The daily show ’s youngest correspondent ever. Cohost of cult podcast 2 dope queens. Her own comedy central series. Jessica williams reflects on killing it in the funny business.
For decades, female comedians have been shut out of political satire. It’s not that women don’t joke about politics, it’s just that they aren’t often given an opportunity, let alone a platform, to share their views with the broader public. Of course, there have been notable exceptions—is it even possible to imagine Tina Fey without seeing Sarah Palin?—but for the most part, poking politics has been a male pursuit. In 1996, back when Bill Clinton was president, The Daily Show came along and fast became our most reliable (and reliably biting) outpost for political satire. Though the show was actually created by women—comedians Lizz Winstead and Madeleine Smithberg— it has long been associated with its male stars, most notably host Jon Stewart and its three other most famous alums, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and John Oliver. As for the women on the show, only a couple have emerged as bona fide stars: Samantha Bee, who left to front her own politically skewering show on TBS; and Jessica Williams, the show’s designated “youth correspondent,” who announced her departure in June.
This story is from the November 2016 edition of Marie Claire - US.
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This story is from the November 2016 edition of Marie Claire - US.
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