What is "English Humour"?

[dolgoruky]

[CanuckAmok]

1. Basically, it's the same as American humour, except...

the Englishman telling the joke is wearing a dress at the time.

[Racenut20]

2. Tha funny stuff

[Bertha Venation]

3. they claim to eat kidneys and something called "bubble & squeak"

that's funny!

[Blue-Jay]

4. It's humor spelled with an extra "u".

[fishnfla]

5. fish-and-chips flavored ice cream

i think

[soleft]

6. 3 visual examples

[CanuckAmok]

10. Oh, it's Our Hyacynth!

"BooKAYYY residence, the Lady of the House speaking!"

[BlackVelvetElvis]

17. Patricia Routledge had a small part in To Sir With Love

[soleft]

19. She was Clinty Clintridge

Had won at the Royal Albert Hall a few years back.

[DrWeird]

25. Isn't she also Mrs. Rumpole of the Bailey?

nt

[MisterP]

11. Nader is British?

(Nader really used to look like Mr. Bean).

[CanuckAmok]

12. LOL MisterP!

[Race4Peace]

22. MR. BEAN!!!

Mind the horse, Richard.




The horse is in the field.

[Speck Tater]

7. Basically, English humour is funny, American humour is commercial.

Take the excellent British comedy series Coupling, Americanize it and it goes from very entertaining humor to mindless crap that nobody wants to watch.

[Loonman]

8. Blackadder and The Young Ones

Are the best sitoms ever, in my opinion.

[Kamika]

9. It's when you hear a laugh track but don't laugh

Sorry y'all but english humor is NOT funny.

Yes Monty python and Black adder were incredible but since then it has royally sucked. With some minor exceptions like young ones.



Kinda reminds me of Jay Leno btw

[On the Road]

13. American Humor Revolves Around Punch Lines

British humor tends to revolve around humorous situations, often without a punch line.

A lot of British humor is very clever with words. My Word is a prime example -- too bad it's no longer with us.

[mr blur]

14. No no no

You're talking about TV stuff - 98% of that is unfunny crap wherever it comes from. British humour has a sense of irony and even self-mockery which is absent in most other - especially American which appears to be based on pointing out how stupid everyone else is. There are two kinds of English humour and the absurd Python/Blackadder stuff seems to be best-known in the US. The subtle stuff doesn't get on TV here and certainly won't make it over there.

[Don_G]

15. British Humor Is Fun

American humor has got to be at someone's expense while British humor is more geared to poke fun at themselves and the situation.

Bob Hope (British) vs Abbot and Costello (American) for example.

Edited for spastic fingers.

[slappypan]

16. It is understated, witty, and sophisticated.

You know, like Benny Hill!

[htuttle]

18. I'm locking this thread, it has become entirely too silly...

(oh...I can't do that...nevermind...)

[TrogL]

20. Primarily it's the distinction between humour and wit

(forgot the dance)

American humour tends towards pratfalls, insults and shock.

British humour tends towards wordplay and dada.

The epitomy of American humour is Dick Van Dyke doing a pratfall. I find it pointless and sad.

The epitomy of British humour revolves around people associated with the BBC stable such as the Monty Python crowd and Rowan Atkinson.

Typical British humour is the Fish Slapping Dance from Monty Python. Two men in uniform (why??) stand next to a canal ("for no adequately explained reason" - Adams) and slap each other with large fish (why???) while doing an idiotic dance until one falls in. :wtf: was probably invented as a reaction to British humour.

[Don_G]

24. Culture Has A Lot To Do With It

I agree with Dick Van Dyke, but the humor there - as now - was usuaully at the expense of others.

The classic comedians poked fun at themselves as a rule and made you relate to it: Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Bill Cosby, Alan Alda, Robin Williams and lately...nobody....

[truebrit71]

21. Two Words....Eddie Izzard

Funniest man on the planet...

The best way to describe the difference between the two (other than the spelling) is that British humour is situational and self-deprecating, whereas american humor is basically sight gags and prat-falls.

Sort of.

[Race4Peace]

23. johnny english

[DrWeird]

26. British humor is more intellectual

even when it's completely ridiculous.

"Ahh, now this is a nice base you have here, colonel. I'd hate to see anything bad happen to it."