1. Tina Fey

Is there anyone in the world who is not in love with Tina Fey? I first got to know her on SNL, where she’s probably most known for her impeccable Sarah Palin impression. I read Bossy Pants and wanted more, more, MORE. She passed onto her own show, 30 Rock and won me over for life. It is a wacky series about an SNL-type show, that doesn’t take itself too (at all) seriously, full of meta- and showbiz references and the most insane guest stars. I want to go to there!

Annotation anno 2023: I IDENTIFY A LOT WITH LIZ LEMON. More and more every day. I haven seen this series in forever and still quote it daily. I have however already watched it 5 times or something.

2. Amy Poehler

For me, Tina and Amy should be on this list on the same bullet point, but I decided get them each their own. They met way before they played on SNL together, and all the sketches they did together were gold. They were the best Weekend Update-team SNL has ever seen. Together they hosted the Golden Globes twice already. Poehler went on to do Parks & Recreation, a very tongue in cheek political extravaganza. However much you try, you canNOT hate Leslie Knope.

Annotation anno 2023: It cannot come as a shock but I IDENTIFY A LOT WITH LESLIE KNOPE TOO. More and more every day. I haven seen this series in forever and still quote it daily. I have however already watched it 5 times or something. (Yes, exactly like 30 Rock.)

3. Sarah Millican

With her lovely high-pitched voice and adorable accent, Sarah Millican is representing the UK. Voted best newcomer at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2008, she went on to be one of the 100 most influential women in the UK in 2014. Last year she was nailed to the cross on Twitter, by people who disapproved of her wardrobe choice for the Baftas. Millican set them straight in an extremely funny, yet eye-opening letter.

4. Caitlin Moran

Luciously locked Caitlin Moran taught me how to be a woman. Or at least, helped me appreciate being a non-typical part of the female race. She writes herself directly into your heart with her witty and off center views on life. She is entirely self-made and became a rock journalist from age 15 onwards. She is the best kind of feminist, the one who realizes we can still have a sense of humor towards being female.

5. All female guest stars on QI

I know this is cheating, but QI is a wonderfully weird quiz show with crazy facts and figures, presented by the ever-so-lovely Stephen Fry. (NO LONGER: editors addition 2023: now it is Sandi FUCKING Toksvig. Who had the nicest and most wonderful lockdown podcast in the world of all podcasts.) It is at times a pretty male dominated show, if it weren’t for all the strong ladies who brought a smile to my face over the years. Jo Brand, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Sarah Millican are but of few of the ever-growing list of funny as hell ladies who quiz. I picked Jo brand as the representative of the ladies, because she’s one of the funniest and most adorable women on tv. Ever.

6. Kirsten Wiig

Kirsten also got her big break on Saturday Night Live. She was always one of my favorite actors on the show and made for some very epically funny Saturday nights. Every time I see her face on TV, be it in a movie or in a recent guest appearance on SNL, I giggle a little. She recently made the extremely dirty and funny Bridesmaids and is on to star in the all female version of Ghostbusters alongside Melissa McCarthy. (Is this the real life? Or is it just fantasy? No! An all female cast for Ghost Busters.)

Editors note 2023: cue all the hate because OH NO WOMEN GOSTBUSTERS, AAAH. But it was a pretty decent film. Not great, but that had nothing to do with the four lovely ladies and more with the actual writing.

8. Kristen Schaal

That voice. That terrific sound she expels from her vocal chords. The inherent crazy in all the characters she plays. You just got to love Kristen. She’s perfect as the Senior Women’s Issues Correspondent on the Daily Show. She plays a weird but loveable 5 year old on Bobs Burgers. She’s the kinda too close stalker-fan from Flight of the Conchords. She goes in overdrive as a page on 30 Rock. She is the best guest-star any comedy show could ask for. (Editors note 2023: STILL TRUE! Also, much more than that: check out the AMAZING What we do in the Shadows🙂

9. Samantha Bee

Bee has been with the Daily Show since 2003 and has made the most cringe-worthy yet epically funny TV I’ve ever seen. Her face alone is comedy gold; her facial expressions say so much more than any word she utters. I cannot help but smile, every time her face appears on my idiot box.

10. All of the women I have forgotten

I had a longer short list for this article than the aforementioned amazing women. So here I give a BIG shout out to Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Jane Krakowski, Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Jessica Williams, Rachel Dratch, Chelsea Handler, Chelsea Peretti, Sarah Silverman, Bonnie McFarlane, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss,… And you can just fill in whomever I have mistakenly forgotten in the comment section! (Editors note: some I might not have forgotten, but not yet discovered. I will update this list as long as I live and breathe.)

Or better yet, post a video of your favourite comedienne online with the hashtag: #womenarefunny

And remember: let me NEVER again hear you say, “Women aren’t funny”. Because we are. Now go watch that documentary and tweet about it!