Romantic comedy

Via Amanda Marcotte at Pandagon, I learn that Carina Chocano at the LA Times has done some investigative reporting on why romantic comedies suck so much these days, and came up with How to cook up a 'perfect' heroine.

After watching Monster-in-Law, I canvassed a few writers --- who won't be named, so that they may continue to write and happily incorporate notes --- to share directives they'd received while creating their romantic heroines. There is no such thing, it appears, as a romantic comedy heroine who couldn't benefit from being just a little more "likable" than she already is (Rule No. 1). "Likable" of course, can mean many things in the real world; but for a studio it tends to mean that she does some kind of work involving animals or the elderly. Perhaps she's a veterinarian, or a zookeeper. If she works in business, she has a boss who doesn't appreciate her, or steals her ideas. Whatever it is, she has it tough. Sometimes she's a single mother, "trying to hold it all together in this tough, dog-eat-dog world," one writer offers. "Also, likable often means clumsy," she adds. "She falls down a lot, but in an adorable fashion. Likable also means pretty. As we all know, the fat are unlikable."

Stupidity, once again, manifests as sexism.

I'll be home, watching The Philadelphia Story for the billionth time.