British sense of humour

[stephec]

I've never been a big fan of American comedy tv shows, but I'll make an exception for Married With Children, and most stand up doesn't do it for me, although I did quite like Emo Philips when he first appeared, so why is it that there's so many good Hollywood comedy films?

Coming to America will always be in my top ten, although it still can't compete with the Carry Ons.

 

[Reynard]

Well no, I don't believe so ... he's [Fawlty] an exasperated loser caricature type. I don't think the intention is to be irritating [which I think Gervais in the Office is!]. He's just not very likeable, I guess. Victor Meldrew probably continued the theme later on, maybe?

But these things are subjective - if @Reynard thinks he could have been a great serious actor, then clearly we are not on the same wavelength!!! :P

EDIT: i don't think it's very subjective to say that Fawlty Towers was VERY different to Python. The latter was 6 blokes writing, the former a bloke+woman combo; and the format was utterly different. (one had animation!) Anyone, a digression ...

Humour is so subjective - I think that's the beauty of it sometimes.

Did you hear about the man who tried to catch some fog. He mist.

 

[mudsticks]

It just doesn't tickle my funny bone. Neither does Monty Python.

Red Dwarf, on the other hand...

Oh for sure I'm not saying it's my favourite thing by a long shot.

My Pa would have called it the 'comedy of excrutiation'

Which of course is very easy for us, often embarrassed, and frequently socially conscious Brits to lampoon in ourselves.

Python for me, was killed off by endless unfunny recitations from 'the guys'

Plenty of decent contemporary comedy to be had right now, though.

I'm enjoying 'This Way Up' on Ch 4 ATM

 

[bagpuss]

From over the pond.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Well no, I don't believe so ... he's [Fawlty] an exasperated loser caricature type. I don't think the intention is to be irritating [which I think Gervais in the Office is!]. He's just not very likeable, I guess. Victor Meldrew probably continued the theme later on, maybe?

But these things are subjective - if @Reynard thinks he could have been a great serious actor, then clearly we are not on the same wavelength!!! :P

EDIT: i don't think it's very subjective to say that Fawlty Towers was VERY different to Python. The latter was 6 blokes writing, the former a bloke+woman combo; and the format was utterly different. (one had animation!) Anyway, a digression ...

Cleese has always said the character was based directly on a very unpleasant and odd manager at a hotel he stayed at. He described him as completely bizarre and off the wall.

Basil Fawlty is a fiction created by Cleese.

 

[DRM]

I doubt the masses of East German women raped by the Soviets before the entire population was put under the jackboot of Communist rule for 50 years thought losing the war was a good thing.

It wasn’t just The DDR, it was the whole of Germany, but Berlin in particular, us and the yanks were at it as well ,but not as bad as the Soviets

 

[matticus]

Basil Fawlty is a fiction created by Cleese.

Thank you, but this is hardly news.

 

[Profpointy]

Another aviation related story for you.

This illustrates the British love of practical jokes. My parents had a long time friend in an ex BOAC captain who told this story of a fellow pilot who used to pull this trick on his unsuspecting passengers.
This was prewar when flying Dragon Rapides with a handful of passengers. He would arrive and sit down in a passenger seat dressed in everyday clothes with a briefcase. When the departure time came and went he would become agitated checking his watch often and complaining loudly he had an important meeting to attend and didn’t want to be late. Eventually he declared that if the pilot didn’t arrive soon he would fly the plane himself, then rushing up the cockpit doorand entering, the engines would start to the horror of his passengers. The cabin crew were of course in on it and would start to hammer on the locked door to no avail.
Soon after take off the passengers would be let in on the joke.

That's mentioned in Frank Muir's memoirs and attributed to an Irish former fighter pilot who'd not yet got his uniform and was in his demob suit. The Irish accent wasn't quite the posh public school accent they expected of a pilot which added to the joke.

The guy's other prank was to unroll a piece of string leading to the cockpit and give the end to the most scared looking passenger with the instruction "I'm just going to the loo, so i've tied a string to 'the stick'. If the nose drops, can you give it a tug?" I think the co-pilot may have been primed to do a sudden dive manoeuvre to add to the jape

 

[Profpointy]

I always think that was one of the greatest ironic jokes of history: Losing the war was the best thing that could have happened for Germany, but winning it was the lesser of two evils for the UK.

There's quite a deep truth in that. Lucky for both nations as you say

 

[Reynard]

My Pa would have called it the 'comedy of excrutiation'

I think that's as good a description as any. I find watching it... excruciating.

 

[Reynard]

A soldier who survived pepper spray and mustard gas is now a seasoned veteran.

 

[Oldhippy]

Black Books is just perfect.

 

[Reynard]

Black Books is just perfect.

Bill Bailey is a genius.

Anyone remember him as a team captain on "Space Cadets" on Ch4 back in the day? Presented by Greg Proops, IIRC...

 

[Oldhippy]

The best American comedy in my opinion is Mel Brooks and is comparable to the British humour in my humble opinion.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Like it or loathe it, this form of protest and gentle pi** taking is a very British approach: