I’ve never been the “gorgeous” friend; the one you’re jealous of, or the girl that stands out in pictures. I’ve always been deemed the “funny” friend. People tend to divide each friend within a group into categories determining who they are based on a first impression. While meeting these new people, within a matter of seconds I’ll be stuck with this name, the “funny” friend. Every other girl in my friend groups have an aspect about them that is quickly brought to attention; “Wow, I love your hair.” “You’re so pretty!” Then there’s me… “You must be the funny one.” Why is it always a requirement? A predetermined notation that I must be the “funny” friend. And what qualities draw you to me?
Is it my clothes? My hair? It can’t be my personality, because I haven’t spoken to you for more than 30 seconds. So what makes you think of me as the “funny” friend? Could it be that you’re too shallow to recognize that we all could be more than the names you give us? Or is it because I’m simply the least attractive friend in the group? Or is it a combination of the two? It’s not that calling someone the “funny” friend is meant to be hurtful, but being called it throughout a lifetime gets old. Being the “funny” friend makes you wonder how you could become the “pretty” or “smart” friend, though you may be pretty and smart, it doesn’t matter because someone didn’t point it out. A person saying that you are something, whether or not it's true seems to solidify it in our minds. Crazy I know, but true.
Being labeled as the “funny” friend also adds the pressure to constantly be “funny”, the same way being labelled as the “pretty” friend would make them feel obligated to look a certain way. However, being deemed the funny friend seems less like a compliment, such as being called the “pretty” friend, and more like a half assed way to recognize the person of least interest.
As Barbra Streisand sang in the song "Funny Girl":
Tho' I may be all wrong for the guy, I'm good for a laugh... A girl ought to have have a sense of humor, that's one thing you really need for sure when you're a funny girl...
Don’t get me wrong, I know I’m hilarious, but that’s only one part to me. Don’t define me as the “funny” friend because I’m not the prettiest, the smartest or have the best hair; get to know me, then make a judgement.
