Women and Comedy in Solo Performance

This work examines the dramatic changes in America women's comedy performance in the years 1955-1995.The study focuses on the standup of Phyllis Diller and Roseanne andon the character comedy of Lily Tomlin. As the historical arc of women's comedy unfolds it outlines a change from the traditional vaudevillian style of standup as represented by Diller (50s-70s) to a more satiric comedy represented by Tomlin (60s-80s) and Roseanne (80s-90s).