennes find themselves pitted against each other because there is so much more work for men who don't mind making themselves look ridiculous than for women. Despite the likes of Lucille Ball, Lily Tomlin, Roseanne Barr and Gilda Radner, the stereotype that "women just aren't funny" is alive and well. But here's the good news. The hottest comedian in the country right now -- male or female -- is Tina Fey. The former head writer for Saturday Night Live and creator and star of the Emmy-winning "30 Rock," was hot before vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin gave her a wealth of new material. But now she's torrid. The great news is, according to Grano, Fey is a woman who gives other women in the business -- writers, performers -- a hand up. She has an unprecedented number of women writers on her new hit show. The Good Old Boys have been helping one another for years. It's time women stopped seeing each other as their primary competition and start helping one another build the numbers and the influence of the Good Old Girls. Bless you, Tina. You go for it, Megan!
