A funny woman's price is far above rubies.
7
LOVE Melissa McCarthy !
3
I just saw "Can You Forgive Me?" Just read this piece, a week late. They both brought me joy. Thank you, Melissa McCarthy. Thank you, Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
9
Can you please stop titling your profiles with these lame self-referential attempts at stock-and-trade clickbait (i.e. Bradley Cooper profile, this profile, etc)
8
“Ham”
2
I love everything about Melissa McCarthy. She is smart, funny and beautiful - inside & out. We need more people like Melissa and Ben Falcone making movies today. Mark Twain said, "Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand." The way things are in our world today, I hope that will remain true. At least Melissa McCarthy will be doing her part to keep us laughing. She does it so well.
Oh! I live in Atlanta - I would love to run into her! Who wouldn't want to be her friend?
16
I bet myself that, at some point, the author would make it all about her. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. But a much better effort than the Bradley Cooper profile.
4
Sorry - don't find this woman funny at all.
Never have, never will.
4
@dog lover
While I completely disagree that Melissa McCarthy is not funny at all, I always felt that way about Roseann Barr.
Comedy, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder.
4
@dog lover and your comment is here for what reason? I'm surprised NY- Times even bothered to publish this. It's a bad use of commentary and space.
3
Article would have been a lot more readable / enjoyable if the writer would not have injected her left leaning ("rage") political perspective at every opportunity...
Hint to author... at least have this country thinks things are going great!
7
This woman, could not cheer me up if she has a hundred custard pies thrown in her face. Her foul language, that she seems so comfortable with, offends me and many others, and that over-rides any comedy she produces. It is through people like this that society is falling headlong into the same pit that many other societies have fallen into, decadence.
2
What's funny about this title is I have actually sought our Melissa McCarthy to laugh out loud, and, believe it or not be a more relaxed parent.
As far as this article - and for those panning McCarthy - check out some of her other interviews, she's a gem. She's soooo funnnneeeeee!
7
Just because commentators lauded this author for her disparaging article on Gwynth Paltrow, which this magazine is still advertising, imagine if it was Paltrow who said the following, "“Let’s talk about polar bears and the toucan because it’s so random and someone is taking these beautiful pictures. That’s what the world is. It’s not borders. Of course, it’s all that, too, but, like, let’s also remember how amazing the whole planet is.”
Nothing again Ms. McCarthy - love her good stuff!!!
5
I suppose it doesn't really matter, but "Animal House" isn't an 80s movie. I look forward to the correction :)
As far as the piece goes, Taffy is a brilliant writer. She's really good at these kinds of things. But I almost felt like the beginning was really trying too hard.
5
The greatest thing Melissa could do for her career is to fire her husband. I love Melissa and her talent for humor, but her husband is unintentionally sabotaging her. It's a shame, because on her own she is wonderful.
4
Every profile you write, Taffy, is magical. Seriously. Your voice - we need more of it. Thank you.
8
What a fantastic article. I really love Melissa McCarthy, despite seeing the flaws in a lot of her movies. I still find them all watchable because of her. She is comfy, like my slippers.
7
Thank Gawd for Ben and Melissa-- Melissa and Ben! Thank you Cheezus!!!
This is why I love comedy.
I came of age in the late 70's/80's, grew up watching old movies (when they were still aired regularly), from the Ziegfeld Follies, musicals, spaghetti westerns, Streets of San Francisco to sneaking back into the living room after my dad was asleep to watch SNL and then Don Kirshner's Rock Concert afterwards---we need comedy now more than in my recent, barely functioning memory. One of my oldest friends does stand up and she is one of the smartest people I know--you have to be smart, be well read, have an expansive lens on the world to be funny.
These are some dark times and we need these breaks from it. Whether it is this dynamic, loving duo y company providing us with a respite or that picture of a polar bear holding her cub close.
We need every break we can get. But don't forget to Vote so it all doesn't fade away like the Follies.
6
Thank you so much for this article! I needed to remember to laugh. She is a delight!
Excellently written article that captured the absurdity and brilliance of Melissa McCarthy!
4
Thank you for this profile! It is a relaxing delight to watch or read "pure" comedy. As much as good topical comedy makes me laugh, it keeps me inside the dystopian hamster wheel that life has become nowadays. McCarthy is marvelous, and I get why she tunes out so much of the larger world. It frees her (and others) to explore their humanity without the deluge of negativity all around us. I write comic fiction, and it is a safe haven to write something where the only goal is to make people laugh. I'm glad McCarthy shares that goal.
31
Great article on a great lady! I took a few levels of improv for fun years ago, and I left with a toolkit for life. Just a basic class allows you to be vulnerable with others in a totally safe, non-judgemental space in such a way that keeps teaching you long after you're done. And it's SO MUCH FUN. It's like going through chrysalis and becoming a new person who's way more fun to be around.
I mean, why not?
17
My husband and I absolutely love Melissa McCarthy! What a pleasure to learn more about her daily life, family life and how she operates on a set. Paving her own way and finding real joy in life has translated into her making uniquely funny work. Thanks for this great story and thanks Melissa McCarthy for being rad!
23
How do you curate a day....her carefully curated day. Can someone reach out or circle back to explain...
9
@RomaineBillowes
It’s the trendy Millennial word for “choose.”
1
@RomaineBillowes I wish people would just stop (over) using that word out of the context of a museum (or gallery)!
5
My question is about the cache of antique typewriters that Lee Israel had... What happened to them? Did they find their way to Tom Hanks ?
7
What does the word "pageboyed" mean? Spell check doesn't recognize it and google turns up no definition. This article looks like it's written in English, but I'm not sure at some points. I'm also very confused by the discussion of her Catholic school years (and what in the world it means) when she says "Knee down and neck up is mine".
I think the folks who write these long reads like to use words on the fringe of the language to make themselves feel smarter, but it just ends up obfuscating their meaning.
8
@CmdShft4
The standard Catholic school uniform for many years has been a long-sleeved white blouse, a blazer (jacket), and a pleated plaid skirt or a solid color jumper. The skirt is supposed to be long enough to cover the knees. So "Knee down and neck up is mine" means that what she was thinking was all hers, and that she could go where she wanted. However, frequently loafers or saddle shoes and white socks are part of the uniform, which messes up the metaphor. Those uniforms save a lot of wardrobe aggravation and they keep wealthier girls from lording their expensive clothes over less affluent girls.
14
I attended the same high school as Melissa McCarthy, albeit decades earlier. The idea that while in said high school "she would dye her hair blue-black and wear Kabuki makeup and full-length capes" tickled me beyond measure.
9
@CmdShft4
"Pageboyed" is, in fact, a made-up word, and it describes beautifully that someone wears a page-boy style haircut, and that this is the type of person who wears a pageboy haircut. Take it from there . . .
Catholic school students are required to wear uniforms. Girls had to wear skirts or jumpers that modestly came down to their knees - therefore "below the knees" and "neck up" means that part of my appearance is for me to express myself by apparel and/or make-up and hair style.
Not obfuscatory in the least.
5
Talking about comedies, I saw the remake of Overboard this year. It was wonderful! It had big laughs and the premise was delightful. – switch the roles so that the snotty rich person is male and Spanish. PLUS, because it was partly in Spanish, it gave a new and twist to it. We are READY for more English/Spanish movies! The audience is here and ready.
3
Sometimes when you hear someone beautifully sing, it feels like you are reading a Taffy Brodesser-Akner celebrity profile: a pleasant shock, breathtaking, a ripple up the spine. I have enjoyed them all, and argue that her insertion of herself in these profiles provides a window of relatability that is rare in feature writing.
28
soleilame said it best. “I love Melissa McCarthy and I also LOVE
this article.” This is why I have stayed with the NYT’s. I gloss over
the political rhetoric which at times I find very disturbing and
one sided. BUT you have by far the best human interest stories.
Kudos to you and your writers for keeping us entertained and
up to date on what is happening in the world outside of politics.
29
I've watched Spy three times now. Absolutely hilarious. Think I'll watch it again tonight.
15
Melissa McCarthy is a favorite entertainer in my life because of her genius for handling the absurd with absolute aplomb. The darkening of movie plots, series, (what in the world is happening to HBO?) is making it hard to find things worth ditching the news to watch. My retreat is often into old movies, especially black and white comedies with the likes of Rosalind Russell and Barbara Stanwyck. Ancient British comedies like "Make Mine Mink" or "The Importance of Being Earnest" remind me that it was during and after WWII that British humor really became a way of life there. Thanks, friend. I'm with you.
14
The movie The Heat is our family favorite. With two teenagers, we rarely find movies that appeal to all of us, but it has become a tradition for the four of us to gather and watch her hilarious performance in this movie together once a year. And I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as I did during her improvised principal's office scene in This is Forty. Thank you for this profile. Melissa McCarthy is a national treasure.
18
She is very funny, but I pass on her movies because of the vulgarity. She is better than that.
2
Like another commenter, I enjoy Melissa McCarthy when she works outside the bubble. I feel she taps into her gifts when she is challenged outside of her comfort zone. I also can't help but wonder if having her spouse direct the bubble projects isn't part of the problem - based on his visual style, he doesn't seem to be in her league at all.
Is she a comedy savior? Perhaps not. But sometimes a stupid laugh can be as much of a relief as sly or sharp wit. It all depends on the frame of mind you're in at the time, and why you need to laugh.
And a little of Taffy in a story goes a long long long way. Times editors, take note.
7
Whenever I take a trans-Atlantic flight, I see a Melissa McCarthy movie. It relaxes me and I land with a smile on my face.
8
Great article about a phenomenal person and talent. I do find it curious that when McCarthy is interviewed or written about there is usually no mention of her breakout role in Gilmore Girls. Does anyone know why? She was so amazing in her role as Soo,I’d, but is hardly ever mentioned let alone explored. Just wondering.
16
@Pat Matheson I meant Sookie not “Soo,I’d” Sheesh.
I think she is on the right track. Many times, comedy is the only thing you need to make it through a day.
7
I simply want to join the choir - Melissa McCarthy is funny, she goes for it with an all out fearless abandon that I admire to the ends of the earth. I also, will watch anything she is in. Thank you Melissa. I hope you read this.❤️
16
In the right vehicle or a one shot gag (Sean Spicer the first time she did it) she is OK, but most of the time meh! There are a host of other female standup comedians and comic actresses (Julia Louis Dreyfus and Tina Fey) that are a lot funnier.
2
You must’ve missed her SNL opener when she came out wearing platform shoes and doing Lucille Ball-quality physical comedy.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a laugh-out-loud movie, Hollywood has lost it’s funny bone, but Bridesmaids is a classic.
11
@Brian Naylor
Try renting the non-musical movie "Auntie Mame" with Rosalind Russell; the original "The In-Laws" with Alan Arkin; "Sweet Liberty" with Alan Alda; "House Calls" with Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson; and "Roxanne" with Steve Martin and Darryl Hannah.
This help start my day off in the right direction. I now appreciate her even more.
It's nice to know that their are others in the entertainment world who aren't going to get us stuck in the 24/7 news cycle swamp.
3
I too, miss the New York of old. It saddens me that the Disneyfication of Manhattan is looked upon as a good thing. When I was studying acting in New York in the late 80s to early 90s there was an “edge“ to the city. It was not always safe, not always happy, but it was always a challenge. One that could be overcome by keeping one’s eyes straight ahead on the subway, and by keeping one’s circle of friends tight. Some of those friends are now gone due to AIDS or other types of maladies. And I’m sad that New York post 9/11 seems to have a malady of its own; a need to put on a good face.
5
@David
Yup..Should have been there for the 70's. The Halloween parade was a genuine homemade, workouts were running really fast from the muggers, and you could rent 4,200 sq. ft for $350.
2
And with lots of boric acid powder. I don’t miss that part.
2
McCarthy is outlining what it takes to preserve and nurture creativity. She would live similarly regardless of specific cultural climate. Many artists do. Making things requires you to have space to let your mind wander. Consuming content particularly content you haven’t curated is the essence of distraction, a constant state for many. She couldn’t be more right about the danger of being all places at once.
10
Nice piece. It reminds me of Jerry Weintraub's explanation for John Denver's success; that at a time of cynicism and general disillusionment along came this guy that was sincere and had a positive message. Now is the time for McCarthy and the happy escapism she provides.
5
I love Melissa McCarthy, but I also LOVE this article! This is maybe the best feature/profile I've read in years. Bravo!
14
Melissa McCarthy is the greatest comedian alive today! She is also a top-notch dramatic actress.
18
My second wife Sharon died unexpectedly in the spring of 2017. She really loved Melissa McCarthy. Me? not so much. However, I so enjoyed how Sharon laughed at, or really along with Melissa, that I watched all of her films with her. It was fun in a 60's kid TV time kind of way. Now I see that was the point all along. Not every thing on film has to be serious or calculated or Netflixed. Sometimes 120 minutes of goofy is what you need in this world.
I read this article because I sensed Sharon would have wanted me to. I now really get why she loved Melissa's work. A really great profile piece can do that. Thanks to the writer.
84
Well Ok, I'll give Melissa McCarthy another chance. But more of the writer, please. More from Ms. Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
12
I guess in the era of political correctness being fat is no longer funny, or at least no longer sufficient to substitute for comedic ability.
5
@Ro Ma I'm sorry, what? Please, tell me more about this theory of yours on obesity.
4
As an immigrant, from Canada, I am most saddened by the current state of affairs. As a proud citizen, America, we take ourselves too seriously. Yes, we saved the world from tyranny twice in the 20th Century, but perhaps a moment for some calm.
On the right, even my late Pentecostal grandmother might say that Armageddon may not be on the calendar next Tuesday. Chill out. On the left, this is not your father’s Vietnam protest. Get a grip.
Honestly, Each side need much to learn. Get a sense of humor. And SNL is hardly it. SNL is raised to this pantheon now — it is juvenile at best.
We all need to grow up.
3
"McCarthy ends every evening by taking a bath. Yes, she realizes this is not the first time she has mentioned baths. “Yes, I have considered that I should have been a star of ‘Minority Report.’ How do I get a job as a pre-cog, guys? I’m just saying. I loved ‘Minority Report.’ If they do that again, I’m like, ‘Sign me up for that pre-cog.’ And just yell, ‘Run.’ One line. One tremendous line.”
I laughed out loud reading and imagining this. Ms. Brodesser-Akner, you are so fortunate to have been able to take this all in for a few days or so.
9
I support all female comedians. It's an extremely difficult job. They work much harder than most men in the business. I'll take MM, Tiffany Haddish and Amy Schumer any day over guys like Adam Sandler, Will Farrell and David Spade. Those old SNL guys are mostly lame. With the exception of maybe Bill Murray and Fred Armison. I go and see all female comedian's films because they're usually so funny, especially MM. Love her.
10
Hollywood — and its audience — can’t seem to crack a smile possibly because McCarthy simply isn't funny.
8
@Henry
Melissa McCarthy is hilarious - just youtube any of her actual interviews. I wanted more of MM in this article - was so looking forward to enjoying her musings and smart and funny observations, but mostly found the author's watered down study lacking in delivering that delightful MM zing.
2
I absolutely love Melissa McCarthy and am so glad to read this story. I am going to print out the phrase ''But she says, ‘Why not’ and ‘Yes and’ all the time, which I think is a hallmark of crazy people but also people that are successful.”' and hang it on my wall for inspiration. Man, I want to be her best friend pen pal!
9
Fabulous. More, please. And McCarthy should be canonized.
3
"the open-concept homes of efficiency where you can get your comedy, your information and your outrage all from one source — things that used to be sold separately." This writer is, apparently, a genius. Great piece!
15
This person, McCarthy, is emphatically not a Star. She's a celebrity whose one-note performances fit well with the shallow and vapid tastes of her audience.
9
@Neal
"ouch!"
3
Strikes me as a real good person. Very talented
4
Then Melissa McCarthy should get back to making good movies and not one-star paychecks that bury her talent. That’s the career she apparently wants, but she deserves better.
9
‘Melissa McCarthy Wants to Cheer You Up'
Maybe she would, if she started making funny movies.
9
Sorry, Charlie, but as we used to say to much laughter while in elementary school, Melissa McCarthy is about as funny as a screen door on a submarine. And her 'artistry' operates on about the same level of sophistication and wit as that silly kid's joke.
Wake me up when somebody makes another intelligent film on the order of 'All About Eve.' From the looks of things, the American public has dumbed down considerably in the 75 years or so since that movie's release. If the trend continues at the same pace, 75 years or so from now the viewing public will be too stupid to breathe without a pictorial instruction manual.
8
The last MM movie i saw, she ran to catch a helicopter, missed, and then had to pull herself up as the helicopter soared into the sky. Real athletic stuff, but she doesn't have to do that, plus she might hurt herself--look what happened to Amy Tan, when she tried to ski out of a helicopter (for real).
She's naturally funny. She might do a sequel with Sandra Bullock, who's a great straight lady. Or a Ha Ji Won (the most famous actress in the world) take off where she plays a stunt lady and does all her own stunts. But NOT hurt herself. Writers-- not special effects.
2
I love Melissa McCarthy and even her bad movies make me laugh.
But, the good ones......they're great! Nothing feels better than leaving one of her movies with an aching gut from laughing too much.
9
Weopine: This is certainly a different McCarthy era from the earlier one ... thank goodness.
6
76 profanities and 3 verbs is not funny... and neither is the punching/kicking/screaming. Bad Melissa. Bad.
3
Believe it or not, I do not know who Ben Falcone is. From this article, I didn't see the "Ben" part until I tracked down Falcone on the Internet. Oh. Husband of profiled subject. Okay.
Question for Times editors: Please realize that anyone reading a profile in the mag probably doesn't know very much about the person who's being profiled. Or the husband of that person. Over and over, I read "Falcone," as if this were someone I should know. Over and over I kept thinking of "The Sopranos," kicking myself for missing it. Then, in a very much calmer mood, I went over the first few graphs of this article in proofreader mode, to find the first reference here to Falcone. A buried mention.
Would you please credit your readers with a little pop-cultural unawareness? I'm reading this piece mainly because I know close to zip about Melissa McCarthy and her movies. Need we be fans of everyone who's [apparently] already very famous before we can understand what the heck the piece is saying?
7
@Carol K.
Quote from article;
‘McCarthy cornering the air marshal played by her husband Ben Falcone on the flight in “Bridesmaids,” asking him if he wanted to get back into that restroom and “not rest,” her teeth over her bottom lip, her entire body making a strangely chill humping motion?’
9
@Carol K.she stated who Falcone was in the article actually : " Has anyone ever so undermined conventional gender expectations more than McCarthy cornering the air marshal played by her husband Ben Falcone on the flight in “Bridesmaids,” asking him if he wanted to get back into that restroom and “not rest,”
3
@Carol K.
Carol, the article does say he's her husband. I know that without re-reading it because I also didn't know who he was until I read it there.
Not a fan of this style of writing. At all. It reads, to me, like a high schooler’s attempt at depth.
As for McCarthy, she’s made me laugh, often, but also cringe when she goes low and crude, which she does too often.
Looking forward to the new film.
21
I'm sure she could make me smile. But, we're in deep trouble here in America. I find little to smile about these days. I rarely watch entertainment television of any kind. Knowledge is power and entertainment is for those who are not afraid or unsure of what tomorrow will bring. We no long live in that world. We live in Trump's America.
8
Melissa McCarthy is one in a million- may she continue to make movies in whatever genre she wants, but hopefully she continues in comedy for the rest of her life. Love love love her!
18
Great, great piece. (I loved the Goop story too.) Sent a bunch of quotes to my son, who tends to favor the male-centric comedies I mostly refuse to watch. But I'll watch anything with Melissa McCarthy.
I lived my 20s in the 80s. One of my better decades all the way around. My 24-year-old daughter loves the 80s too, the music, everything, and, yes, SNL from that era.
Melissa McCarthy, you're a goddess. Thank you so much for adding to my life!
35
Great story, great writing, great insights, and doesn't it make you want to hang out with Melissa McCarthy? (But then again, I'm a fellow Midwesterner.)
37
I love her, she makes me laugh. I dislike the bubble movies though. I like any movies she makes outside of the bubble. I like the tension when she is on a bit of defense. The safety of the midwest bubble doesn't have enough tension to propel her overhead.
3
Goosebumps! Thank you for doing 6 drafts, because this one was so, so beautiful and true.
15
I laughed, I cried and I now have a brand new outlook for today. Thank you, thank you for this wonderful article about an amazing woman. MM you rule!
11
Why is the NY Times trying to make Melissa Mc Carthy the comic to save america? She makes movies that humiliate women, and now wants to glorify a thief. I have watched 1-2 of her films and did not laugh or find them amusing. I had to take an airplane flight after "Bridesmaids," came out, and when I had to hobble down a airplane aisle with my cane, I had to put up with people smirking and even laughing when I passed. I stopped at one of the laughing people( a man) and when I asked what was so funny, he asked if I had see the Bridesmaid. When I said no, he stopped laughing. When I saw clips of the film I felt even worse then when originally being laughed at. Now, in Trump America, she makes a hero out of someone who forges and lies about being an author for $$? Guess is she the comedy goddess for white people.
7
@stuckincali
Roseanne Barr was a self-proclaimed goddess (albeit domestic), and I guess now McCarthy is a comedy goddess. Two goddesses, neither of them funny. That's the U.S. now. Or white people in the U.S. now. Who's the comedy goddess for non-whites? Is there one?
1
@stuckincali
I was with you until "the comedy goddess for white people." It's mean, rude, and plain wrong to mock anyone because of a disability or their appearance. However, it's been my experience that meanness and rudeness are found among people of all colors, just as kindness and good manners are.
1
What a wonderful and insightful bit of writing. I am just bowled over.
4
Nice article and very well written. I think Melissa is a born natural. My wife and I plus the kids always rewatch Bridesmaid ("like a "volcano"...). After enjoying the read, I looked up to see who the author was and got a final laugh: Taffy?? I had to joke to myself: where's the vampire, oh yeh, it must be October.....
5
I would laugh if she stopped making bad comedies. She hasn't had a hit in over 4 years! The last 5 films have been more about making money before audience demand cooled.
7
I am a screenwriter with two studio comedies in development and it is certainly a difficult time to write mainstream comedy. Nearly everything can be construed as offensive and ripe to be crucified by the Twitterverse.
I watch reruns of Seinfeld, Friends, The Office and am constantly annoying my wife by saying, couldn't say that, couldn't say that. There is hardly a movie not intended for young children that is more than 10 years old that doesn't have at least half a dozen moments that would be eviscerated on social media today.
The irony is, we need to laugh so badly today.
73
@Sparky
So true Sparky --- I think about All In The Family - those scripts would be chopped into pieces today, but I thought Archie Bunker was hilarious in his ignorance.
Or how about the Saturday Night Live sketch between Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase as a psychiatrist -- I laugh to this day. (google it).
Sometimes shining a satirical light on things can accomplish a lot.
4
@Sparky I hear this complaint often, yet plenty of "offensive" comedy still gets made, aired, and enjoyed. Just because *someone* on Twitter is unhappy doesn't mean it's been crucified or couldn't be said. Besides, all comedy is a product of its context, and so it's only natural that older shows would look different if made today. It's not an indictment of the current state of comedy to say that times do change.
My mother, who died recently, had a framed truism on her wall that said "A day without laughter is a day unlived". A maxim we should live by in these troubled times, and Ms. McCarthy is a gift to us all. One we can open like a child under the Christmas tree each time we feel a bit blue.
9
What a treat a laugh with Melissa McCarthy is. Just thinking of that scene in Bridesmaids in the plane makes me want to rewatch it. Glad I read this thought-provoking article. It made me smile and think about the tenor of my life. Refreshing.
13
Thank god for Melissa! We all unconditionally love her. She is the Charlie Chaplin of our time.
34
@Theni The Charlie Chaplin of our time'? Charlie Chaplin had sly wit and humor, and MM has only disgusting fart jokes to her credit. When I see her name on the credits of a film, I avoid it. She is not funny, and is, in fact, disgusting.
5
@Theni
Chaplin is for all time, and there is only one Chaplin. He still speaks to us in this terrible time in history, and his films should be required viewing.
Watch City Lights, Modern Times, The Kid, The Gold Rush, The Immigrant, Monsieur Verdoux . . . his work is incomparable.
Consider the last closeup of City Lights alone and ask what compares to it.
Chaplin is also the ultimate anti-Trump. His films are a comfort in their relentless social criticism and genuine pathos.
5
I adore Melissa McCarthy, her work ethic, her range, and the people she works with. I look forward to whatever she picks next. She's one of the few actors whose films I make it a point of seeing as soon as they come out!
20
I really wanted this to be accompanied by a picture of MM, dressed in purple, flying in a tube.
81
Now that TBA is getting to be a known quantity, Hollywood performers are on to her method and not playing. Melissa M refused TBA's method. The article does not work. Both women are talented and interesting but this is a mis-match. I became a fan of TBA's when I read her Weight Watchers piece. Also liked her Gwenyth Goop piece. But Bradley Cooper and Melissa McCarthy pieces are weak and the editor was right to call for a re-write here. (And a re-write is not just about cutting and pasting the opening para). I credit MM for not playing TBA's game. But without a willing player, there are no points to be scored or insights to be gleaned. Hence, sort of boring.
19
I love Melissa McCarthy but this article, like the Bradley Cooper one before it, was just too long and too much about the writer’s efforts to craft a celebrity profile.
84
@Deborah
Totally agree! The sheer number of the personal "I" in this article drove me to distraction.
24
Agree absolutely. Could use a few of the me & I's edited out. And yes I do get the point of what the author is trying to do.
12
I genuinely like McCarthy but am not a fan of the type of comedies she makes, but I'm truly looking forward to "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" That's on my 'must see' list for the fall.
11
While I don't believe anyone will ever match the exceptional brilliance of Robin Williams, I do believe Melissa McCarthy is in his orbit, becoming funnier and more skilled at her craft with each passing endeavor she pursues.
Her facial expressions alone can bring the house down. She is such a natural and her comedic timing is priceless. I have loved and laughed my extended derrière off in everything she has ever done. Sometimes I wonder if Lucille Ball is challenging somehow in Melissa's art. (Apologies for getting a little weird there).
Thank you NYT for showcasing this extremely talented and funny lady. And to think, her career is relatively new. I am excited with anticipation of the many years to come in which she will grace the screen on so many levels. I sincerely hope she will entertain the notion of doing drama down the road because most comics are as funny as their as incredible in a dramatic role, i.e., Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams, Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason, just to name a few.
57
LOVE HER! She’s fearless and smart and I’ll watch her in anything.
54
That person who is depicted in the lead photo calls herself Melissa McCarthy? Funny thing, I had always thought that her name was Sean Spicer. She was a very good Sean Spicer, much better than the original.
44
Aye to that! *This* Spicey is one of the good things to inadvertently come from that awful regime.
Melissa McCarthy is hysterical. In my opinion, she's right up there with Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. And I miss her Sean Spicer imitation.
79
@susan-Agreed. Melissa McCarthy achieved meteoritic comedic heights with her brilliant send-up of Sean Spicer. In other performances she's established she's a unique talent, wit, and force of nature. Definitely deserves a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame.
2
First of all, I love Taffy Brodesser-Akner's writing. Please keep her on your payroll forever. Thanks.
I've liked Melissa McCarthy since her relatively anonymous
days as Sooki on Gilmore Girls. What I particularly like about her is that she doesn't need to be loud or zany to be humorous (even in zany situations that occur in the various dumb comedies she's acted in). I saw Can You Ever Forgive Me at TIFF and I thought she was excellent. In truth, I did not expect her to deliver but she exceeded. It's definitely oscar bait but she actually deserves the nomination for this performance. So does Richard E Grant.
26
I couldn't get through Nanette either. You have made many great points in this article about comedy and the genius of Melissa McCarthy. She is a gem and so are you.
7
Thanks for this wonderful piece about a wonderful woman. A litttle Melissa is just what we need in these times. Please keep it up!
24
I love melissa mccarthy and will watch anything she's in. She completely changed my expectations for women in comedy, but also more importantly for women in action roles. She is a feminist icon. That fact should not be missed. Just watch The Heat or Spy.
118
I love Melissa McCarthy. I just do.
The summer my mom died I went to see “Bridesmaids” five times. It was the only break, it seemed, that I could take and privately steal away (or find a friend who hadn’t seen it) to spare the emotion I had no idea what I was experiencing. Finally, when the DVD came out, my daughter bought it for me. And I still watch it from time to time.
And it has been one movie of hers ever since. It’s like a date that’s oh, so special. She spares herself, I think, to champion her career. And for that I say thank you.
I am looking forward to her upcoming movie. I would love to see her in more serious roles as well as comedies, so this will be interesting.
As funny as she can be, my most favorite screen experience with Ms. McCarthy was her role in “St. Vincent” several years ago. A single mom, a person struggling with hours required on the job, a neighbor trying to understand the guy next door who certainly had his problems. She perfectly portrayed those character needs and much more. She was real.
This was a great article, in depth, and gives us a nice clearer picture of Melissa McCarthy. Thank you.
And thanks to Melissa McCarthy - carry on, but enjoy your daughters, they grow up fast, enjoy your life in general, and for heaven’s sake - keep those beautiful smiles!
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@MIMA
spot on!
2
@MIMA
I also loved her in St Vincent. Best line when talking about why she and her first husband had to adopt because of blocked fallopian tubes - "I think they were recoiling from his sperm."
2
[[back when New York was gross and not as polished and filled with finance bros (which is its own kind of gross) and perfect.]]
In New York in the 1980s, the crack cocaine epidemic erupted, murders were at an all time high, and AIDS became the leading cause of death for young men and black women.
So, for many people, the city was less than "perfect."
That aside, I love McCarthy's game plan. She's turned out a movie a year since 2010. Low production costs make it easy to turn a profit. Mark Wahlberg works the same way, though he will also take the big budget action roles and the money that comes with them. Some actor walked away from Transformers series, Wahlberg stepped in and his first movie in the series took in a billion dollars worldwide.
3
@Third.coast
the city was less than "perfect."
Yes, but... there was room for all sorts of unconventional people in NYC then. There were time-warps where you could move from the 1930s to the '80s in two blocks. It was a city of infinite possibilities - not all of them good, admittedly - but some of them were magical. It was the unexpected encounters, unanticipated sights, opportunities for serendipity that lifted one up. It's quite different now.
14
@Salix
Oh, stop it.
You're probably thinking of some little slice of the East Village...CBGBs or whatever. The city was filthy. The subway was a graffiti scarred mess. Finances were collapsing.
Look at these photos. https://allthatsinteresting.com/1980s-new-york#12
Watch this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWI8mSPZeC0
Maybe the author's life was perfect in the 1980s...that's fine. But to generalize that way is disrespectful to the hundreds of thousands of people who suffered through that decade. People suffered at the hands of cops, through mass incarceration, due to drugs and drug gangs, AIDS.
Get out of fantasy land and get back to reality.
1
Yet there were plenty of people who avoided the crack cocaine and gangs and have very good memories of the diversity of the 1980's city. They could actually afford to live and work there.
Loved this article. So true. Who can watch the news today without feeling utterly overwhelmed and defeated? If post war needed comedy then bring it on...because we are at war with ourselves.
There is nothing wrong with silly, unapologetic laughter. We are losing our comedy roots because it lies on the surface and is not meant to have layered meaning. It’s simplicity is the overall objective. Just allow yourself to just react without the burden of analysis.
Put down your phones and immesh yourself back into world. Better yet, find your happy place and surround yourself with happy people. Make it your mission to rediscover the joy of spontaneous laughter. If we lose our appreciation of raw humor, there is no hope.
93
Thank god for Taffy. Again, she kills it. My fav is her Weight Watchers article. Loved the GP one, as well as the Bradley Cooper one. This is up there.
9
Had a good body-shakin' laugh reading this. Thank you.
2
Is there anything more subjective than who and what makes us laugh? Melissa works for me -- I'd like to see her in some more sophisticated comedic roles (Cohen brothers, Wes Anderson?) if Marvel/Disney ever stop clogging the creative pipeline with over-budgeted drivel.
20
This spoke to me. Thank you.
6
I'm confused: Was this supposed to be a profile of Melissa or of Taffy?
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@Nancy Hopp
I totally agree.
Keeping the journalist out of a profile -- especially when the
journalist inserts herself so gratuitously -- strikes me as the
mark of a real professional.
45
@Nancy Hopp
Yep, nailed it!
4
Just really good writing. Thank you
4
Nice profile of Ms. Brodesser-Akner, but I would have preferred to read about Melissa McCarthy.
93
Another fabulous piece! Thank you!
I like Melissa McCarthy's work, sure. But Taffy Brodesser-Akner's take on how comedy has changed......genius! A breath of fresh air. Thanks so much!
9
Taffy, love your writing; there’s so much personality. Anytime I stumble upon a really good profile, low and behold, the interview is by you!!
2
I love Melissa McCarthy. Her movies are a great - fun, funny and usually touching. Most importantly, the cast is not skewed heavily male as about 90% of the films Hollywood churns out are.
41
I just want to thank the author for writing such thoughtful, insightful pieces that seek out what it means to be human, to be alive today, while still not taking itself all too seriously are recognizing the comic absurdity of existence.
It seriously makes my day when I see a new Taffy article as I scan the NYTimes, trying somewhat desperately to not succumb to utter weltschmerz as the horrors of the day are revealed. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not alone in wanting to laugh at the absurdity of the human condition and the zeitgeist ... and thinking smart phones are the cultural equivalent of the civilization-destroying Huns.
12
I realize this is subjective, but I don't find her funny. Calling her "dynamic" also seems like a stretch.
"Critics never loved comedies"
There are lots of critically acclaimed comedies. From Some Like It Hot to His Girl Friday to Ghostbusters (the original) to The Big Lebowski, the history of movies is filled with critically-beloved comedies.
These movies have plots and characters.
"Now audiences have access to Rotten Tomatoes ratings and every single review from every single paper; it is hard to come back from overwhelmingly negative critical consensus."
This is studio propaganda. There's a really simple way to get a good score on Rotten Tomatories. Make a good movie.
McCarthy's latest has 100% on RT after 30 reviews. Seems like she made a good movie.
> Put it this way: Twenty years ago, there were three pure comedies in the Top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year. This year, so far, there are zero.
This has nothing to do with Rotten Tomatoes though. Venom has 31% and is doing great.
11
@ted. As a studio screenwriter with multiple credits, I would point out that most of the best reviewed comedies in the last several years (the movies you reference are decades old) are made outside the studio system: Ladybird, The Big Sick, etc. They are what studio comedies used to be-- sophisticated, witty, character-driven, poignant, but are now meant for a much narrower audience. Notably, the most sophisticated comedy of the year, Crazy Rich Asians is far and away the most commercially successful. Is it the start of a trend, time will tell.
4
@ted
yeah, I don't think Ghostbusters was ever critically acclaimed and the Big Lubowski happened right around the time professional critics who actually understood film were fading away and fanboy critics were on the rise.
Box office and personal opinion are not the same as critical praise.
3
She is great and I almost always enjoy her movies and performances. Cheers to MM
6
Thank you God for Melissa McCarthy. She and she alone can save us from the madness. Her Sean Spicer imitation kept me sane in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 election. Her humor brings truth to power, fun in times of fear, and hope in the wake of despair. All while keeping the ugly truths front and center.
McCarthy is truly brilliant, a stable comedic genius. And a bright light in the darkness of these times.
33
What a great piece. I admire McCarthy’s bravery — how lucky she is to find her niche and true profession — and feel that I’ve finally found my tv soulmate. I miss those old shows, too, and Gilda Radner especially. People think Midwesterners fake our niceness (I’m a transplant to Massholeland), but I think we are the most authentic, if only because we are the least passive aggressive. Don’t mistake polite and nice for fakery, or you get the world we live in now.
3
[[Twenty years ago, there were three pure comedies in the Top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year. This year, so far, there are zero.]]
Two of the comedies in '98 were by Adam Sandler (The Waterboy) and Eddie Murphy (Dr. Doolittle). They are terribly unfunny movies, so it's not like that was some heyday for comedy.
The reason there are no "pure" comedies in the top ten this year is because comic book based movies with a global audience dominate the box office. They are easy to dub into other languages and there are no complex plot lines to deal with.
11
The ‘Water Boy” was great!