So two women walk into a movie...

Not too many movies this year have gotten me excited. I had a glimmer with Jodie Foster’s kiddie flick “Nim’s Island.” But as an adult sans children, I think I’ll just rent it to enjoy in the privacy of my own home rather than go to the theater alone and sit with a bunch of 11-year-olds. But, finally on Friday comes “Baby Mama,” a film aimed squarely at my sweet spot. Tina Fey. Amy Poehler. Hilarity. Thank you, ma’am, may I have another. Heck, I think I can even convince some friends to go with me to this one. (They all gave me that cocked-head wah? when I suggested Jodie’s family film. Apparently their infatuation has not reach the same “will see films aimed at 11-year-olds just to watch her”-level as mine.)

I found it interesting in the press leading up to the release how much focus there was on the stunning (stunning!) fact that this is a comedy featuring two women. Two women? Being funny? Together? Inconceivable! It’s so unheard of that most of the interviews (plus Tina and Amy themselves) have frequently referenced “Laverne & Shirley.” Mind you, that show came out 32 years ago, so if that’s the most-recent example they could think of we’ve not come a long way, baby. The Los Angeles Times headline says it all: “Tina Fey and Amy Poehler gamble with the gal-pal comedy ‘Baby Mama’”

A “gal-pal comedy” is a “gamble.” It’s sad, but true. No one blinks an eye at a guy-pal comedy. Heck, they’ve been doing it since Laurel & Hardy, they’re just called Harold & Kumar now. What I truly hope is that this comedy will be judged on its own -- good, bad or indifferent. And if it doesn’t attain “Superbad”-like success (Note: How did 14-year-old boys get so lucky? Must EVERY movie be aimed at them these days?), I don’t want it to be the death knell for all future female buddy films.

And furthermore, what is with this unwritten rule that gals will see guy movies but guys won’t see gal movies? I think Amy said it best in the LA Times interview:

“I like movies that 14-year-old boys like, I like a lot of those. I would hope that they would like the same things I like too.”

To prove that point, both Amy and Tina have declared “Baby Mama” a “dude-safe movie,” which Tina said means:

“There are plenty of jokes in there. They’re not gonna sit there and be, like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe my wife dragged me to the movie ‘Wedding Fight.’”

“Wedding Fight,” snicker. And the snickering continues in the LA Times interview when the reporter brings up the Linday/Paris/Britney-generation of bad girls and why the media is so fascinated with them. Both women said they were glad they were late-bloomers when it came to Hollywood fame. And both blame -- jokingly, sort of -- “Girls Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis for our current obsession with these paparazzi princesses.

Tina: Ladies, don’t show your knockers to Joe Francis. Get your own camera, film your own knockers and get the money.
Amy: We should start our own business where down-and-out women get their own money from showing their knockers. Being a girl this age, it would be a hard time, I think. A lot of mixed messages. A lot of “Be yourself” but a lot of “Be super skinny.” “Save it until you’re married . . .”
Tina: “But dress like a whore.”
Amy: And a lot of like, “Think about the world and be green, but buy a lot of stuff.” I feel like, growing up, I had a Kristy McNichol T-shirt. It was different.

Now those are two funny women. I’d pay money to see them in a movie together. In fact, I can’t wait.

p.s. If that’s not enough, Sigourney Weaver is also in the film.
p.p.s. Maura Tierney and Holland Taylor, too.
p.p.p.s. Seriously, go get your ticket right now.