NationStates Jolt Archive

What's the difference?

One is really funny, the other one can be a bit embarassing at times.

Well, a u for humour on the Brit side, correct?

A lot of American humor these days (in my observation) are dick and fart jokes. Brits seem to use social class as their joke base.

Don't include the blue collar show as American comedy, please :P.

Hey Ron White rocks.

That cable guy is the worst..

Well, a u for humour on the Brit side, correct?

A lot of American humor these days (in my observation) are dick and fart jokes. Brits seem to use social class as their joke base.

Seems more like American humor is about everyday experiences that the comedian can tell in a funny way.

Hey Ron White rocks.

Heck yeah. But Ron White uses his social differentiations between him and his ex-wife to make people. But his stories about his dog are the best!

British humour is so hard to catagorize, from the subtle but clever modern styles like the office or peep show, to the laugh out loud and witty Monty Python etc... However I think panel shows like Have I got news for you is where british comedy really shines.

Seems more like American humor is about everyday experiences that the comedian can tell in a funny way.

True. I suppose it depends on the comedian, and if we're talking about stand-up comedy or television programs or what.

On a personal level, I think Blackadder kicks the likes of Family Guy to the curb any day. ;)

Well, a u for humour on the Brit side, correct?

humour :)


it depends on the show a lot, really. and its changed over the years (british humour has become more americanised as we show more and more american tv on our networks)

and also shows on either side of the atlantic embody different styles proffered by the nationalistic labels. Frasier, for one, is a prime example of what i would consider British wit.

come to think of it, i'm not entirely sure what is meant by "american humour".... british humour is easily characterised by dry wit or (as in the case of monty python et al) randomness. american humour... what is it in a nutshell?


(this post brought to you by a rambling conversation between Amyness and Huw Metal :))

British humo(u)r tends to be drier and more wry.

English humour is spelt with a U in it.

But seriously, American humour is all about making things funny by insulting them, or pointing out obvious flaws / paradigms.

English humour is going overboard without being curde, slapping someone with a fish as opposed to farting on someone, Spending ten minutes clutching an injury moaning pathetically as opposed to pointing out the failures in our society.

Both are good, the older stuff is the best, and America has pulled out alot of good jokes. I personally find English humour the best, especially police chases with ridiculous music.

English humour is spelt with a U in it.

But seriously, American humour is all about making things funny by insulting them, or pointing out obvious flaws / paradigms.

English humour is going overboard without being curde, slapping someone with a fish as opposed to farting on someone, Spending ten minutes clutching an injury moaning pathetically as opposed to pointing out the failures in our society.

Both are good, the older stuff is the best, and America has pulled out alot of good jokes. I personally find English humour the best, especially police chases with ridiculous music.

What, you want funny music? We can do funny music.

humour :)


it depends on the show a lot, really. and its changed over the years (british humour has become more americanised as we show more and more american tv on our networks)

and also shows on either side of the atlantic embody different styles proffered by the nationalistic labels. Frasier, for one, is a prime example of what i would consider British wit.

come to think of it, i'm not entirely sure what is meant by "american humour".... british humour is easily characterised by dry wit or (as in the case of monty python et al) randomness. american humour... what is it in a nutshell?


(this post brought to you by a rambling conversation between Amyness and Huw Metal :))

Nutshell. (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=11961343&postcount=7)

american humour: character and situational comedy (ie humour based on known characters and outlandish situations)

british humour: based more on wit and irony WITH the above *nods*


any good? :confused:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul7EDYXmDNE VS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRUCg5aUxw

a tough one to choose!

american humour: character and situational comedy (ie humour based on known characters and outlandish situations)

british humour: based more on wit and irony WITH the above *nods*


any good? :confused:

Wouldn't "situational comedy" involve a good deal of irony?

There really isn't an "American Humor", in a nation of 300 million you've got the people about to support Leftist Satirists (Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert); Redneck Dumbasses (Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy); Unintentional Comedic Geniuses (CNN, the House of Representatives); Genre Parody (Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang); Everyday Life (Seinfeld); etc.
The British seem to do a lot of randomness, and anyone who thinks that the British have got no taste for crude, body humor should become acquianted with the work of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson.

There really isn't an "American Humor", in a nation of 300 million you've got the people about to support Leftist Satirists (Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert); Redneck Dumbasses (Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy); Unintentional Comedic Geniuses (CNN, the House of Representatives); Genre Parody (Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang); Everyday Life (Seinfeld); etc.
The British seem to do a lot of randomness, and anyone who thinks that the British have got no taste for crude, body humor should become acquianted with the work of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson.


I like the "Leftist Satirists" Not the "Redneck Dumbasses" The "Unintentional Comedic Geniouses" I'll have to agree with, it's hilarious, "Genre Parody" I'm not that fond of, but it can be good, "Everday life" I'm not fond of.

I'd have to say that the british have more of the types that I like, although they definately have all of those.

Side note: I prefer Monty Python over Mr. Bean (But his stand-up is decent).

I like British comedy better than American comedy, although the american humoUr is ok. I seem to think the British humour is a bit more thought through, but the americans take things from everyday life and exaggerate them.
Both pretty funny, but the british superior, like most things :p

We brits do seem to do randomness quite well.

And it's not like we don't do infantile either (just watch the first episode of the Goodies :p).

I think what we do do well is straight-faced humour, How Not To Be Seen or the Fish Slapping in Monty Python were both done in a very 'straight' fashion.

We brits dou seem to dou randoumness quite well.

And it's nout like we doun't dou infantile either (just watch the first episoude of the Gououdies :p).

I think what we dou dou well is straight-faced humouur, Houw Nout Tou Be Seen our the Fish Slapping in Mounty Pythoun were bouth doune in a very 'straight' fashioun.

DId I mention making fun of Brits? We do that too.

DId I mention making fun of Brits? We do that too.

Right, that does it!

Who's up for a recolonisation? Come on old boy, it'll be over by christmas don'tcherknow?

Right, that does it!

Who's up for a recolonisation? Come on old boy, it'll be over by christmas don'tcherknow?

Why don't we just sit down and have another cup of tea, the recolonisation can wait. (how to stop the British from taking over the world :D )

American humor is somewhat more sentimental, while British humor has nothing else to it except humor. It's just laugh-a-minute.

Most British "humor" has been really painful stuff. Makes me want to watch some Carrot Top to try to recover.

Right, that doues it!

Whou's up four a recoulounisatioun? Coume oun ould bouy, it'll be ouver by christmas doun'tcherknouw?

Suuuuure it will....

A recent poull shouws that if England were to attempt a recoulounizatioun, they wouuld win by christmas.

British Humouur four the win! Youu cant make fun ouf outhers withouut being able tou make fun ouf youurself.

One is actually funny. And it's the one spelt with two 'u's.

For those of you who didn't get it, the English spelling is right, seeing as it is the English language, they do know it better than other countries.

British humo(u)r tends to be drier and more wry.

Say that to Benny Hill and the guys on Little Britain (<-- which I love).

A recent pouull shouuws that if England were to attempt a recouulouunisssssatioun, they wouuuld win by christmas.
Tea tea tea tea tea tea tea tea tea
British Humouuur fouur the win! Youuu cant make fun ouuf ouuthers withouuut being able touu make fun ouuf youuurself.

Of course, if we work together...

Say that to Benny Hill and the guys on Little Britain.

I think Little Britian is one of the less funny British comedy shows.

I think Little Britian is one of the less funny British comedy shows.

That's because you've no proper sense of humour.

That's because you've no proper sense of humour.

I liked it at first, it was clever (though it wouldn't seem it at first glance). Right down to the typical clothes they wear (like the old football shirts and cheap oxfam tracksuits worn by the guy who looked after andy), it was witty and original as well as inovative. However, after a few episodes it was exactly the same each time.

Take this classic English Joke.

http://www.paratrooper.net/commo/Topic218871-41-1.aspx

Whilst celebrating someone trying to destroy the english government no less.


"The Times newspaper reported the man is a soldier who recently returned from Iraq"

Oh us wacky brits (Ok, I'm ex-pat)

i think Little Britain is funny, but I'd still prefer something like Blackadder. Well, i'd prefer blackadder over any tv program :p

From what I've seen good British comedy tends to focus on dry wit or the absurd(Monty Python or Eddie Izzard are good examples) while good American comedy tends to focus more on cynical satire(think George Carlin The Colbert Report). The other side of the coin is the bad British comedy which tends to mistake the absurd for buffoonery(Benny Hill) and bad American comedy which tends to focus on least-comon-denominator deliveries of second-rate gags(Jerry Seinfeld or Jeff Foxworthy).

i think Little Britain is funny, but I'd still prefer something like Blackadder. Well, i'd prefer blackadder over any tv program :p

Favorite Blackadder quote: "I have a plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel."

That and: "You look as happy as a man who thought his cat had done its business on his pie, but it turned out to be an extra big blackberry!"

That trumps "Git R Done" any day.

The only major difference between the two I can detect is that there is more of a tendency in US humor to deflate stereotypes while British humour tends to exagerate them. These are tendecies and not absolutes.

Racial humor tends to be minorly more prominant in the US than in Britain, but again not absolute (can you say Kumar Street, I knew you could) and British humour seems to be developing a racial component replacing the previous class based component.

Crude versus cerebral, forget it - boith have crude and cerebral humorists and sometimes the same humourist is both (George Carlin, Stephen Fry).

Given the nature of the humor industry, however, we have a problem, many of the most prominent humourists are from Canada, who gets to claim these amazingly funny folks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul7EDYXmDNE VS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRUCg5aUxw

a tough one to choose!

Bah!

It's simple! Al Murray all the way!

Given the nature of the humor industry, however, we have a problem, many of the most prominent humourists are from Canada, who gets to claim these amazingly funny folks?

The French.

The French.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFGrQMD6Uqc

The other side of the coin is the bad British comedy which tends to mistake the absurd for buffoonery(Benny Hill)
But Yakety Sax makes everything funny!

But Yakety Sax makes everything funny!

Kinda like hitting fruit with a sledgehammer? :rolleyes:

Kinda like hitting fruit with a sledgehammer? :rolleyes:

Exactly! When is that not funny?

British humo(u)r tends to be drier and more wry.

Yes.

American humor is mostly everyday experiences that comedians joke about, whereas British humor has a bit more irony and is drier than the Sahara Desert ;).

Though it would depend on the comedian.

The French.
I refuse to surrender Mike Myers to the French, I'll give him to the Chineese first.

The French are perfectly welcome to William Shatner however, in fact is there anyway we can force the French to take him?

Irish is superior to them all. Tommy Tiernan>all

Trilby63;11962083']Bah!

It's simple! Al Murray all the way!

Damn right, I'd never leave the pub if Al Murray was my barman, depite the fact he'd be taking the piss out of me constantly.

I usually find British humour to be more subtle or more unpredictable. American humour tends to be very obvious.

If I'm watching an American sitcom, for example, I can usually spot the joke long before the actual punchline, which makes it unfunny & boring.

To me, British humour is much, much funnier, but there are some really good American comedians (Bill Hicks for example).

I usually find British humour to be more subtle or more unpredictable. American humour tends to be very obvious.

If I'm watching an American sitcom, for example, I can usually spot the joke long before the actual punchline, which makes it unfunny & boring.

That's probably the only reason we watch sitcoms.

That's probably the only reason we watch sitcoms.

Because they're boring? :confused:

Because they're boring? :confused:

No, to figure out the punchline. When you watch with the family it's like a competition.

I usually find British humour to be more subtle or more unpredictable. American humour tends to be very obvious.

If I'm watching an American sitcom, for example, I can usually spot the joke long before the actual punchline, which makes it unfunny & boring.

To me, British humour is much, much funnier, but there are some really good American comedians (Bill Hicks for example).

Yeah, American humor kind of sucks, especially in TV shows because you can either figure out the joke too easily, or it's just flat out immature. The good side of American humor is that it makes you think about something funny in an otherwise un-funny situation, and the irony kind of makes you giggle. British humour (odd spelling it with a "u", but then again I'm American) focuses mostly on irony or the craziness.

Because they're boring? :confused:

I only watch them because there's never anything else on (though in the US there's rarely anythign good on.... :()

No, to figure out the punchline. When you watch with the family it's like a competition.

Sort of like watching quiz shows & trying to guess the answer before the contestants.

Sort of like watching quiz shows & trying to guess the answer before the contestants.

Pretty much, yeah.

British humour seems much more areodyte and clever in my experiance. American humour is far more brash. Also Americans cant do eccentricity propperly

American humor (sic) = Oliver Hardy
British humour (sic) = Stan Laurel

Any questions?

areodyte

'erudite'?

What's the difference?

American humour is what I would call 'realist'. You tend to derive humour from realistic situations and realistic characters: Friends and Frasier are two perfect examples of this. Both might be hopelessly idealistic in their outlook but they remain rooted firmly in reality: nothing bizaare occurs.

British humour is precisely the opposite: it is surrealist. British humour has a long tradition of surrealism that continues into the present day. This style derives humour from utterly bizaare and random events, words and actions.