h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I would just like to say that I think this entire conversation is assinine. To whoever wrote the first post, you are so right.. Every single American man, woman and child and their dog without exception is dull, drab, and completely humorless. Are you happy? Please, can we move on?

I'm sorry but I Know this is not true I have a lot of Americans friends and they are not dull or drab. in fact they are the Liveliest & loveliest people I know. Yes I am very Happy. Wherewould you like to go???

I'd like to meet some real Americans. I've never been to the USA though, so the only ones I meet are the ones with enough money to come over here as tourists. Consequently they're not representative of people I'd probably like. People I'd get on with are most likely to be stuck in the US, wondering what real English people are like.

Although I am not an American, an infact agree that most American humour just doesn't stand up to good British humour, I have to say that one oversite has been made... so far as I can tell, there has not been one mention of what I concider the greatest American comedy show ever "The Muppet Show", which actally showed great use of irony and mixing slapstick so it could be appreciated on *more than one level!*.
Now other brillant comedians, none of whom are American
Billy Conely, possibly my favorite comedian of all time, and one who diserves a far greater fame than he has achived
Billy T James, now no-one from out side New Zealand will know this guy, well, maybe some Australians will, but he has to be the greatest comedian we even had... His comedy show had higher ratings than both the News and Rugby test matches... which is *really* saying something in New Zealand.

I know it isn't true either. I'm American too, and except for the rednecks who live in my area, I think most Americans are a great bunch. But I could be biased. :&gt
I would like to mention a great Canadian comedy troupe, which I feel has been a bit ignored up to this point. The Kids in the Hall are a wonderfully funny group. Tune into Comedy Central around 1:30 eastern in the US, or rent their movie, "Brain Candy." I promise you won't regret it.

::Puts on reading glasses, decides she should actually read above posts::

Ahhh, it seems that KITH aren't actually ignored. Please pay me no attention.

Well (as previously mentioned) I'm not American, but I have seen extracts of the TV evangelists, and I thought I WAS watching a comedy program at first ... now I don't know whether to laugh, or be very, very afraid ...

The Muppet Show although written by Jim Henson was actually a british Show Produced by the late Lou Grade who was the head of ITC. Now don't go thinking I'm taking sides, I am just putting the record straight

The melting pot.. this string is getting so long it is about as amusing to download as watching a US TV sitcom.

Let's put this in a little perspective, though... US sitcoms generally run next to sensationalised made-for-tv "movies" whose descriptions feature the phrases "harrowing drama", "based on real events" and "the true story of one woman's courage"... So, Americans get the choice of laughing at the crass humour of their so-called "comedies", or laughing at the crass sensationalism of their so-called "dramas" (or Soap operas such as "Sunset Beach", which need no further explaination). I think they are pretty well served in the humour department.

The list of American humorists is long and mostly untouched by those in other cultures.We are not a solid, monolothic group of entertainment consumers.The sound of most common television conjures up the that of shallow breathing in a hospital room.When an American is laid up seriously he or she finds themself in a hospital bed with a
tv monitor and a remote.Or if one is well and in a television heavy family they may find these people who hold conversations with individuals half listening with eyes partly averted toward the image on the screen.A good many of us find these people frustrating.Most of us read books and magazines and send e-mails with hilarious scenarios that rival anything Monty Python ever did.We also watch a lot of movies.A popular American phrase is "I don't watch television." This in a country where cable tv commonly carries 900 channels including the BBC and other international channels.Humour is necessary in life and we Americans know it to a degree.Even Bill Gates smiles from time to time.

Why, You're Right!

http://www.apbnews.com/media/gfiles/mugshots/bgates.html

Ok, I just read this whole thread and I have some things to say.

What about someone spewing things that, when taken alone make absolutely no sense, but in the context of the conversation it makes perfect sense?

I do that sometimes. My friends look at me weird, I look at them weirder, we all bust out laughing. Typical day at Keith's.

Sometimes I make farting sounds with my right hand and my face too. I swear someone wet themself when I did that with absolutely no warning aside from removing my glasses.

And Bill Gates is pure, unadulterated, EVIL.

And Win95 is his spawn.


Kiz
Hater of all things MicroShaft

Not to mention how much they drink and how that might affect things. I worked at a theater when Dumb & Dumber came out. That was a drinking crowd sneaking their alcohol in and laughing uproariously.I guess if I'd been soused when I saw it I would have laughed that hard,too.

Ohhhhhh...

Sir, may I suggest that your story about your "farting noises" doesn't exactly further the idea that Americans are witty.

Speaking for most Americans, may I suggest that you walk away from your computer very slowly, with no sudden movements, and gently sit yourself down in front of a television and watch some sophisticated American comedy.

May I suggest watching the movie Clerks, or perhaps Heathers?

The Traveller
ISO-9001 Certified

After looking over this whole conversation, I don't think that any person with half a brain would really agree with the first post.

I have noticed that Americans are best at DIFFERENT KINDS

How embarassing. I prematurely posted. Here is the post in it's entirety:

___________________________
After looking over this whole conversation, I don't think that any person with half a brain would really agree with the first post.

I have noticed that Americans are best at DIFFERENT KINDS of comedy than Brits.

For example, the dark comedy genre. Watch the movie Heathers. Watch Fargo. Watch the first Batman movie. Sarcastic, dark, and side-splittingly funny.

Also, while this is not a "dark comedy", the television show "Mystery Science Theater 3000" deserves mentioning.

The Traveller
ISO-9001 Cerified

The first Batman film was class but then look at how the last two turned out. I think that the British are just as good at dark comedy if you are talking about films: Trainspotting and Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels for example...

What the U.S HAS been doing extremely well recently (in most cases), is producing these classy teenage comedies such as Ten Things I Hate About You, She's All That and Cruel Intentions. Unfortunately, Friends has gone down the pan in the latest series and I don't think the Simpsons is as good as it was either.

Wasn't Ten Things I Hate About You, originally a Shakespeare play?
BCNU - Crescent

Good point. As was Cruel Intentions I think (I may be wrong about that). Hmmm. Well I doubt Toy Story 2 was based on Shakespeare and that's supposed to be quite funny. Oh and South Park is the dogs bollocks as well. As far as animated comedy goes, you yanks appear to have it wrapped up. How could anyone not find the line "I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die" hilarious? Apart from women I suppose.