In 2015, Amy Schumer is All of Us

Amy Poehler better watch out; there’s a new Amy out for her laughs, and she’s doing it with a little bit of feminism and a whole lot of vulgarity. While Amy Schumer is no newcomer to the comedy scene, 2015 was most definitely her year.

Most memorably, Schumer wrote and starred in the Judd Appatow-produced Trainwreck, which grossed more than $130 million worldwide. She is also the creator, star, writer, and executive producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV series Inside Amy Schumer, which initially aired under-the-radar in 2013. Perhaps lesser-known developments on the Schumer front, Amy just signed a multimillion-dollar deal to write a memoir tentatively titled The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. You also may not be aware that she got her first start in the spotlight on the 2007 fifth season of NBC's Last Comic Standing, where she placed fourth.

We're not surprised to hear Amy Schumer sent a sext to Katie Couric’s husband (pretending to be Katie Couric), just as we're not surprised she turned down our request for an interview in anticipation of this Saturday's show at BB&T Center—a nearly sold-out show. Girl's got it going on, no doubt.

But why do we like Amy Schumer so much? Why does she resonate so loudly in 2015? Simply put, Schumer is saying and doing the things we’ve always wanted to say and do, and she's completely, shamelessly unapologetic about it. Her comedy is a series of sex jokes, crude humor, and a little bit of inspiration where you'd least expect it.

While many choose to avoid their critics, Schumer takes them on full-force. When she came under fire for some of her comments (ahem, jokes) about race, she posted an online statement defending her material and right to speak freely: “I will joke about things you aren’t comfortable with. And that’s OK. Stick with me and trust I am joking,” she asserted.

She takes her awkward sexual encounters, crises of confidence, and body image issues and uses comedy to open up about those typically intimidating issues. And she does it with limitless sass. There’s nothing new about comedy with a feminist swag, but while comedy with a message can easily turn preachy, Schumer has managed to ignite a movement. Her standup expands its reach, touching on subjects like equal pay, abortion rights, and even gun laws, without ever feeling too dark or forced.

One of her biggest targets is the ugliness of modern-day, heterosexual hookups: Plan B, frat parties, and other hassles that come from growing up in the age of social media and Tinder. Amy Schumer is that friend you might have publicly condemned but always secretly admired. The friend you most definitely want to have around to witness what hilarious stunt she’d pull next. Paired up with mega-star gal pals like goofball Jennifer Lawrence, there's seemingly no limit to what she'll achieve in 2016 and beyond.

Schumer is clever and self-deprecating, inspiring yet demoralizing, and no matter how raunchy or painful, she will make you laugh uncontrollably. She plays off the thrill we still get from watching a woman speak obscenely, awkwardly, and honestly onstage. We all want to be a part of the story, and the great news is, through her incredibly real, always humble humor, we already are.

Amy Schumer
7 p.m., Saturday, December 12, at BB&T Center, 1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise 33323. Tickets cost $49.50 to $150 plus fees. Call 800-745-3000 or visit www.thebbtcenter.com for more information.