Brit humour

[bluenotebob]

I quit the UK 20 years ago and lived/worked in various European countries before finally settling in France.
In each of the countries where I've lived, I've found that when meeting someone new, I'm inevitably asked three questions - "where are you from?", "what do you like about living here?" and "what do you miss about the UK?".

The first of these - where are you from? - would be so difficult to explain that I don't bother trying to answer it. I was once asked this in the US and replied "London" and was then asked "oh....so you know the Queen then?'.

"What do you like about living here?" is also easy to deal with - a smile and "everything!" usually does the trick.

I have the most fun with the "what do you miss about the UK?" question. If it's a Brit asking me, I usually mutter something about Bangladeshi takeaways and change the subject. If I'm asked the question by a French person - and I'm feeling mildly provocative - I often say "the weather". When I'm being hugely provocative, I say "English bread". Ha.

But what I REALLY miss about the UK is the sense of humour. This forum is absolutely packed with examples of the caustic, irreverent humour that I find so funny - and have never come across elsewhere in Europe.

In very simple terms, life is hard, scary and far too short. Brits should take pride in the fact that they've come up with a coping mechanism to counter the daily grind.

Final point in this ramble - did anyone see Jenni Russell on Newsnight last night? She said that Boris Johnson was "a man of hidden shallows". That was so funny that I found it hard to get to sleep. But can you imagine trying to explain to a French person why that's hysterically funny?

 

[gbb]

But is it dying...that British sense of humour.
Some of it with good reason but if I think back to a workplace canteen 30 or 40 years ago, it was a laugh a minute, relentless jabbering and japery. Much of that may have been because much of the workforce at that time were ex military guys. 9 Now..,,it may be just where I've worked for the last 18 years...there's very little, even harmless humour seems to have died out. Very sad, my experience is we're becoming too serious.

 

[Drago]

But is it dying...that British sense of humour.
Some of it with good reason but if I think back to a workplace canteen 30 or 40 years ago, it was a laugh a minute, relentless jabbering and japery. Much of that may have been because much of the workforce at that time were ex military guys. 9 Now..,,it may be just where I've worked for the last 18 years...there's very little, even harmless humour seems to have died out. Very sad, my experience is we're becoming too serious.

Alas, harmless humour in the workplace is oft regarded as bullying these days.

 

[Fnaar]

The British (and Irish) senses of humour should be granted World Protected Status, or some such award.

 

[snorri]

With so many football threads running just now, I wasn't sure where to post.
This thread popped up at just the right time.
Credit to HIGNFY.......

'Sweden’s manager confirms key squad members are struggling to make the bench, although players insist there are several screws missing.'

 

[Pat "5mph"]

But what I REALLY miss about the UK is the sense of humour. This forum is absolutely packed with examples of the caustic, irreverent humour that I find so funny - and have never come across elsewhere in Europe.

[QUOTE 5304764, member: 43827"]I've tried telling that to the mods, but it didn't work [/QUOTE]

You nicked my line, you git...

Ohh, funny coming across this thread!
I was just thinking: I've been in the UK for 30 years, love every minute of it.
The freedom for a woman compared to the small Italian village I was brought up in, the eclectic population, the mostly working government system (try getting any document in Italy!), the health care.
Even the weather, I prefer cooler temperatures.
And yet ... the British sense of humor escapes me, it seems often aimed to insult instead of finding the funny side of a situation

 

[bluenotebob]

the British sense of humor escapes me, it seems often aimed to insult

I think if it's insulting, then it's simply not funny. But I do think it can be irreverent and still funny.

But I understand what you are saying - I think it may be to do with the set of moral/cultural standards that we're born into.

I was working in a certain Central European country a while back and we were having a stressful day - I decide to introduce a bit of English office humour into the situation to try and get everyone to smile and calm down. It spectacularly misfired - I was faced with a sea of puzzled and slightly upset faces.

"You can't say that, Bob"

"Why not?''

Because it's …...disrespectful".

I learned my lesson.

I think it's all to do with what everyone brings to the party. I find the Italians love of (anyone's) children utterly charming. I think the French dedication to food & drink is admirable. The Brits introduce a quirky, mischievous wit - that is not intended to insult.

And really Pat, that's all it is - a contribution intended to lighten everyone up. And even if it doesn't work, we'll keep on doing it...

 

[gavroche]

Alas, harmless humour in the workplace is oft regarded as bullying these days.

As well as sexism , racism and harassment.

 

[Blue Hills]

Final point in this ramble - did anyone see Jenni Russell on Newsnight last night? She said that Boris Johnson was "a man of hidden shallows". That was so funny that I found it hard to get to sleep. But can you imagine trying to explain to a French person why that's hysterically funny?

Reminds me of Clive Anderson interviewing Jeffrey Archer and asking him “Is there no beginning to your talents?"

 

[Blue Hills]

the health care.

Quick aside. Why the healthcare? I thought Italian healthcare was meant to be pretty good. And Italians certainly take care of their health (excessively I'd say) - the Italians I know think British doctors are uncaring ignorant murderers. And so are inclined to fly back to have their tonsils peered at.

On the original post, there have long been a fair few Brit sitcoms based on seriously trashy/slummy domestic situations. Particularly when young folks are sharing. Almost glorying in it. I can't imagine anything like that in Italy. And the yanks did Friends - well written and quite daring at times - but the environment just looked too neat.

 

[Hitchington]

Alas, harmless humour in the workplace is oft regarded as bullying these days.

When "humour" is non-reciprocal, then yes it can be regarded as bullying if it goes too far and the person on the end of it feels victimised or alienated.

The best humour is the self deprecating kind, which we Brits are so bad at.

 

[welsh dragon]

I find the best humour always involves taking the p**s out of Mr Drago. I always get a kick out of taking the mick out of him. It is a source of constant amusement for me.

 

[s7ephanie]

A friend mentioned that last week, going past a bar in France you don't hear laughter like you would in UK. Mind you the French are a strange lot anyway !!!

 

[Blue Hills]

The best humour is the self deprecating kind, which we Brits are so bad at.

Don't know about us being bad at that. Seems to me that a lot of Brit humour is about puncturing pomposity/delusions of grandeur/thwarted ambitions - quite often in the central character/s. See my post above about domestic shoddiness. Hancock? etc.

I agree that the best comedy is not hurtful, unless you are satirically aiming to skewer a scumbag. The Likes of Victoria Wood and Peter Kay - sharp as knives but no real malice.

Edit - both northern of course

 

[alicat]

The best humour is the self deprecating kind, which we Brits are so bad at.

Spot on, I'm tots rubbish at that!