2006-10-26 11:03:32 · 28 answers · asked by cheesywindowcanopy 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Television
(The best) British comedy is witty, insightful, mocking, iconoclastic, clever and often satirical.
It is aimed at adults who think for themselves.
I'm sorry to say that the American comedy I've seen (apart from Scrubs which is truly great) tends to be safe, predictable, using immaculately made up / dressed actors who roll their eyes and overact with 'cute kids' (ugh!) and usually with a 'moral' hammered home at the end, in case you missed it.
It's aimed at adults who either can't be bothered or who are too afraid to think for themselves.
We are just very different culturally - two nations separated by a common language.....
2006-10-26 11:20:58 · answer #1 · answered by Hilary Y 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Aloha from Down Unda!
Fundamentally, simply the 'cultures' of different countries & 'perceptions' of the viewers are the only differences.
As a US native, I can appreciate the sarcasum & wit of both & prefer the American style to that of the 'foreigners'. There can be aurguements for both sides but personal preferences will always prevail by the 'numbers'. USA is home of the numbers.
The so called 'dry wit' is too very droll & not as entertaining, to the numbers. The National Sarcasum Society recognizes this phenomenon with the slogan, "Like We Need Your Support" Is it a US or a UK society? Doesn't matter! The facts remain that, like beauty, it's in the eye of the beholder!
K-den, M1/NSWMoke aka mikewonaus 8-o
2006-10-27 17:27:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
American comedy aims for the lowest common denominator and british comedy assumes some intelligence on the part of the viewer.
2006-10-26 11:06:04 · answer #3 · answered by moviegirl 6 · 7⤊ 0⤋
British comedy doesn't have the same censorship as American
2006-10-26 11:07:08 · answer #4 · answered by aliciarox 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
although i agree in the most part that us comedy isn't funny & relies heavily on overacting and laughter track. It isn't true that americans don't do irony. just watch any rerun of M.A.S.H. its all there, irony satire ,pathos & superb humour. Unfortunately the american tv viewer had to have the laff track just so they knew when to laugh,but that was down to the tv companies who maybe don't give thier own audience enough credit, whereas the original british run managed to have it without.
2006-10-26 11:35:36 · answer #5 · answered by yellowduck48 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American humour has a tendency to be "slapstick". that is glaring and also you may see it coming a mile away. in case you watch a number of the old American comedians they use an same jokes for the era of their occupation. pink Skelton, Jimmy Durante, Jerry Lewis and so on were all "one-funny tale" comedians. The Gene Wilder/Mel Brooks stuff is all an same. i visit't get previous about 20 minutes into their videos till now I even ought to teach it off. that is totally infantile humour. and then there is Adam Sandler at the same time with his lavatory humour. And Denis Leary at the same time with his cursing and swearing. achieved for marvel fee: now to not teach any skills. English humour has a tendency to be very subtle. individuals do not get it because the funny tale would were set up a lengthy time period till now, possibly on the starting up of this methodology. typically English humour deals with genuine subject matters in society which incorporates the getting older inhabitants or new immigrants, utilising severe parts interspersed with humour. English humour also makes use of "farce" in such classes as defective Towers. In a nut-shell the the version is sublety in English and slapstick in American humour. diverse those transformations in visitors has to do with interest-span limits and continuously observing stuff on television with the consistent interruptions by technique of classified ads.
2016-12-05 06:33:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
British comedy is much more original.
2006-10-26 11:12:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Got to agree British is funny American is not!
A word and a phrase Irony and "Spam and Chips"
Monty python is genius!
2006-10-26 11:09:55 · answer #8 · answered by cassie s 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think the Brits are just generally better at comedy. They can also be funny without constant references to sex and without a string of cusswords.
2006-10-26 11:12:28 · answer #9 · answered by C = JD 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm American and when I do watch comedy, I almost always turn on BBC America....I despise the mainstream sitcoms that other channels have like 'Will and Grace' and 'That 70's Show'...They are so stupid it hurts!!!!!!!!!
2006-10-26 11:26:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋