US Humour (Humor) vs UK Humour

[Spy Versus Spy]

Lovely, Shiny, new Forum!

The Uk has given us works of Satire, in written and Drawing form, since maybe the C17th. (Swift. Hogarth etc). The US: Stand-Up Comedy, Superb early Filmic Comedy (L+H, Lloyd, Marx Bros etc) and excellent Modern sitcom/animation.

There is a Theory that all Comedy is based on recognition and experience.

The clichè is that US has no sense of Irony?


What do Members think are shared Human traits that make some comedy Transatlantic?

SvS x

 

[tlcya]

I think we (US) have a sense of irony, but ours may not be as well honed. UK IMO tends to focus on more irony and the wit is drier, where the US seems to revel more in the slapstick variety. I've always enjoyed those with a dry sense of humor. My husband is much more amused by physical and slapstick type humor.

But the things that we all find universally funny tend to be more towards those shared human experiences.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I think The Office is a great example of shared experience and dry humour which was massively successful in the UK and then US.

The Office UK, being Ricky Gervais’s breakthrough success, was quite base in some ways but I would laugh so hard at some of those scenes when it came out. It was horribly relatable to anyone who worked in an office setting. My son though, having grown up with for example the Simpsons from a young age (!) and far more American comedy than I had access to as a kid, much prefers the US version and characters.

I would say personally I (and my son, now 28) prefer humour which is maybe more subtle but v cleverly written.

One of my son’s favourite scenes from the Simpsons is where cops are chasing Robert Downey Junior, and a character says something like oh they must be filming a RDJ film. And another character says, no they’re not.

 

[Spy Versus Spy]

I love 'Cheers' and 'Frasier'. The writing was exceptionally tight and clever. Im considering rewatching 'Cheers' if its available. 'Seinfeld', 'The Larry Sanders Show' too. I had to research a wide range of Stand-Up styles and genres a while back. The 2 U.S ones that Id never heard of beforehand that interested me were 'Mitch Hedberg' and 'Sam Kiniston'. Both sadly Dead.