View Full Version : Movie Why Do You Never See "Loser" Female Characters in Comedy?
Ben Stiller has enjoyed a great deal of success with his bumbling but well intentioned characters for whom nothing goes right. Gaylord Focker from Meet The Parents/Fockers and Ted from There's Something About Mary are two well known examples; Alex from Duplex, Tim from Envy and Eddie from The Heartbreak Kid are slightly lesser known.
Likewise, younger actor Jason Biggs made a name for himself with his long-suffering Jim character from the American Pie movies. And on the small screen, the hapless Howard Steel (played by Ben Miller) makes The Worst Week of My Life one of the best British sitcoms in recent years.
But I do not ever recall seeing a similar female character in any movie or TV Show, for example a girl who tries hard for acceptance with her boyfriend's family, but cannot get anything right. The only character that comes close is Sarah Jessica Parker's Meredith character from The Family Stone, but this character was downright unlikable and unsympathetic.
Do you think a female character like this would be successful? I think an actress such as Amanda Bynes, who has a talent for physical comedy, could hold her own in such a role. What are your thoughts?
ExTasDeeMan
15 Jun 2009, 21:00
Tina Fey has crafted a career in loser comedy.
Isn't Magdas "Sharon Strezlecki" a loser character to use your term.
Lucille Ball played someone who nothing went right for in "I Love Lucy"
Grace in "Will & Grace" is a loser character
Hyacinth in "Keeping Up Appearances"
Eddie & Patsy in "Absolutely Fabulous"
I am sure there are more
Warwick
15 Jun 2009, 21:50
Elliot Reid from Scrubs.
First one I thought of.
Elaine Benes was a bit of a loser as well. As was Maggie from Extras.
Meg in "Family Guy"
Margs 2 sisters in "The Simpsons" Patty & Thelma
Isn't Magdas "Sharon Strezlecki" a loser character to use your term.
Lucille Ball played someone who nothing went right for in "I Love Lucy"
Grace in "Will & Grace" is a loser character
Hyacinth in "Keeping Up Appearances"
Eddie & Patsy in "Absolutely Fabulous"
I am sure there are more
I wouldn't really say Hyacinth was a loser character.She was more of a snobby wannabe upper class character who annoyed everyone that came into contact with her.
Luane in King Of The Hill
Patty and Selma are definite loser characters.
Kelly Bundy in Married With Children.
Black JuJu
15 Jun 2009, 23:25
Daisy in Spaced is a total loser. :D
Admiral Afterworld
16 Jun 2009, 00:08
Kelly Bundy in Married With Children.
Some might say every character in that show was a loser :p
Some might say every character in that show was a loser :p
True but she's female and a loser,so she counts :D
Joy from My Name Is Earl fits the same category - loser with other losers.
Reggie in Becker wasnt exactly successful.
I wouldn't really say Hyacinth was a loser character.She was more of a snobby wannabe upper class character who annoyed everyone that came into contact with her.
That was what made her a loser, she aspired to be upper crust and always fell dreadfully short of the mark.
Spermbird
16 Jun 2009, 13:17
Funny how all the replies to this thread are TV shows rather than films.
IMO a loser chick on the vain of a Ben Stiller type character won't work because no script writer knows how to do it & get away with it.
You could argue for Juno and Secretary as cases of Loser chicks, but in the end because no one wants to watch ugly women on screen even loser chicks always end up being hot.
Actually most of the time the loser chick is just a nerd with frumpy clothes and a bad haircut & is given a makeover somewhere in the film & becomes the beautiful swan.....gag
Bomber Bears
16 Jun 2009, 13:53
Ben Stiller has to be one of the shitter actors of recent memory.
psychobrown
16 Jun 2009, 15:08
Anna Faris usually plays those kind of roles (e.g. Scary Movie series, Smiley Face, House Bunny). But she's very hot, so it's kind of hard to say she's a total loser.
Now that I think about it, all the loser females are pretty much like her - Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan, Kate Hudson, Drew Barrymore, etc, all hot girls playing frumped down characters supposedly "struggling with life" i.e. boys, career, self-esteem, when in reality those actresses just have to step out of the house and they'd have men lining up around the block.
Janeane Garofalo was the ideal 'average Jill' female loser. Wonder why she didn't get more lead roles :confused:
crows98
16 Jun 2009, 15:26
Rosanne from that crap 90’s show Rosanne
That TV weather presenter chick from ‘How i met your Mother’.
Caroline Wilson from Footy Classified.
Wahooti Fandango
16 Jun 2009, 16:06
First one I thought of.
Elaine Benes was a bit of a loser as well. As was Maggie from Extras.
Brilliant character in an awesome show.
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UpForGrabs
16 Jun 2009, 16:21
Jenna Maroney (played by Jane Krakowski) in 30 Rock
Caroline Wilson from Footy Classified.
Like Kelly Bundy,she's in a show where they're all losers
crows98
16 Jun 2009, 16:50
Like Kelly Bundy,she's in a show where they're all losers
Touché :D:D
Rosanne from that crap 90’s show Rosanne
That TV weather presenter chick from ‘How i met your Mother’.
Caroline Wilson from Footy Classified.
Like Kelly Bundy,she's in a show where they're all losers
Crows98 with the long drive down the fairway and JUBJUB with the tap in for the birdie
THeres also that Ugly Betty crap which could fall into this category. There are two reasons there are no female loser characters in movies
1. Too risky
2. Females arnt funny and to be a loser character you gotta be funny and charismatic
AndSmithMustScore
16 Jun 2009, 17:16
Muriel's Wedding.
A whole movie about a loser chick.
[quote=Spermbird;14818278]Funny how all the replies to this thread are TV shows rather than films.
IMO a loser chick on the vain of a Ben Stiller type character won't work because no script writer knows how to do it & get away with it.
I think it would be interesting if somebody gave it a go, provided the right type of actress was cast. As I mentioned in my opening post, Amanda Bynes IMO would be perfect for such a role - she is very pretty, and can perform physical comedy well.
Some of the other characters suggested in the replies are very cliched and unrealistic; or are animated, unlikable or too dated. What makes the male characters I mentioned, such as Gaylord Focker so funny is that they are very ordinary people - its just that they find a way to get into embarassing or awkward situations, and lack coordination. It should be possible to write a female character like this.
1. Too risky
2. Females arnt funny and to be a loser character you gotta be funny and charismatic
My theory is male loser leads just rate too well for anyone to take a risk. They rate well with both male and female demographics. To add to this the teen-young adult female population probably prefers a totally different genre and comedies aren't totally popular, and once again when they want to see a comedy a Ben Stiller movie will suffice.
The female rom-coms are just way too crappy. Like people said they are hot actresses like Bullock, Barrymore etc. playing slightly dressed down women who just can't find "Mr. Right" and are far too generic. I know comedies with a loser lead are pretty generic too though but I mean generic in the term that the female lead really has no character.
Damon_3388
16 Jun 2009, 23:39
Here's one nobody has mentioned - Sue White from Green Wing. Or maybe she's just a weirdo, instead of a loser :p
Sportman1987
17 Jun 2009, 17:05
What about that chick from freaks n geeks.
P.S Ana Faris pix plz
betterthanu
17 Jun 2009, 18:03
That TV weather presenter chick from ‘How i met your Mother’.
Robin's not a loser, shes awesome.
Karl Pilkington
17 Jun 2009, 18:19
If you want to talk double standards, nothing will ever beat 40 days and 40 nights. Quick summary:
Josh Hartnett has some bitch of a gf who dumps him. He goes around shagging everything that moves for a month and for whatever reason he swears of pussy and wanking for 40 days and 40 nights. During this period of elackulation, he meets some hot ethnic chick and wants to bone her bad but can't. Anyway, he's waiting til the last day and is asleep in his room. his ex-gf shows up, takes his clothes off, ties him to the bed and drugs him, and has sex with him, he wakes up just as he finishes. Gayarse, unfunny movie, but here's the point.
If you reversed that role between men and women, and had an ex-bf rock up to the main characters apartment, drug her, tie her to the bed and nail her without consent - for some reason, I just don't think that one is going to get a PG or M rating. In fact, I dare say that movie will never be made (unless someone is planning a Cronulla Sharks doco).
Ferris_rules
19 Jun 2009, 07:23
I wouldn't really say Hyacinth was a loser character.She was more of a snobby wannabe upper class character who annoyed everyone that came into contact with her.
Luane in King Of The Hill
Patty and Selma are definite loser characters.
Kelly Bundy in Married With Children.
damn she was hot skank when she was younger, lol give me my first erection. :o :thumbsu:
I loved that show, Al was just special.
Bomber Bears
20 Jun 2009, 23:29
Lindsay in Arrested Development