British Humor.....

[Boris]

Funny or not? And for the sake of simplicity let's define British as including Wales, Scotland, Ireland, etc...

Myself, I never really understood it. I thought Monty Python was boring and the Jack Benny (I think that's his name) show also fell in to the unfunny category. In my view the Brits are funniest when they are being so cool in the face of extreme adversity, not when trying to make jokes.

[Phat Mack]

Jack Benny wasn't British, Rochester was.

(Bee joke was hilarious.)

[John Cole]

Rochester was married to Bertha who was kept in the attic. I think she set fire to the manse. Seems she resented the intrusion of Jane. I missed Jack Benny, though.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I think its funny, but not as funny as American or Canadian humor. British humor seems to be more acting dumb humor, ya know, sort of like silly humor. The North American comics created the one liner though, the real story type humor.

[ACPlayer]

Dry, tongue in cheek, modestly self deprecating, exploiting the english language -- British humor is priceless.

My complete set of Wodehouse attests to my admiration for that style of writing.

Note also that many successful American humorous TV shows are knockoffs of TV shows that originated on BBC.

An example of the difference between American and British look at the hosts of Who's line is it Anyway. On the American side is Drew Carey -- loud, boisterous, bit slapsticky; on the British <if forget the name>-- dry, quiet though quite funny. As they say here in Vietnam-- Same, Same but different.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
My complete set of Wodehouse attests to my admiration for that style of writing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Another Wodehouse fan! I have a whole set of his novels also. He was one of the best comic/humor writers of the 20th centaury. It is interesting that he spent most of his formative years in American. He also wrote plays, songs, and movie scripts in addition to his output of humorous novels.

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'Do you know what you are my lad? You're an obstinate relic of an exploded feudal system'

'Very good sir.'


'The lunches of fifty-seven years had caused his chest to slip down to the mezzanine floor.'


'She uttered a sound rather like an elephant taking its foot out of a mud hole in a Burmese teak forest.'


Just a few gems from 'In His Own Words' a biography of his life through his works. This book is by Barry Day and Tony Ring and is well worth getting.

The only American that can compare to Wodehouse, in my opinion, is Jamas Thurber (make sure to run if the dam breaks).

-Zeno

[Gamblor]

IMO, Oscar Wilde is the epitome of British humour.

The Importance of Being Earnest is far and away my favourite book, and I've read it annually since age 13.

[Phat Mack]

I've always maintained that the two best stories illustrating the pure joy of gambling are The Purity of the Turf and The Great Sermon Handicap. I was once going to start a thread about Wodehouse's books with gambling scenes, but I couldn't think of any of his stories that didn't have gambing in them.

When I first started reading him, I tried to memorize some of his better phrasing, but soon gave up the attempt. Perhaps not exact quotes, but here is how I remember some...

"After all, golf is only a game," said Millicent.
Women say these things without thinking. It does not mean there is any kink in their character. They simply don't realize what they are saying.

She snuffled like a bulldog who has been denied cake.

What a curse these social distinctions are. They ought to be abolished. I remember saying that to Karl Marx once, and he thought there might be an idea for a book in it.

Eyeing them (babies) he is conscious of doubts as to whether Man can really be Nature's last word.

[Zeno]

I love the Bertie/Jeeves story when they place all sorts of underground bets on the winners of the anunal church summer picnic games. The egg carry, the sack race etc. The plot gets all very elaborate and convoluted with lives and fortunes hanging in the balance on the outcome.

I agree that a thread with the best gems of Wodehouse, Thurber, and Wilde would be a fun thing to get going.


'He tottered blindly toward the bar like a camel making for an oasis after a hard day at the office.'


-Zeno

[pudley4]

[ QUOTE ]
An example of the difference between American and British look at the hosts of Who's line is it Anyway. On the American side is Drew Carey -- loud, boisterous, bit slapsticky; on the British <if forget the name>-- dry, quiet though quite funny. As they say here in Vietnam-- Same, Same but different.

[/ QUOTE ]

Clive Anderson

Everything about the shows highlighted the differences between British and American tv/comedy.

British - understated, wry host
American - loud, boisterous host

British - dark, quiet set
American - bright, loud set

British - spontaneous audience reaction
American - "APPLAUSE!!!!" signs

British "Who's Line" >>>>>>>>> American "Who's Line"