American Humor vs British Humour

Split from "Usernames"

David, if I'm a Yank, and I sometimes understand and enjoy "English humour," (notice the extra 'u'!), what does that make me????

 

I guess that makes you a kind, sharing, sensative kind of human being with a WARPED sense of humor (Note only 1 u).






Or maybe you are not a Yank, but a Brit' " livin' in America" (James Brown?)



Question? (please do not be offended) Why are American Sitcoms crap and patently not funny. I find this to be in complete contrast to ALL the American people that I know personally, who have great sense of humours & the ability to make me laugh (with them, not at them I should add)

 

Ye've answered ye own question! You like British humour, and our sitcoms are American humor! Two entirely different animals!

Most Americans can't stand your stuff, so it's even!

All sitcoms are based on situations and aspects of regular life. Thus, there are things endemic to living in America that are unknown to Brits. Therefore, you don't get the jokes. Come to think of it, sometimes I don't either! That's why there are only a few that I watch.

Carry on...

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOH Tom, we've been given our own thread


Isn't that exciting :wink:

Would any one else like to join us in some light hearted banter, or even serious discussuion on this topic?

Please feel free.

 

I really laugh my head off over Monty Python. British humour (with u) is entirely my thing. But then again, we only get the worst mainstream crap of American sitcoms over here in the Netherlands so I don't think I have a very good picture of it.

 

Yes well the problem with British humour is that most of it isn't funny. In fact I can't think of many British sitcom in the last 10 years that were worth mentioning. The classics that I can think of are

Blackadder series 2,3 & 4 (or seasons in American)
Red Dwarf the first few series
Open all hours
Dads army
Faulty Towers
Various Monty Pythons.

None of the modern stuff hold a candel to these worthies.

Most British humour is based heavily on class and Americans simply don't get it so none of our humour takes off in the states.

 

Thus, the British side of my previous argument! Just like I'm sure that none of us would appreciate Russian sitcoms!

You did omit one show that I used to watch sometimes, Benny Hill. That was the first time I ever saw full frontal nudity on TV! What I really thought was interesting, was that it was a Boston station! For those who don't get the connection, Boston used to be a very Puritannical city!

Our own thread? I'm all a-twitter!!!

 

i dont agree with that at all, most britsh humour is based on sexual ineuendo and takin the p*ss out of ourselves and characters we all meet in day 2 day life.

also some new britsih comedy is as good as the bygone classics i.e little britain is superb

my all time favs are porridge only fools and horses and blackadder

 

Canadian

:bang:

 

The detectives.
with Jasper and Robert.

Allo Allo.

Very funny pi** take of WW2.

Father Ted

 

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
It’s rarely ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.


Given to me by and Canadian Friend

 

G.P,

Like all the very best humour, that was not only funny, but also clever.

 

Yes - English humour does like puns...

The language is very suited to it.

 

post subject

if you like english humour with "puns" you should look up on web for
"Faithless Nelly Gray", (a pathetic ballad) by "Thomas Hood"
it does have 17 verses so will only give you thr first and a few others!
"FAITHLESS NELLY GRAY"
Ben Battle was a soldier bold,
And used to war's alarms,
But a cannon ball took off his legs,
So he laid down his arms.

Now as they bore him off the field,
Said he "Let others shoot,
For here I leave my second leg,
And the Forty-Second Foot!

(and the following 15 verses are just as good)
(go to google or other, type in first line, Ben Battle etc)

 

I love these pun-songs. You just can't laugh it all out because you'll miss too many jokes. :grin:

 

A well-rendered pun is always a joy!

 

What is the difference between America and a pot of yoghurt?

 

post subject

I don't know, what is the difference between America and a pot of yoghurt?

 

If you leave a pot of yoghurt long enough and it will have a culture.

 

Here's a Dutch joke about Moroccan immigrants. They are infamous (wrongly) around here for not knowing the language and for commiting small crimes like stealing bycicles.

What are the three differences between a Moroccan and E.T.?

E.T. spoke the language, E.T. had his own bycicle, and E.T. really wanted to get back home!