So says influential Hollywood insider

Only ugly women are funny, one of Hollywood's leading commentators has claimed.

Journalist Nikki Finke – who runs the influential industry website Deadline – said that beautiful women 'don't know how to do funny' and called on TV and movie executives to cast less attractive actresses in comedy.

Her comments came during a live blog of Sunday night's Emmy awards, after Julie Bowen was named best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Claire Dunphy in Modern Family.

Finke, who has been named one of the 25 most influential women in Hollywood, wrote: 'Listen up, Hollywood: Beautiful actresses are not funny. They don’t know how to do comedy.

'Only women who grew up ugly and stayed ugly, or through plastic surgery became beautiful, can pull off sitcoms or standups... because it’s all about emotional pain and humiliation and rising above both by making people laugh with you instead of at you.

'So stop casting beautiful actresses when you should be giving ugly women a chance.'

Perhaps anticipating a backlash to her comments, she added: 'This also applies to handsome men, by the way. Now argue amongst yourselves.'

Finke previously courted controversy by commenting in the wake of the mass shooting at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises, that the tragedy could affect the movie’s opening weekend box office results.

Published: 25 Sep 2012