Jerry Lewis shares his views on female comics

Jerry Lewis has finally conceded that women can be funny. But he still has a problem with some female comedians – because they have wombs.

For at least 16 years, the 88-year-old has been complaining that watching women perform comedy ‘sets me back a bit’, and that it especially ‘bothers’ him when they deliver crude material.

When asked his views again yesterday, Lewis said that some women could be funny, citing Lucille Ball as ‘brilliant’ and said Carol Burnett as ‘the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy’.

But he didn’t change his mind about finding some female comics distasteful.

‘Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong.’ he said.

‘And they're funny – I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work – but I have a problem with the lady up there that's going to give birth to a child, which is a miracle.’

Lewis was speaking to reporters as he left his his hand and footprints in cement outside the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Published: 13 Apr 2014