Feminists have no sense of humor

So how come we love Nellie McKay?

Published September 30, 2009 5:30PM (EDT)

OK! We’ve covered the Polanski affair. (In fact, our own Kate Harding’s Broadsheet post won her kudos from Time for the “best, most comprehensive” rebuttal of Polanski apologists. Newsweek raved too.) Right, so now can we joke about it? Oh no wait, we can’t. Because as adorkable warbler Nellie McKay reminded us in a recentish appearance at a TED conference (more recently blogged by Dan Savage), “Feminists don't have a sense of humor.” (“Rape and degradation's just a crime (lighten up, ladies!)” and etc.) But no matter what the heinous news hook, in the words of our tipster: “Sarcasm + vintagey feminine appearance + ukelele = brilliant.” Enjoy. 


By Lynn Harris

Award-winning journalist Lynn Harris is author of the comic novel "Death by Chick Lit" and co-creator of BreakupGirl.net. She also writes for the New York Times, Glamour, and many others.

MORE FROM Lynn Harris


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Broadsheet Feminism Love And Sex Ted Conference