Entertainment

Amy Schumer Gets Body Positive With "Swanks"

by Kelsea Stahler

It was only a few weeks ago when Inside Amy Schumer began its season by declaring the year of the butt. But we had to know she had something up her sleeve when Season 3 opened with Amy singing "this is where my poop comes out" during a music video that, at first glance, seemed to glorify the pop culture obsession with women's rears. Amy knows what's up. And she's continued to prove that with her latest rump-themed sketch: "Swanks" an Inside Amy Schumer parody of Spanks... that make your butt look bigger with only "some" internal bleeding. It's short, but oh so sweet.

What's great about this cold open to the latest episode, "Babies & Bustiers," is how much social commentary it packs into one tiny package. We open with the fake infomercial for Swanks — named after Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry without her permission — that obtusely assumes women want to be hollered at by men on the street. When one woman doesn't get a serving of street harassment, she goes to the experts for some pants that will boost up her butt. You know, the totally normal response to not being harassed on the way to work.

And then came the whammy: The notion that now that "white guys like big butts too" (don't worry, the sketch also points out that calling appreciation of one's natural rear end a "trend" is absurd), suddenly we all have to not only care (*rolls eyes with the power of a military grade tank*) but we have to get rid of our old assets for men's pleasure — breasts — and turn them into the new assets for men's pleasure — butts. All it takes is a little internal bleeding... because this trend literally requires possession of a body shape that doesn't occur for everyone. I'm sorry, my boobs aren't cool now? I guess I'd better squish them down and trade them in for a butt? #swanks

Infomercial Amy does her "role model" duty and tries these swanks so she can absurdly alter her body now that white guys like butts: "Wearing swanks means that men respect me and that I get to keep my TV show." Take that, 12 Angry Men.

Image: Comedy Central