From the early days of TV and movies, women in comedy have often been sidelined. While some icons like Lucille Ball broke through, many female characters were often portrayed as nagging wives or annoying sisters, overshadowed by their witty male counterparts.
But times have changed! Now, we have a plethora of female characters who are just as rude, vulgar, and hilariously terrible as any male character.
So, let’s dive in and celebrate the women from TV and film who are so wonderfully awful that they make us laugh!
Related: Top 10 Borderline Offensive SNL Characters
10. Heather Chandler
If you didn’t see this coming, you must be new to classic teen movies. As one of the iconic Heathers in the movie Heathers, Heather Chandler, played by Kim Walker, is undoubtedly the meanest of the bunch. She might get taken out early in the film, but she leaves a lasting impression with her biting remarks.
Her delivery is simply iconic, like when she dismisses another Heather’s bulimia with a snide, “Bulimia is so ’87.” Heather Chandler sets the standard for hilariously terrible female characters.
I’d make her drink drain cleaner, too. [1]
9. Sue Sylvester
Glee has its fair share of anti-heroines, but no one compares to Sue Sylvester. Played by Jane Lynch, Sue is the ruthless cheerleading coach who cares only about her personal gain. Her antics range from pushing rival coaches down the stairs to endless verbal assaults on students and teachers.
Sue’s schemes are as outrageous as they are funny. Falsely accusing teachers, trying to launch students out of cannons, and even trapping students in fake elevators with aphrodisiacs – she’s a walking HR nightmare. But that’s what makes her so entertaining to watch.
And that’s how Sue C’s it. [2]
8. Jacqueline White
Jane Krakowski seems to have a knack for playing the “mean lady,” and Jacqueline White from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a prime example. Jacqueline is a wealthy, out-of-touch socialite who hires Kimmy as her nanny.
The character’s comedy peaks as she deals with losing her fortune and reconnecting with her Native American heritage, which she hilariously tries to deny. Her interactions with her parents are comedy gold.
Plus, her relationship with her kids is practically non-existent; she treats them like accessories. But as the show progresses, she evolves, dedicating herself to changing the offensive name of the Washington Redskins, which is quite a character arc. [3]
7. Hannah Horvath
Hannah Horvath, portrayed by Lena Dunham in HBO’s Girls, doesn’t intentionally set out to be a bad or funny person, yet she embodies both perfectly. Described as an “entitled narcissist” by her own friend, Hannah’s self-involvement is the source of much of the show’s humor.
As a writer, she obsesses over her own life, even resorting to extreme measures like taking cocaine to make her articles more interesting. Her cluelessness about others’ feelings is evident from the first episode when she whines about her parents cutting her off financially despite her lack of employment.
Hannah isn’t overtly mean, but her actions clearly reflect her self-centered nature. [4]
6. Regina George
It’s hard to find a more iconic teen movie character than Regina George, played by Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls. With her blonde hair, mini-skirts, and sharp wit, she’s the quintessential Queen Bee.
Unlike many teen movies that attempt to humanize their “mean girl” characters, Regina gets no such treatment. She’s terrible simply for the sake of being terrible, which is part of her charm.
Mean Girls is packed with quotable moments, but Regina’s lines are the most memorable. From “Get in loser, we’re going shopping” to “Stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen,” her brutal honesty and quick wit showcase the shrewd, hilarious side of teenage girls.
Maybe she did deserve to get hit by that bus. [5]
5. Lindsay Bluth
On Arrested Development, almost every member of the Bluth family is awful. Lindsay Bluth, played by Portia de Rossi, is no exception. As the adopted daughter of George Sr. and Lucille Bluth, Lindsay’s biggest flaw is her complete neglect of her daughter, Maeby. She doesn’t know her age and often forgets to pick her up from school.
Lindsay is incredibly self-involved with antagonistic feelings toward her husband, whom she admits she only married to spite her mother.
However, Lindsay differs from others as she often believes she’s doing the right thing. She’s distressed when she realizes her mistakes, making her a terrible mother and wife but not as malicious as some others on this list. [6]
4. Jenna Maroney
Unlike many shows, 30 Rock doesn’t revolve around dreadful people. But Jane Krakowski really shines once again as Jenna Maroney.
This egotistical narcissist will stop at nothing to be the center of attention, and she’s always seeking the spotlight. Consider one of her best lines when finding a pregnancy test in the trash: “Oh no… someone’s going to get more attention than me!”
She’s a terrible friend and an even worse coworker. In one episode, upon finding out one of her costars can sing, she hires someone to punch him in the throat. In another, she threatens to kill herself when someone stops listening to her.
As much as I hate to admit it, I think we’ve all had our Jenna moments. [7]
3. Elaine Benes
Elaine Benes from Seinfeld, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, has become just as iconic as her male counterparts, even though she didn’t appear in the pilot episode.
In “the show about nothing,” Elaine serves as the sole female character. But rest assured, Elaine is funny beyond belief. Her femininity and good looks are often part of the plot, such as the episodes where she and Jerry sleep together, and George develops a crush on her.
She stops to get candy on the way to visit her boyfriend in the emergency room, kidnaps a dog, or ruins any small business that doesn’t serve her exact needs (poor Soup Nazi?). And, of course, no dancing scene on television could hope to be as iconic as her bad dancing. [8]
2. Selina Meyer
It’s a testament to Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’s comedic chops that she has two characters on this list.
As Selina Meyer, the vice president of the United States in Veep, Louis-Dreyfuss is brilliant. She’s like Elaine Benes but with extreme power.
Her insults are legendary. In one of the early seasons, when told that her staff was trying to use a presidential assistant for intelligence, she replies, “That’s like trying to use a croissant as a dildo. It doesn’t work, and it makes a mess.”
Savage.
Meyer only cares about herself, to the detriment of the entire country. Even the most sensitive issues are not off limits: Meyer will change her opinions and alliances at the drop of a hat if it means getting closer to the presidency.
A prime example is when she allows her assistant, Gary, to go to jail despite him being a devoted follower. She sacrifices him to protect her image. [9]
1. Dee Reynolds
Kaitlyn Olson’s portrayal of Dee Reynolds in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia holds a special place in many comedy fans’ hearts. Initially, Dee appears to be the moral compass of the gang. As the only woman, she calls out the men for their behavior early in the series.
She begs them to be respectful of others, but the show depicts the men as crazy, awful people, while Dee is the voice of reason. She continues this way for the first few episodes of the first season.
But as the show progresses, Dee becomes just as bad as the boys, if not worse. Recent exploits include tricking a stripper into involving his daughter, having a funeral for a fake baby, and getting her sober friend drunk just because she was bored.
Kaityln Olson suggested that they don’t write a female character; they just write a funny one. With her suggestion, Dee stopped being the “voice of reason” she was written to be and has become one the funniest parts of this already hysterical show. [10]
Who is your favorite terrible but hilarious female character? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
