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

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

In general, the British are funnier, but they have yet to get a comedian that tops Carlin.

Monty Python comes close though...

 

[New Vegas Samurai]

Humor is an inherently personal thing.
A good example for me would be to point out a viable example...
tragically, Bill hicks was an amazing comedian, but He only really got big in the UK.
So when it comes to humor, I'd say a lot of american comics are hilarious.
But for those who can get jokes I'd say brits know humor better.

Other than Bill, Chris rock is hilarious. So is Steve byrn, Richard Pryor, and George Carlin. Okay okay, for funny comics, I'd really have to go with American

 

[Scarim Coral]

British humours all the way! Sorry shows like Red Dwaft, The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh, Monty Python and etc are the reason why I prefer British humour more.

 

[xvbones]

you decide.

also why you think that? and any favourites you would like to add.

The plucky little UK vs the huge america/ns. let the war over the atlantic begin!

I think american and british comedy are identical where they are terrible and differ only slightly where they are brilliant; what I am replying to is 'plucky little uk'.

Plucky little UK.

Srsly.

You know, not one hundred years ago, England sat on top of one of the single largest empires this planet has ever known, yes? 'Plucky little' denotes 'perennial underdog.' Like, for example, the Jamaican Bobsledding Team, that can be considered as 'plucky little'.

'Formerly in possession of nearly a fifth of the planet' doesn't really lend itself well to the descriptor 'plucky little', wouldn't you agree?

 

[GeorgW]

I'd definitely say that the Brits are better at comedy, there's more of a pure funniness about them. I just love Mock the Week. However, some Americans are better at sit-coms and such.

 

[silent-treatment]

Really with the high traffic of British people, and the large number of American hating Americans on this site, this thread can only go one way.

There are a few Brits that I enjoy. A few Irishmen. A few Americans. It is kind of a mixed bag. So I am in between of everything so I voted that have no sense of humor (or humour depending on your liking).

 

[Your once and future Fanboy]

Britts are funnier.

Proof: go watch 10 minutes of UK Top Gear, then watch the US version

 

[JohnHunter]

Brits just do it for me. Some Americans get it right, but the British just seem to be funnier to me.

 

[Yeager942]

Why not both?

 

[Michael Hirst]

"Back then" definitely Britain, Monty Pythons, the Two Ronnies, Only Fools and Horses and countless other thing were just great comedy but now Sitcoms are pretty dead in the UK much to my dismay. We still get good stnad up comedy but America probably wins on Sitcoms because it still has some that are slightly funny.

 

[Kernalgohd]

Which one do Canadians fall under?

 

[Twilight_guy]

Depends on if your British or American. Native countries tend to have better comedy due to more cultural relevance and compatibility.

 

[MrRetroSpectacles]

There's a reason so many English sitcoms and comedies are taken and used in the U.S. Because we rock at comedy. England has adapted the ability to laugh at itself, then it adapted the ability to laugh at everything and everyone else. The U.S are emerging with real comedy now though, some ours, some their own, I wish they'd concentrate more on their own to be honest, because "The Office" U.S.A. is an abomination, despite Steve Carell, and Shameless is worse. Then again, Who's line... worked very well. Anyway British comedy has been better for a long time and continues to be, American comedy is inferior but is getting better rapidly, I say this as my opinion but the poll sort of shows I'm correct.

 

[Dominic Burchnall]

Come on,

Red Dwarf, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Mr Bean, Johnny English, 'Allo 'Allo, This Is Not The Nine O Clock News, That Was The Week That Was, QI, The Full Monty, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Dad's Army, Blackadder, Only Fools and Horses, the original Whose Line Is It Anyway, Porridge, Father Ted, The Vicar of Dibley, The Inbetweeners, Ali G, Black Books, Shameless, Mock the Week, never Mind the Buzzcocks, Outnumbered, Spike Milligan, Benny Hill, Spaced, The Office, Extras

or

Frasier, Friends, Cheers, The Big Band Theory, How I Met Your Mother, assorted progams stolen from the British.

Not saying that the American shows aren't funny, or that I don't enjoy them, but for sheer quantity of classic and modern comedy, the British have exclipsed the Yanks for years.

You have taken the words right out of my mouth.

Just going to chip in with Seinfeld for the Americans and The Mitchell and Webb Look, The Two Ronnies, Morecombe and Wise, and Shooting Stars for my fellow Brits. Not wishing to downplay our cousins across the pond, but I'm afraid we win hands down for this.

 

[Entraboard]

I think the question is a moot point.
I would lean towards saying that Americans are funnier, but if you research a bit you'll find that the best/most famous comedians are Canadians.

In other words, it's 'em canucks that be the funniest English-speakers.

 

[twistedmic]

Movies? American Pie vs. Hot Fuzz. Right...

That's not really a fair comparison. American Pie is not really a satire, it's a Teen sex romp movie.
A much more fair comparison would be Hot Fuzz vs Observe and Report or Cop Out (both being Dark comedies involving cops). Either way, those two movies are on par with Hot Fuzz in the comedy department.