Melissa McCarthy Is First Woman To Win Comedic Genius Award

Melissa McCarthy is one hell of a talented woman. In fact, it’s not hard to love the actress-turned-designer; she is one of Hollywood’s most bankable screen stars, a gifted comedian, a respected fashion designer and her empowering views on sexism and body image are refreshing and real.

She’s considered a veteran of the industry at this stage?but is still breaking boundaries for women. This weekend, she made history as the first female to receive the Comedic Genius accolade at the MTV Movie Awards.

She’s the third recipient of the award, and its first female winner after Will Ferrell was honoured in 2013 and Kevin Hart in 2015.

?I may be the first woman to receive this award, but I am certainly not the first one to deserve it,? McCarthy said during her acceptance speech. ?I’m a walking human patchwork of all the funny women I have loved and studied over the years.?

She thanked the female comedians who came before her – Lucille Ball, Bette Midler, and Whoopi Goldberg – and also mentioned her mother for telling her not to be worried about being “likable” and to “lovingly go for the kill.”

McCarthy is a more than fitting recipient for the accolade, having been an advocate for powerful female roles in film for years. She recently spoke about?how she wants to see women supporting other women more on screen, in order to reflect society today.

I love to show women and girls uniting. I love showing that because I think so often in movies, you see women just fighting and not liking each other. That’s not real life. That’s not the norm.

?With women, there’s this constant weird cultural thing where we’re always supposed to be comparing ourselves with one another. Who wore it best? Instead, how about if everyone wins??

This is further proof that we are living in an age were funny girl power is on the rise; long may it continue.