Ellen for the Win

After our discussions over the past week in class regarding feminism, female comedians and gender roles, this video was an obvious representation of the stigmas regarding these issues that exist in society today.

First, feminism: Ellen was approached by Bic to be the celebrity representative for their new product, Bic for Her. A feminist herself, the irony of the idea is beyond belief. What drove the company to ask Ellen to represent the sexist product is questionable and absolutely deserves to be mocked. Ellen-1 Bic-0.

Second, female comedians: If you try to argue against the fact the Ellen is without a doubt the most hilariously entertaining female comedians of our culture, you're crazy. OK, so you're not crazy, but come on- she's pretty great. She is also one of the most loved women in comedy. Perhaps the reason that she is so successful and so effectively comical is that she represents a "more eclectic brand of humor". Unlike most female comedians, Ellen does not have to rely on self-depreciation or aggressiveness to appeal to a mass audience. Ellen-2 Bic-0.

Finally, gender roles:  The quotes below, pulled from the clip, basically speak for themselves.  Of course, Ellen exaggerates the message that Bic intends to portray with their new product marketing, but can you blame her? The company made a huge mistake when they inadvertently placed gender expectations/roles on their consumers. I haven't done the research, but I'd venture to say that the sales of Bic for Her probably weren't through the roof.  Ellen-3 Bic-0.

• "Well you can use it [Bic for her] to write down a grocery list or even recipes for when you need to feed your man."
• "They [Bic for Her] are built strong enough for a man but simple enough that a woman can understand how to use them."
• "They [Bic for Her] come in both lady colors: pink and purple... but they don't come with any instructions, so how do they expect us to write with them?"

Ellen for the win.