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I don't understand British comedy.

I used to watch Benny Hill and Are You Being Served on TV.

The visual gags are funny.

But when they start talking and doing comedy monologues and the laugh track comes on in the background, I can't comprehend what they said that was funny.

Usually pomposity, non sequiturs, euphemisms or double entendres.

Sometimes highly educated... sometimes schoolboy lavatorial.

Part of the fun is the painful/embarrassing/unexpected.

Without knowing the individual sketch you have difficulty with it isn't possible to guess at the intent.


*Most* good recentish British humour doesn't have a laugh track as such though ~ either only an audience reaction or nothing according to style. This tends to match the laugh and 'joke' better than some of the more awkward examples. Benny Hill I seem to remember had a fairly prolific laugh track that didn't really do the material justice, though some individual sketches are brilliant, much was ..meh and with laughter everywhere it diminished the best.

This has been a great thread. I have not seen "Brass" but will look it up. That short clip was great .

Without making any judgement about which is "better or worse" I think we can agree that a few hundred years apart has evolved a different sense of what consistutes funny for for the "typical" ( what ever that may be ) American vs British person. I've gone to a few ( non- mainstream) plays and comedy clubs in the UK, and genearally you can pick out the American tourists in the audience because they don't laugh "in the right places". Conversely most of my British friends don't understand US humour

You're not a native English speaker so most likely you miss out on the nuances and cultural references required to "get" the jokes. Humor is a highly specialized thing depending on the cultural context it is taking place in.

No love for 'Bottom'? Rick Mayall and Ade Edmonson,the kings of the double entendre.

And also The Inbetweeners,if schoolboy lavatorial humour is your thing.

none of you 'Muricans' can speak the King's English properly

"I can't stand here, talking to you all day. I've got men to lay off!"

Sir Bradley Hardacre

Humor is very grounded in cultural background. If yours differs from the comedian's, it's quite likely you won't get it.



The Jedi Master

agreed 100%

I don't understand French comedy at all

I also never understood the French obsession with Jerry Lewis.

Try watching a sitcom from Papua New Guinea.

Go on, try.



The Jedi Master

Egads no!
I worked there for something like six months. I remember the common themes used in their music -
- "I've just lost my job and I don't know what to do."
- "I've just lost my girlfriend and I don't know what to do."
- "I've just lost my job and girlfriend and don't know what to do."

Not just cultural background but also with one's perspective of life. I recall this comedian being featured (my memory's bad and I hate googling) and the clips from his stand up comedy really annoyed me. They were exaggerated rants about hardships in life and my only reaction after each of his line was, "Get a grip!"

However, he's supposed to be a hit so again, to each his own.

Sounds a lot lIke American Country music.

Old joke: What happens when you play American country music backwards ?

You get out of jail, you get your dog back ,your truck back and your wife back

...and you quit drinking.



The Jedi Master

Wrt OP, yes British humour often contains historical/intellectual references ,- and then drops instantly to toilet/schoolboy humour and back again. In some ways I feel this is a form of 'self defense' against accusations of pomposity- something Brits have always had an almost inate urge to ridicule.
One of the prime examples of this has got to be Spitting Image. hugely influencial (watched by more people than voted for the Govt) and was a start for alot of comedians, writers etc


Another favourite of mine is Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, surreal and quintessentially English


Generally my taste is towards the dark, and this is something that UK does very well, very often starting as radio comedies one thing the BBC is very good at supporting)

Following links are NSFW and not for those of sensitive dispositions.

Chris Morris is very dark and surreal and his various shows have 'brought on' some great talents (eg Alan Partridge, Julia Davis - Nighty Night).
It was tempting to put up The Day Today but for sheer difference it has to be Jam


Then still my all time favourite, Monkeydust. Clips are funny but it really does need to be watched as episodes ( rather like League of Gentlemen imho)

all episodes here
http://watchseries.lt/serie/monkey_dust

One other point, I find UK comedies tend to allow 'supporting characters' more room to 'breathe' (and get some funny lines. I wonder if this has anything to do with a tradition of Music Hall/ End of Pier show/ Pantomime?

I recently stumbled on this and though you guys might enjoy it
abacus.fm
An internet radio station that plays non stop classic British radio comedies such as The Goon Show. Hancocks Half Hour, The Navy Lark ect. ect.

for more Radio comedy, check out BBC Radio 4 Extra ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra open worldwide) carries Classics like the Navy Lark, the Goon show.. also new classics like Old Harry's Game (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cgsrw)

Love OHG. "Nigel" snigger.