Bridesmaids - Verbal Diorama

Episode 40

Bridesmaids

Published on: 23rd April, 2020

I find Paul Feig's directorial career fascinating; Spy, The Heat, A Simple Favour and Ghostbusters, all female-fronted and each of them a lot of fun and very enjoyable in their own right.


2011's Bridesmaids really was the catalyst, not only for Paul Feig's career, but the Hollywood careers of Saturday Night Live alumna Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, for Rose Byrne to prove her comedic timing and for a standout Oscar-nominated performance by Melissa McCarthy. This is more than just "the female Hangover". This is Bridesmaids. It's better, it's funnier, it treats its characters like people and it's more relatable. Without Bridesmaids, we would almost certainly not have Girls Trip, Pitch Perfect, Booksmart or Trainwreck, among others, and our lives would be less rich without all of them. (They're all great - I highly recommend them!)


Bridesmaids didn't just get a nomination for a supporting actress Oscar either; Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo's screenplay was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.You think women can't be funny? Well, you're wrong. Women can be funny, they can be gross, they can be sweet and they can be powerful. Bridesmaids means more for women in Hollywood than you might think. It means more for women than you might think. It means a hell of a lot just to me.


Bridesmaids, while it does resort to hilarious potty humour (literally!) also has a deep and meaningful core of the values of friendship, beneficial relationships and mental health that The Hangover doesn't dare go near. These women are real women, flaws and all, and they deserve that effing cookie!


I would love to hear your thoughts on Bridesmaids! You can get in touch on

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You can rate or review the show in iTunes or at Apple Podcasts and Podchaser and I'd very much appreciate that!


My website is at https://verbaldiorama.com


Thanks to the following for their contributions to this episode:


Twitter peeps

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Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe Facebook

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)


Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studios.



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About the Podcast

Verbal Diorama
The podcast on the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.
Are you interested in how movies are made? Do you wonder how a film went from conception to completion? If so Verbal Diorama, hosted by Em, is the podcast for you!

Movies are tough to make, and Verbal Diorama is here to celebrate the coming together of teams of extraordinary cast and crew, bringing us movies that inspire us, delight us, make us laugh, make us cry and petrify us. This podcast discovers the stories behind the scenes, and proves how amazing it is that movies actually exist!

Welcome to Verbal Diorama. The podcast all about the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't! Subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and enjoy new episodes every week.
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About your host

Profile picture for Em .

Em .

Hi! I'm Em. I created Verbal Diorama in 2018, and launched the podcast in February 2019 to rapturous applause and acclaim.... from my cat Jess.

The modus operandi of Verbal Diorama is simple: movies are tough to make! The coming together of a team of people from all walks of life to make something to entertain, delight and educate us for 90+ mins is not an easy task, and yet so many succeed at it. That must be something to celebrate.

I'm here to do just that - to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us.

Episodes are audibly book ended by Jess. She sadly passed away in March 2022, aged almost 18. She featured in many episodes of the podcast, and that's why you can hear her at the end of every episode. The role of official feline producer is now held by the comparatively quieter Evie.

I love podcasts, and listen to many, but never my own.

I unashamedly love The Mummy (1999) and Grease 2. I'm still looking for a cool rider.