"In this most necessary book, Amber Day demolishes the myth that women can't be funny. But more importantly, she helps us understand why too many people struggle to make sense of funny women, and why the debate around female comedy matters so much in our complicated cultural times."Geoffrey Baym, author of From Cronkite to Colbert: The Evolution of Broadcast News "Day dives into the heart of contemporary cultural ruptures with clarity and nuance, demonstrating how women's stand-up comedy serves as a lightning rod for broader public debates, influencing collective values, shaping identities, and navigating ethical boundaries in public life. Essential reading for scholars, practitioners, and comedy fans alike, this book deepens our understanding of humor's political and affective complexities and capacities and convincingly argues that comedyespecially when women are the provocateurscan provoke, persuade, and sometimes perilously divide."Beck Krefting, author of All Joking Aside: American Humor and Its Discontents
