2006-07-13 00:03:43 · 24 answers · asked by ? 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Its to do with Sarcasm.
America has no place in its society for sarcasm (generally), yet much of the British humour is sarcasm based. If an American pointed at Buckingham palace and said "is taht Buckingham Palace?" and you replied "no, its the local bingo hall", they would be confused. They wouldn't think it WAS the local Bingo hall, but they would wonder why you would try to tell them it wasn't Buckingham Palace.
2006-07-13 00:07:08 · answer #1 · answered by Bob 3 · 10⤊ 5⤋
Believe it or not some of us do. Maybe you are hanging around the wrong Americans like I do. I am a huge fan of Monty Python & Ab Fab & I think the wit is hillarious, I don't think we'd ever see shows like this in American broadcasting. I'd often try to share with some of my friends and they'd look at me weird and ask "what do they mean" or "what did they say." What i've learned is just because us Americans and the Brits speak the same language (sort of) our cultures are not the same and neither would be the humor. Not many Americans would know what the LOO is and how to find it.
2006-07-13 07:15:25 · answer #2 · answered by bklyngirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generalizing people never works. While it is true that many Americans do not get English wit, there are many who do. THe same applies in reverse. I'm sure there are many English who do not understand American wit.
2006-07-13 07:09:10 · answer #3 · answered by Michael E 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many Americans do understand the English wit. Monty Python, just to name an example, is very popular, especially in the Universities. I myself won an award for worst British accent ever. And yes, it was really really bad, and I still use it when trying to explain How Not To Be Seen. And it's still bad.
2006-07-13 07:09:15 · answer #4 · answered by Michael M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer to this was once discovered by the late great David Bellemy (he's not dead but it's just wishful thinking).
It seems that America is subject to the biggest ever case of mass brain damage ever seen.
The frontal lobe of the brain that controls sarcasm, irony and exercise has been somehow replaced with highly detailed knowledged of KFC and the Waltons.
Luckily for the fortunate few the tides of the moon along with the magnetic pull of Croatia have released them from this curse only to leave them in desparation by knowing their country is full of and run by humourless idiots.
By the way I've played bingo in Buckingham palace but got kicked out as soon as the guards found out.
2006-07-13 07:41:02 · answer #5 · answered by monkey_fluffer_1983 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that used to be the case, but now, because we export lots of our comedy shows, (like The Office, Ab Fab etc) they seem to be getting our humour alot more now. Also american's seem to have trouble with our accents. We English have a brilliant sense of humour, and the US recognise this, sometimes they take our shows and then make them into their own, like they have a US The Office now. I heard that the americans didn't really get Seinfeld at first, because I think it is more British humour than american. Anyway if something is really funny then it normally transports to other countries very well. I have american friends and I have been to the US lots of times and my friends seem to have the same sense of humour as me, cause we are always laughing when we are together.
2006-07-13 07:21:02 · answer #6 · answered by Joanne A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because different societies mean different outlooks on life.
And being English a lot of American wit is lost on me too.
Why do I find "Friends" completely lacking in humour and things like "Blackadder" hilarious?
I think it's because English humour is generally dryer, darker and more about laughing at people rather than with them. British comedians like to create groteque, exaggerated nasty characters, which then become sorts of anti-heros. Think of Edmund BlackAdder, Basil Fawlty, Father Jack (Father Ted) Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous, Rimmer and Lister from Red Dwarf, Eddie and Ritchie from "Bottom". They're all lazy/nasty characters full of flaws - but hilarious on screen!
And then - "Friends" has nice, pretty young people with perfect teeth...."Seinfeld" everyone is nicely dressed, "Bewitched" it's all very homely and tidy.... Need I say more?
2006-07-13 07:15:09 · answer #7 · answered by badgerbadger 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well said. It is because they need canned laughter to know when and when not to laugh; without this it's a free for all..
For example look at how different the American version of The Office was compared with the British version..
And what the **** is Larry David all about???
2006-07-13 07:23:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cultural differences? I know my English wife doesn't understand a lot of American stuff. When my friends came over to visit she was lost for about two weeks.
2006-07-13 07:06:16 · answer #9 · answered by Cali Dude 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of us do and find it extremely enjoyable. Some of my most favorite T.V shows, movies and even older radio play from England, the BBC, etc... are my favorites. I have even introduced my children to the dry wit and intelligence.
2006-07-13 07:57:20 · answer #10 · answered by Grace 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason you think americans are only the people from the United States.
It's a cultural handicap.
2006-07-13 07:11:24 · answer #11 · answered by okar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋