Funnygal Amy Schumer’s unique brand of LOLery has erupted from the screens of her Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer to impact the world in a very real way. The comedienne’s increasingly razor-sharp wit and penchant for biting social critique reached new heights with a parody of boy band One Direction, which featured in this week’s episode of the show’s third season.
As most people over the age of 14 can attest without having to hide their tears, poking fun of 1D is about as hard as shooting heavily auto-tuned fish in barrel. But Schumer does more than just the stock-standard lampooning of the teen heartthrobs’ corny lyrics and badly choreographed dance moves. Instead, she plunges the knife deeper, to expose a pop cultural paradox about women’s “natural beauty”.
In her spoof musical number, Girl, You Don’t Need Makeup (which strongly resembles 1D’s What Makes You Beautiful) Schumer hilariously articulates the contradictions between pop cultural messages that tell women their natural beauty is best, while simultaneously reminding them they need a stack of expensive make-up products to achieve the best “natural look”.
The sketch has prompted thousands of girls across the globe to take to Twitter, posting bare-faced selfies with the hashtag #GirlYouDontNeedMakeup, a reaction that Schumer herself has been absolutely floored by.
“I have been brought to tears with all the strong, badass, incredible women tonight,” she tweeted. “In jungles, jumping out of planes, holding their babies and mothers hands. All the strong lovely men who tweeted too.
“We are all different and beautiful. Let’s waste no time stressin bout looks. We are sisters and fighters and laughers and happy strong women. Smile at yourself in the mirror girl. #girlyoudontneedmakeup much love!”
Feminism might just have a new saviour. Check out some of Schumer’s fans’ makeup-free tweets, below.
Watch: Inside Amy Schumer – Girl, You Don’t Need Makeup
https://twitter.com/amyschumer/status/593292463218896896
https://twitter.com/amyschumer/status/593292724092018688
https://twitter.com/amyschumer/status/593292906082869248
❤️ my Sis. Breast Cancer survivor, wife & Mom. My hero #girlyoudontneedmakeup
@alyssav1979 @Shera_P_rox @amyschumer pic.twitter.com/B2HIXGn6ou— Tessa Martinez (@Its_Just_Mrs_Z) April 29, 2015
#girlyoudontneedmakeup but you need adventures! @amyschumer #Gorillatrekking pic.twitter.com/xFyl6UOFCo
— Emily (@emilymusilchrch) April 29, 2015
https://twitter.com/im_jessss_sayin/status/593497047636058112
#insideamyschumer #girlyoudontneedmakeup pic.twitter.com/rIGx2rtuRp
— Christine Nangle (@nanglish) April 29, 2015
https://twitter.com/JadynJWong/status/593503341918834688
