“It’s harder to make someone laugh than it is to make them cry,” author Cath Crowley once said. In the world of acting this has been said time and time again. However, the Oscars, the most prestigious award an actor can be given, does not even contain a comedy category.

It has been said that comedies are not as real at expressing emotion as dramas. This is bias and also untrue.

Comedies can capture the joys and hardships of life just as accurately as dramas. The difference is, the hope of a comedy is to make you not only think but laugh. This is a wonderful and underrated concept.

The Academy Awards needs to make space for acknowledging the comedies that not only inspire laughter, but also deep insight into life.

Acclaimed comedy director Judd Apatow said, “It’s been like five times in a zillion years that [a comedy] has won best picture…it doesn’t seem like it’s screwing up ‘Schindler’s List’ for ‘The Hangover’ to have its own category.”

It is once in a blue moon that a comedy is even nominated for an Oscar, anyway. The statement that this seems to be making is that comedy is less award-worthy than drama. Some of the most beloved actors are actually comedians and have done some of their most well-known work in comedy works.

Tom Hanks has been nominated for five Academy Awards, but never won for any of his work in comedy. For a jack-of-all-trades, not recognizing his comedy genius is a fatal fall of the Oscars.  

Take into consideration Melissa McCarthy, who was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress in “Bridesmaids.” McCarthy’s performance was as gritty and realistic as it gets. Taking a somewhat-unappealing character and giving her depth and lovability can only be portrayed through great acting.

The fact of the matter is that exceptional acting should be recognized in all genres. Adding a comedy genre to the Academy Awards would only add to the celebration of entertainment through film. This would also open up the Oscars to comedians to attend the ceremony. This would add some much-needed entertainment to the programming.

The Oscars needs to make way for the hardworking and brilliant actors that make us laugh. The inclusion of a comedy genre could only lead to the addition of great works of art into Oscar family.

By doing this, it would hopefully put an end to the myth that drama is more valuable than comedy, and give comedic films some much-needed recognition for their achievements.