In the case of news that is long overdue, Melissa McCarthy is being given the MTV Comedic Genius Award, and the thing that's making my eyes roll back in my head is that she's the first woman ever to receive it. In 2016. To be fair, the award has only been given out to three people, of which McCarthy is the first, but that's still a one-to-two ratio that I feel justified in side-eying. Even though this honor is long-delayed, McCarthy really is the perfect person to lead us out of this jungle of inequality and into the brave new world of eqal representation. (And hey, if you want to give me an MTV Creative Writing Genius Award for that last sentence, I wouldn't be mad at it.)
The MTV Comedic Genius Award is fairly new, having been established in 2013. It went to Will Ferrell that year, and Kevin Hart in 2015, which does make the omission of women up until now slightly more understandable. But, even so, I really can't think of a better choice for this year's winner than Melissa McCarthy, who really does have it all. I'll let MTV explain it first; here's their statement on the 2016 award:
Honoring Melissa McCarthy with MTV's Comedic Genius Award is exciting on so many levels, it's the first time this award is going to a woman which is fantastic. We love Melissa for her performances but she also writes, produces and directs comedy, so this award is incredibly well deserved. The most exciting thing about Melissa is how brave she is, you don't want to miss her moment in the show.
Honestly, it's hard to top that, they really said it all, and proved this isn't just about a woman winning, but a deserving comedian winning. McCarthy is a powerhouse not just in the acting category, but above and beyond, dominating behind the scenes as well. She's the perfect selection of someone for aspiring comedians to look up to, as her talent is matched only by her willingness to work hard, and she more than holds her own with heavy-hitters like Hart and Ferrell. She's a perfect choice, and I'm so excited for what this award means not just for women, but for comedy overall.
