American Humour is Terrible

[B-Rye]

Okay let's think about this, humor is subjective. Humor is a universal concept of humanity that is provocative or falls flat based on the social context of one's existence. Arguing the level of intelligence of any type of humor is a moot point in and of itself. Intelligence and stupidity do not discriminate. What it comes down to is who gets more limelight and for what reasons. If you base your opinion based on "prime time" content then, yes, you are likely going to get a picture painted in your mind that country X's humor is Y. Cultural context and conditioning often dictates what one find's funny.

In sum: humor is culturally based, look for the stuff that is not being forced down our throats, and we know Einstein was right.

 

[silversnake4133]

South Park:

"Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics."

Family Guy:

"Family guy Genres: cutaway gag humor, black comedy, blue comedy..."

OP's quotes:

"I like South Park (I know it's Canadian) for it's witty commentary of current affairs. It actually takes issues of the day and makes some good jokes at them. Family Guy is just ok - I wouldn't watch it often, but it can be funny."



"...there is no intelligence to the jokes involved."

I'm sorry...what? I think you kind of contradicted yourself there buddy. You claim that Big Bang Theory is juvenile while South Park is mature? Have you seriously watched it? Every other joke involves either flatulence or feces in some manner. Family Guy is no better. I just...can't seem to understand where you're coming from here.

And as your "opinion" train continues into the station you claim that British humor is better...well from my stand point as well as a handy list obtained from a cited Wiki page, British humor consists of:

Smut and innuendo
Satire
Absurd
Macabre
Manic
Humour inherent in everyday life
Adults and children
Class system
Lovable rogue
Embarrassment of social ineptitude
Making fun of foreigners
Bullying and harsh sarcasm
Parodies of stereotypes
Tolerance of, and affection for, the eccentric

You know, this list sounds very familiar, oh wait that's because other countries follow the same, if not similar, kind of format. Why? Because people find it funny! Not all, but most.

Comedy is just as varied as every individual, some people will laugh at things that others won't. I might not understand British humor 100%, and that's probably why I wouldn't even smile at a joke that you would find unbelievably hysterical. Honestly, just because British comedy is different doesn't mean that it's better. Okay? And if you really don't like modern American comedy, what's stopping you from seeking out acts such as the Three Stooges, or Charlie Chaplin? Oh wait, I forgot, American comedy is terrible. B(

 

[B-Rye]

It depends what you're watching. Family Guy is a bad place to start because the comedy can be a bit obnoxious. But there is plenty of other stuff that can be recommended. For instance, surely you've seen Seinfeld?

You should try getting into stand-up comedy as well. Pretty much all of my favourites are American, like Louis CK, Daniel Tosh, Dave Chappelle and, my idol, George Carlin.

Bill Hicks?

 

[Lamppenkeyboard]

I don't view that as a very fair assertation, I mean not all american television programming/ movies are like that. I'll admit that I notice alot more productions being aimed toward the "sheeple" audience in this country than others, but you shouldn't write it off 100%!

 

[Cecilthedarkknight_234]

.. your going by one show to see if our comedy is good or not.. really?? also if you want some dark humor have this, oh i can sense the ban incoming on this one

 

[Kirtap]

personally i don't think shows like the big bang theory or 2 and half men are very funny but i honestly think that some of the jokes are pretty witty. Considering the fact that in those shows they have cut out the parts that wasn't funny and whats on the show now is the funniest the creator could come up with could be the ``proof´´ that it's not the best kind of comedy avaliable. Although it seems that the best that ``american´´ humor has to offer semms to be the animated shows family guy and the simpsons since they have jokes that are actually funny. They are not my favorite shows and they are by no means perfect in any way but they are ok and i wont dread having to spend some time watching them.

 

[Magicmad5511]

Really any of the American shows that use a laugh track, but are not filmed in front of an audience are only getting laughs because you brain hears laughter and knows that means what was just said, was a joke. Its mental conditioning and it works.

But I do think your generalizing. Many shows from America are very funny, with 'Scrubs' and 'My Name Is Earl' and 'How I Met Your Mother' being some example(in my opinion anyway). I also do find 'Big Bang Theory' entertaining but watching without the laugh track does show how you are affected by that sort of thing. It isn't one of my favorites though.

 

[Silas13013]

I like South Park (I know it's Canadian) for it's witty commentary of current affairs. It actually takes issues of the day and makes some good jokes at them. Family Guy is just ok - I wouldn't watch it often, but it can be funny. The kind of American humour I really don't like is shows like the Big Bang Theory. Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmLQaTcViOA

It just isn't funny. Not because it isn't my sense of humour, but there is no intelligence to the jokes involved. America has scrounged genuinely good British TV series such as Shameless and The Office, and ruined them in an effort to bring them to the American market.

My point is American humour is unintelligent and boring to watch. It is juvenile, and I find it actually almost painful to see shows like Two and a Half Men doing well when they are so full of utter crap.

At first I was almost offended but then I realized that your argument is ignorant at best and laughably ridiculous at worst.

 

[Pedro The Hutt]

I must remark here... perhaps someone can explain it to me...

Why is it, whenever someone brings this topic up, Monty Python is described as "intelligent" humor?

I mean, they had their moments, but it's VASTLY more silly than smart.

Silly voices, silly walks, silly men in dresses (THAT never gets old, Britain...), silly people, silly situations... They were occasionally subversive, but the majority of what they did was just absurd humor... being SILLY. And if we're talking John Cleese: yelling. Hell, they even lampshade it with the "Stop that! It's silly." bit.

I just know I'm going to get flamed over this... Please just answer rationally, if you feel compelled to answer at all. From experience though... challenging sacred cows like Monty Python and Half Life (especially) just never end well...

Heh, just watch a handful of entire Flying Circus episodes, several sketches are literally stuff any old group of idiots with a camcorder in their backyard could have made. Except they actually went ahead and did it and put it on TV.

 

[darthmason0719]

.. your going by one show to see if our comedy is good or not.. really?? also if you want some dark humor have this, oh i can sense the ban incoming on this one

PFFFFT HAHAHAHAHA
Is it weird that I'm christian and find this hilarious

 

[Jazoni89]

American comedy realises on slap stick, and low brow humour too much.

Something I'm not a fan of.

(Also, why is it that the only comedy Americans like in British comedy is Monty Python. There are tons of others that are far more superior, take Red Dwarf for example. Oh... I didn't just go there, oh yes I did.)

 

[bob-2000]

I know that I have been ninja'd a thousand times over but still, I have two words: Arrested Development.

 

[Drudgelmir]

"Andries Knevel dies and arrives in heaven. He looks around and says to god 'but that's against the doctrine' and god answers 'exactly. that's why the mood is so good around here' "

I'm English and I lol'd...

I don't know, there are many great American comedians, look at George Carlin or Steven Wright. I thoroughly enjoy watching a lot of their sitcoms, like King of queens, moonlighting, scrubs, how I met your mother and the big bang theory all of which my mother and brother hate but I would count them as funny as Yes, minister, Rising damp or the fall and rise of Reginald Perrin (the original version, the remake with Martin Clunes was mostly rubbish).

If you generalise, which is exactly what the OP was doing then you come across as a prat, try and be objective about these things.

 

[Harry Mason]

Brendon Small is American.
There is nowhere else for this discussion to go for me.
His shows nearly make me pee with laughter every time I see them, and he's from America.

 

[GeneralDefiance]

Some of the shows coming out of america now are the best for some time...

Take a look at the different types mentioned so far, scrubs, arrested development, 2 and a half men etc. they have different styles from cheap gags to convoluted real life circumstances mostly getting laughs through situational awkwardness (one of the best at that being Curb your enthusiasm) The Office was a hit in the uk(eventually) and the US version is some of the funniest stuff on tv right now.

so id say US comed is doing just fine for itself just now...

 

[lionday]

Community
Now thats good stuff.
Personally i like British humor but its not the be all to end all either.
I think seinfeld was funny so where other shows.
But it HATE HATE HHHAAATTTEEE family guy and many other of those shows. I laugh but as soon as the joke is over i ask my self what did i just laugh at? So i don't watch the show.

 

[Josh123914]

Let me just leave this here, it explains my thoughts.

where is that from?

 

[GeneralDefiance]

When people say british humour do they just think of monty python mostly? would anyone outside a small minority of people understand Still Game was british humour if they saw it? and whats more would they find it funny? i do hope so, someone look it up and tell me if they would have bracketed it in with there idea of british humour..

 

[UmJammerSully]

Arrgghh, it was painful for me to read that first post because I knew the exact reaction (justified reaction, mind you) that would come from it.

First of all, this is just another thread that helps solidify us Brits as snooty, cocky and elitist bumholes. This is obviously not the case and would be a great generalization of British people, just like how the OP is completely generalizing American Comedy due to a few crappy shows.

Secondly, have you ever actually turned on your TV, Dr Red? We have PLENTY of terrible "unintelligent" sitcoms. My Family, 2 Pints of Lager, Vicar of Dibley... All very popular and I personally can't stand any of 'em. The fact is, there is both comedy gold and crap on both sides of the ocean. All of you Americans trying to prove that America has infinitely funnier shows instead of just proving the OP wrong are just as bad as him too.

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

Other people like American humor. It's called an opinion. You're not right, and neither are they.

This ^

Now stop making vast, blanketing statements based solely on your own opinion. It's a stupid thing to do.