Poll: Who's better at comedy? Brits or Americans?

[Rawne1980]

British myself so it's a biased opinion but I find our comedy far better.

Jack Dee, Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, Jo Brand, Red Dwarf, Monty Python, 2 Ronnies, Blackadder, Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Shaun of the fething Dead.....

And Al Murray.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Brits have some great stand-up comedians, but I feel that their television comedies just don't measure up. 30 rock, parks and recreation and of course, Community are godsends. Can't forget about lowest-common-denominator humours like Entourage either, British Humor has what, the IT crowd and the inbetweeners? They approach greatness but just aren't consistent.

What about QI? That Mitchell and Web Look? Peep Show? Mock the Week? Have I got News for you? Nevermind the Buzzcocks? Does these not count?

Armstrong and miller... The Bubble... Would i lie to you... Ask Rhod Gilbert, 10 o clock live (not so funny, but it is also somewhat informative so it balances out) Russell Howards Good news, Harry and Paul... THE MIGHTY BOOSH!
The list is endless!


Anyway, for me it's British comedy, American can be good... but it's just not tailored to my tastes.

 

[ipop@you]

In my opinion the Brits produce better stand-up comics and sketch shows but the Americans make better TV sit-coms and animation. For films I think they're both about equally funny.

So despite them being roughly equal I think Britain's history does it for them, I mean almost everything by Monty Python has made me laugh my head off so Britain gets my vote.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I say none, because it more depends on the comedian, not where they are from. A lot of "British humor", as people call it, is stupid, but so is toilet humor.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

Americans are better at sitcoms,
Brits are better at stand up.

 

[Buffoon]

Both American and British humour have their good and bad examples, but on the whole the British sense of humour is more appealing to me. Seinfeld and The Office are pretty much the only American comedies I know of that I would say I truly love. The Simpsons, South Park and Seth McFarlane have their moments too. Oh, and I loved Curb Your Enthusiasm. So yeah, there's a lot to like about American comedy.

But there's more to like and love about British comedy, IMO.

 

[Lunareclipse123]

Two words for you: Ross Noble

Funniest man alive

 

[Shycte]

British comedy stands victorious without even trying.

 

[KingofallCosmos]

Of course there is personal preference and origins that influence your taste, but I have to agree with the brits here.

The Dutch (including yours truly) tend to be a little too edgy, confusing fun with taking people down.
The French tend to be funny when they try not too. If you're familiar with french nouvelle violence you'll agree.
The Americans are always a little too big to seem real.

(all of this my personal observations, of course)

Maybe it's because of the Victorian era, but the brits have this great way of tackling hard, crude and/or sensitive issues without invoking agressive reaction. I think this is why they're so great at comedy.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Jeez...too hard to choose. I'd say it's pretty even at this point.

It's hard to imagine something as slick as Better off Ted coming out of Britain, but it's also hard to imagine something like Father Ted coming out of the US...let alone something like the Mighty Boosh. That might have a lot to do with budgets, American shows seem to have higher investment, but also need to cater to more people and across many regions, so they probably get a lot of pressure put on them to play safe. British shows are made relatively cheaply and I would guess that's what allows them to be quirkier.

 

[Bocaj2000]

British comedy features people suffering for the stupid things they do.

American comedy consists of, and this is my opinion, morons subsisting on their idiocy.

I'll stay Imperial, personally.

Watch Louis CK's show "Louie." Watch the first season of the "Black Addar."

Be careful with your general statements.

This is a ridiculous and embarrassing thread (especially considering that there was no "both" option). Everyone can be funny, regardless of nationality. Louis CK can make me laugh as well as Eddie Izzard. The only thing that this thread is doing is promoting nationalism and hasty generalizations.

EDIT:

Overall British are better at TV comedy and Americans at film. That's overall, not always. Although the British having been losing it lately, their talk show hosts are still miles, that's miles, ahead of the US.

Great comedy takes real risks and a lot of American comedy is just not willing to do that at the risk of offending potential audience.

You obviously don't watch American standup. Some people complain that trying to offend the audience is all they do. Also, is being offensive really what makes great comedy? I was always told that it is exaggerations of the event at hand.

Seriously though... South Park, Louie, Louis Black, George Carlin, Lisa Lampanelli, Crank Yankers, most amateur comics, etc. Trying to offend people is what American comics do.

 

[T.D.]

Wow thats a large skew on the polls. I was expecting at least a bit of diversity.

 

[floppylobster]

Overall British are better at TV comedy and Americans at film. That's overall, not always. Although the British having been losing it lately, their talk show hosts are still miles, that's miles, ahead of the US.

Great comedy takes real risks and a lot of American comedy is just not willing to do that at the risk of offending potential audience.

 

[Otterby]

The Finns. The Finns are best at comedy. Followed by the Russians.

Woah, wait, say what? You're kidding, right? Of course you are. As a Finn I know you must be kidding.

Myself I will side with the Brits. Americans have their bright stars, too, but to my knowledge they aren't as many as their British colleagues. Also, the amount of stupid crap claiming to be comedy stemming from the US really pulls the Yanks down a notch here.

 

[GreyJedi]

Well, I don't think either one trumps the other. While I -prefer- British comedy (all hail Monty Python), one must realize that British and American comedy are just two very different things. I generally tend to enjoy both styles.

Then again, none can compete with the awesome power of Alex Agnew. (Which none of you will know, because he's a Belgian comedian who only performs in Dutch. But still!) (Just kidding, of course.)

 

[FieryTrainwreck]

Louis CK is my favorite comedian and Arrested Development is my favorite show, so I didn't have much choice.

The Whitest Kids You Know is pretty damn funny, too.