Tina Fey On It Being A ‘Terrible Time’ For Women In Comedy, Weighs In On Gender Inequality In Entertainment

Tina Fey spoke candidly, as usual, in an interview with Town & Country and replied with a surprising truthfulness about the challenges that women face in the entertainment industry, and more specifically the the comedy industry. Fey was quick to point out that she’s a bit tired of being asked the same sort of question in regards to women’s place in the world of comedy. Variety shares Fey’s words during the interview.

“Every single interviewer asked, ‘Isn’t this an amazing time for women in comedy?’ People really wanted us to be openly grateful – ‘Thank you so much!’ – and we were like, ‘No, it’s a terrible time.’ If you were to really look at it, the boys are still getting more money for a lot of garbage, while the ladies are hustling and doing amazing work for less.”

The SNL alum also noted that she and her Sisters co-star often get asked silly questions like whether they ever fight, the sort of questions that would be unlikely asked of a male actor and his co-star. Fey shared her response to this sort of query by reporters.

“We fight about the same things Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg fight about. Do you ask them that question?”

The comedian has been making the rounds press-wise due to the upcoming opening of her latest film, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, which is loosely based on journalist Kim Barker’s experience as a reporter in Afghanistan. Her latest film opens on March 4, and is sure to be a hit.

Watch the trailer for Fey’s latest film.

In addition to Tina Fey not backing down on the issue of inequality in the entertainment industry, Patricia Arquette has made it known in the past week that she is not about to let the issue of pay inequality go and admits that by being vocal about something that affects half of the population, she has suffered in her career.

At an event prior to the Oscars that was in celebration of women in film, Arquette shared how she and other women are being treated unfairly and adds that she has lost work due to voicing her opinion on the subject during her acceptance speech at last year’s Oscars. Entertainment Tonight shares Patricia’s words.

“I lost or … walked away from [roles]. I know that there was an issue with a couple of things, for sure, because I said something that made it very obvious. But it’s OK because I do believe in karma. And before I said it, I knew there was going to be some drama, because it would cost people money.”

The award-winning actress also ensured to point out that the issue goes beyond Hollywood bounds and the women are treated unequally in all walks of life.

“There are 33 million women and kids that are living in poverty in America, with a full-time working mom. We need to address this and we need to address this right away.”

Fellow Oscar recipient Jennifer Lawrence has been equally vocal about the pay gap issue in the entertainment industry, as has Meryl Streep. Lawrence first spoke up when she learned of the massive discrepancy between her pay as the lead female in American Hustle to that of her male co-star, Bradley Cooper. She addressed the issue immediately, as the Guardian notes.

“When the Sony hack happened and I found out how much less I was being paid than the lucky people with dicks, I didn’t get mad at Sony. I got mad at myself. I failed as a negotiator because I gave up early. I didn’t want to keep fighting over millions of dollars that, frankly, due to two franchises, I don’t need.”

[Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures]