American humor and British humour - what's the difference?

[Aerkuld]

Livi bought up an interesting point in the "Car quotes from Top Gear" thread (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/372813-car-quotes-top-gear-post3540990.html#post3540990) and it's something that I have been thinking about for a long time without any real answers.

His question was this (paraphrased slightly):

"How come that British Comedy is perceived as so darn funny? Sometimes I think they are mean and evil. Sometimes I feel real sympathy as it is pretty obvious they are making fun of themselves. It is like a perfect mix of stiff upper lip and football hooligan."

I started to answer it but I really think this is a very complicated subject. Also it gets very difficult to compare the two without making sweeping generalizations. Obviously this is a subject that needs some in depth discussion.

My initial thought, and sweeping generalization, which I don't want to come over as being all popmus and superior is this:

American comedy is often very 'slap-stick', a lot of visual gags, or situation. It doesn't tend to rely on memory of past events or previous situations and is very much an instant laugh and lacking in complexity.

A lot of British humor tends to be word based or relies on a complex set-up before the punchline. It isn't always immediately obvious and often requires you to be paying attention or to have knowledge of other events outside of the joke itself at that moment.

Regardless of whether this is an accurate representation there are most certainly two distinct styles of comedy.

One of the problems that I think we might have looking at this is that the general population of the Pelican board doesn't seem typical of the norm. There are often little jokes and smart comments on here that go back to someone else's comment that they made six months ago. What I'm trying to say is you guys are funny...

So what is is that makes the two styles of humor/humour so different?

I think we owe livi an answer...

[Porsche_monkey]

From the other thread....

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

I do wonder if the majority of Americans take things too seriously.

Bingo!

I notice this all the time, they take themselves, their country, and their business far more seriously than a Canadian. And to their benefit I guess.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

...One of the problems that I think we might have looking at this is that the general population of the Pelican board doesn't seem typical of the norm. There are often little jokes and smart comments on here that go back to someone else's comment that they made six months ago. What I'm trying to say is you guys are funny...

So what is is that makes the two styles of humor/humour so different?

I think we owe livi an answer...

We don't owe that fluffer nuthin' imo...that's got to be one of the funniest threads ever on PPOT

[The Gaijin]

Does British include the Scots and Welsh? I don't think those two groups are that funny..

The difference is most likely based in the class structure of the English. That and they are generally reserved.

When you cannot communicate effectively across groups and within some groups - you use humour to bridge those gaps.

We Americans do not have such cultural restrictions and all try to come across as non-stuffy regular folk and therefore have a bland and low-brow sense of humor as evidenced on TV.

[Jeff Higgins]

How come we never see any German humor? I know, rhetorical question...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

Does British include the Scots and Welsh? I don't think those two groups are that funny..

The difference is most likely based in the class structure of the English. That and they are generally reserved.

When you cannot communicate effectively across groups and within some groups - you use humour to bridge those gaps.

We Americans do not have such cultural restrictions and all try to come across as non-stuffy regular folk and therefore have a bland and low-brow sense of humor as evidenced on TV.

You can include the Scots and Welsh, Billy Connolly and Max Boyce are two names that spring to mind as being comedians from Scotland and Wales. Maybe you haven't heard of them over here and maybe because you wouldn't understand a word they say.

The English being reserved is a poular myth. I think what may be more accurate is that they are very particular, or selective about what they say and to whom they say it. If you put an Englishman in the middle of a group of people that he knows well he will be as loud and outspoken as the next guy. Put him in a room full of strangers and he will probably be very cautious. But you may be right about using mild humor to 'break the ice', but it would be unlikely to be controversial jokes or insults unless they were directed inwards. The British are certainly not afraid of making fun of themselves.

BTW I wouldn't call American humor bland, just different. There are at least two shows on TV that I find funny.

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

How come we never see any German humor? I know, rhetorical question...

Look at their 1966 world cup squad...

(that's soccer by the way)

[Porsche_monkey]

http://www.schools.bedfordshire.gov.uk/literacy/Jokes.doc

U.K based link, but I thought that was German 'humor'.

[The Gaijin]

The Welsh need to be funny - or they will get beat up and have their lunch money taken..

[livi]

Thanks Aerkuld! I was hoping we could brake out this topic and I believe you have already touched the core of it. As have others. I´ll be very keen to follow this thread.

As a sub topic - in Sweden, people from certain parts of the country have traditionally been regarded as more funny than others and in different forms and nuanses. I suppose that must be a phenomenon known in your countries too? For example, the people way up north does not speak unless it is absolutey necessary - but when they do open their mouth it is often with a very dry, pragmatic sense of humor. On the other hand, people from the west coast, notably the Gothenborg area will never shut up.

Furthermore, both parties have a very distinct dialect - adding to the comic experience. I suppose that is a factor between the British and American stiles too - the British English is simply more funny to listen too.

[legion]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

My initial thought, and sweeping generalization, which I don't want to come over as being all popmus and superior is this:

American comedy is often very 'slap-stick', a lot of visual gags, or situation. It doesn't tend to rely on memory of past events or previous situations and is very much an instant laugh and lacking in complexity.

A lot of British humor tends to be word based or relies on a complex set-up before the punchline. It isn't always immediately obvious and often requires you to be paying attention or to have knowledge of other events outside of the joke itself at that moment.

I give you Benny Hill and Dennis Miller as counter-arguments.

[Christien]

I think British humour is rich in its subtleties, whereas American humour is "whack you over the head" funny. Neither are necessarily better or worse, just different approaches. Sort of like discovering the fine delicate flavours of a good wine or cheese, versus the full flavour of a really good beer or steak. Both are great, and satisfy a completely different craving.

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by legion

I give you Benny Hill and Dennis Miller as counter-arguments.

Ah-ha! Now there is the problem with generalizations; there are awlays exceptions. I always say that in general you should NEVER generalize.
I will tell you this though, when I was 6 I used to find Benny Hill very funny, but now I just think it's very dated and only slightly amusing.

Now, I have an American girlfriend and I made her sit through an entire season of the British version of 'The Office' on DVD. She thought that it was much funnier than the American version, yet it's supposedly the same show. Why?

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

Look at their 1966 world cup squad...

(that's soccer by the way)

Uwe Seeler was a childhood hero of mine; nothing funny about that guy. I got to kick a ball around a bit with Geoff Hurst when he was playing for the Seattle Sounders and I was on a youth select team. He wasn't very funny either...

[Aerkuld]

To counter my own point, she has also watched 'Blackadder' with me (I guess that made its way over here at some point?). I roll around on the floor laughing at that, while she sits on the sofa and doesn't find it funny at all. I wondered if it's because the show tends to draw on a lot of British historical references which she knows nothing about?

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Uwe Seeler was a childhood hero of mine; nothing funny about that guy. I got to kick a ball around a bit with Geoff Hurst when he was playing for the Seattle Sounders and I was on a youth select team. He wasn't very funny either...

My point was that they got beaten by England, which gave us a good laugh at least!
Even Englishmen who weren't born in 1966 still harp on about the '66 world cup final when England beat Germany 4-2 like it's the only time we ever won anything.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

...an entire season of the British version of 'The Office' on DVD. She thought that it was much funnier than the American version, yet it's supposedly the same show. Why?

Because it's the same damn jokes over and over. I loved the first episode I saw, then each next one progressively less until after 3 or 4 I just stopped watching.

(though I've never seen the British one, so I'm not necessarily saying it's better.)

[dd74]

My Welsh friend and I always have this debate/conversation. The example we often use is "Until Death Do Us Part," a British sitcom that in the U.S. became "All In The Family." If anyone remembers "All In The Family," they'll realize there's no way in hell that humor will play on today's TV. It's politically incorrect, while it also gnaws at a surface of racism and social contempt that the major networks want us to shove under the carpet in some idea that Americans are above all that. Well honestly, we're not. All of us are in some way socially contemptible and racist.

The British used to be famous for exactly the opposite. James Bond is a great example - his pithiness was often deprecating, sexist and overtly nationalistic - while giving great insight into the British sense of humor and pompousness. The writer, Martin Amis, and to a large degree, his father, Kingsley were/are great purveyors of this in the novel form. In short, the British used to not be aware of political correctitude until recently.

Now, the BBC avoids broadcast of anything that casts a bad view of any non-Anglo (white) group or lifestyle (gay) or sex (women). Islam, for example, has a free ride with British broadcasting, where it's popular to degrade Anglos, but virtually illegal to do the same to blacks, Indians, or in particular, Muslims. This includes news stories that in most cases would be regarded as impartial. Humor such as Benny Hill and/or Monty Python can't get air time. And forget anything as "racy" as "Until Death Do Us Part." It's truly a shame, and disservice to British viewers, just as it is here in the U.S., with the lousy programming, news included, we put up with.

American humor, except in instances like "The Office" or "Seinfeld" is really very bad. It relies, mostly, on sex, which quickly grows tired, and one-liners that I believe anyone on the OT board can write in script form.

Who knows? Maybe the looming writer's strike in Hollywood will clean house and bring the viewers something fresh. One can only hope.

[livi]

Spot on, Aerkuld. I used to tune in on 'The Office' regularly. Sharp and subtle. Very funny. Then one day I think to myself - What´s this crap ?? This show is not the least funny anymore. Sure, said my friend, that is because this is the US version..

Love Black Adder too. Probably mostly since the head character is one of my all time favorits - Rowan Atkinson. His live show in Boston is probably the best single show ever IMO.

Still, I love Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray..all very funny - still very American. Come to think of it, that is the core gang in Caddyshack.