Poll: Who's better at comedy? Brits or Americans?

[DiabloBub666]

American humor is okay, there's just SO MUCH American humor in comparison to British humor. Three big examples of British humor that beat out any humor America can throw at it:

1. Terry Pratchett

2. A Bit of Fry and Laurie

3. Monty Python's Flying Circus

My favorite American comedy, as far as TV, is Scrubs. For books, Jack Pendarvis is a GREAT writer.

 

[pvaglueman123]

Personnally i have to say the british as i'm british myself. I enjoy the americamn humour, but the like of Ricky Gervais, The Office (The UK version) and Little Britain are much funnier. Not Frankie Boyle though, it's just rape joke after rape joke with him.

also to this guy...

Buuuut the British have Red Dwarf, Monty Python and Mr Gervais so I gotta go with the crumpet eaters.

Oh go and die, i swear if i see one more "Top Hat wearing" or "Chimeny Sweeping" or "Tea Drinking" or "Crumpet Eating" Comment i will probably go on some kind of rampage.

 

[Laxman9292]

American comedy is tragic, for the most part. There's a few genuinely brilliant comedians, and a TINY number of comedic shows. The rest is just droll.

Arrested Development, Archer, South Park, Seinfeld, Frisky Dingo, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Adventure Time, Robot Chicken, The Simpsons, Chappelle's Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Cheap Seats, Jon Benjamin has a Van, MadTV, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Modern Family, The Office (I like it infinitely more than the British one too), Scrubs, Friends, The Venture Bros, Sea Lab, Metalocalypse, even King of the Hill (which personally I can't stand and have never laughed at but somehow is still around). And I just posted a massive number of fantastic American stand ups a few minutes ago too.

I think Brits are too used to being on top because of the Monty Python era and now can't cope with the fact that they aren't as funny as they used to be. They do have some good people keeping comedy around (Gervais and the always funny Simon Pegg). But to be honest Brits just don't have it anymore. Besides, almost anything funny you've seen online? Like 80% chance it's American.

Also, I fucking love the Inbetweeners and am depressed none of the Brits have mentioned it.

 

[Hyperdeath84]

To illustrate why British comedy is generally superior, look at all the American versions of British comedies: Sandford & Son, All In The Family, The Office, Shameless and more I can't remember. That being said, America has produced South Park, The Simpsons, Bill Hicks and George Carlin - so it's a pretty close contest. Gotta go with my home team though.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Have you seen Carlin, Dangerfiled, Hedberg or Wright?

Have you seen Russel Howard, Dara O Brian, Ross Noble, Lee Evans, Lee Mack, Stephen K Amos or Rhod Gilbert?
Perhpas Greg Davies?

 

[AntonicKnight]

Canadians!

 

[Laxman9292]

And Canada for Jon Lajoie.

Oh God, WE unleashed that guy? I feel more shame than I ever have before.

I feel ashamed that I'm gonna console a Canadian, but you guys DO have Will Arnett. Who is one of the funniest people ever. Also, on one of the greatest shows of all time too (Arrested Development, USA).

 

[anonymity88]

And Misfits is often hilarious, though maybe the jokes are a bit culture-specific. Or more super-hero comedy, the lamentably cancelled No Heroics?

I loved that show.

"You smell seminal."

 

[pvaglueman123]

If we're talking stand up, then britain wins, hands down.

Have you seen Carlin, Dangerfiled, Hedberg or Wright?

Are you joking? One of our most famous stand ups (Seinfeld) doesn't swear at all.[/quote]

No really, Britain wins. Russell Howard, Rickey Geravis, Micheal MacIntyre, Dara O' Bryn, Bill Baily, Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Tim Minchin, Eddie Izzard, Lee Mack, Gina Yashere, Tom Wrigglesworth, Ben Elton, Jack Dee. The list goes on and on and on. We have much much much better stand up comics, and most certainly more of them.

 

[Laxman9292]

Have you seen Carlin, Dangerfiled, Hedberg or Wright?

Have you seen Russel Howard, Dara O Brian, Ross Noble, Lee Evans, Lee Mack, Stephen K Amos or Rhod Gilbert?
Perhpas Greg Davies?

No, I have never even heard of them to be honest.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

No, I have never even heard of them to be honest.

Well look'em up.
They're amazing.

No. I was trying to comment on him not seeing a lot but that line got deleted.

Well i'm just confused now...

 

[Grey_Focks]

Come on,

Red Dwarf, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Mr Bean, Johnny English, 'Allo 'Allo, This Is Not The Nine O Clock News, That Was The Week That Was, QI, The Full Monty, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Dad's Army, Blackadder, Only Fools and Horses, the original Whose Line Is It Anyway, Porridge, Father Ted, The Vicar of Dibley, The Inbetweeners, Ali G, Black Books, Shameless, Mock the Week, never Mind the Buzzcocks, Outnumbered, Spike Milligan, Benny Hill, Spaced, The Office, Extras

or

Frasier, Friends, Cheers, The Big Band Theory, How I Met Your Mother, assorted progams stolen from the British.

Not saying that the American shows aren't funny, or that I don't enjoy them, but for sheer quantity of classic and modern comedy, the British have exclipsed the Yanks for years.

No offense, but you missed so much it's laughable. Genuinely good shows too, like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Louie, Two and a Half Men, South Park, The Daily Show, Colbert Report and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Hell, that's just off the top of my head, and those are all just shows, not movies. Taste is entirely subjective, but arguing quantity is equally hopeless.

(sorry if someone already responded to you with a similar post, 8 pages is too much to browse through when I'm leaving soon)

OT: I prefer British stand-up comedians, and American shows/movies. Really though, unless Ricky Gervais or the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost team were involved, I'm just not that big a fan of British comedies.

 

[SushiJaguar]

I think the issue here is that a great deal of commenters in this thread have fuck-all knowledge of the other's comedians, and as such are in no way, shape, or form qualified to even the barest extent to produce any kind of valid, meaningful answer beyond "it's a matter of personal taste."

I'm not saying I know any more than any of the rest of you about American comedy, as all I have to go on is what filters through to me by way of various American acquaintances, but I would likely pick Britain out of both a sense of patriotism and out of a sense of personal taste. To me, British comedy is very "proper" in the sense that it is a very respected and important part of society and not just a bunch of blokes with a penchant for funny wisecracks and sharp wit standing on a stage and pretending to be graduates of melodrama.

American comedy is knee-jerk, obvious, and shallow in the majority of cases, while there are some truly funny comedians over the pond who understand what satire and parody are, and know how to actually make people laugh beyond awkward tentative anarchism.

British comedy used to be more subtle and refined, making sly and snide little cracks at pretty much everything the greats could get their hands on, with total abandon for political correctness or reproach. The key difference between comedy THEN and comedy NOW is that taking the piss out of everything is done just for the sake of being "edgy" or "radical", because people think that's funny or cool.

So yeah, British comedy wins it for me, on the merits of it being a bit more than endless repetitions of the same diluted social commentary.

 

[winter2]

Clearly neither of them. Arab standups ftw!

 

[Laxman9292]

If we're talking stand up, then britain wins, hands down.

Have you seen Carlin, Dangerfiled, Hedberg or Wright?

Are you joking? One of our most famous stand ups (Seinfeld) doesn't swear at all.

No really, Britain wins. Russell Howard, Rickey Geravis, Micheal MacIntyre, Dara O' Bryn, Bill Baily, Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Tim Minchin, Eddie Izzard, Lee Mack, Gina Yashere, Tom Wrigglesworth, Ben Elton, Jack Dee. The list goes on and on and on. We have much much much better stand up comics, and most certainly more of them.[/quote]

List of Stand Up Comedians from the United Kingdom, not just British - 134 entries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stand-up_comedians_from_the_United_Kingdom

List of Stand Up Comedians from the United States - 570 entries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_stand-up_comedians

570>134
Now granted this isn't an exhaustive list but 436 is a big difference to be accounted for and can't be covered by accidental exclusion. Especially considering this is the case for the US list too. But also, if you look at the lists you'll see many more big name comics from America than you will from the UK. But it's not just amount that matters but still I'd take Lewis C.K., Chappell, Seinfeld, or Galifinakis over Gervais any day.

 

[Laxman9292]

No, I have never even heard of them to be honest.

Well look'em up.
They're amazing.

Definitely will do, forgetting this thread, I'm all about listening to new stand up. One of my friends is starting to have a few shows (only like 10 minute spots but it's pretty cool for him) in DC that I've gone to and there are some really funny obscure and local comedians too.