Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Sep 15th 2009, 6:00 pm
#91
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Sep 15th 2009, 7:03 pm
#92
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Sep 15th 2009, 8:31 pm
#93
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Some squaddies get they're ass kicked by a mental Canadian karate midget, plus, someone gets their nose bitten off! - what's not to love about that story. And as I've said before, Canadians are at their funniest when they don't mean to be.
Sep 16th 2009, 4:47 am
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Sep 16th 2009, 9:55 am
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
I think its unfair to say, carte blanche, Canadians do not a have a sense of humor, but there are definite differences in the way we express it. So, why has it developed as such?
Take kids for example, all children, irrespective of culture, seem to be born with an irrepressible need to joke around. They revel in anarchy and naturally love nonsense. But as we age (unless you're Spike Milligan) our joking around becomes more restrained and restricted.
My guess is, that as children grow up in a particular society, their joking will be met various degrees of success which is governed by a particular set of societal rules. Look for instance at Mike Myers, his parents were from Liverpool and apparently loved the Goons/Monty Python, as such, his joking around was met with approval and his sense of humour developed. From a societal perspective, the UK values jokes/joking, it oils the social cogs so to speak.
But, in North America both the gravity of survival and the immigrant desire for material achievement is such that practical concerns are much more useful than silliness. Canadian/American culture perhaps tempers the space where humour occurs naturally thus accounting for the differences.
The importance in the UK that jokes have on our ability to understand each other and thus relate on a personal and intimate level explains to some degree, why we as immigrants both complain about our host culture's lack of humour and the need to connect with other Brits. And, why this topic seems so important to us.
This has obviously been bothering me.
Take kids for example, all children, irrespective of culture, seem to be born with an irrepressible need to joke around. They revel in anarchy and naturally love nonsense. But as we age (unless you're Spike Milligan) our joking around becomes more restrained and restricted.
My guess is, that as children grow up in a particular society, their joking will be met various degrees of success which is governed by a particular set of societal rules. Look for instance at Mike Myers, his parents were from Liverpool and apparently loved the Goons/Monty Python, as such, his joking around was met with approval and his sense of humour developed. From a societal perspective, the UK values jokes/joking, it oils the social cogs so to speak.
But, in North America both the gravity of survival and the immigrant desire for material achievement is such that practical concerns are much more useful than silliness. Canadian/American culture perhaps tempers the space where humour occurs naturally thus accounting for the differences.
The importance in the UK that jokes have on our ability to understand each other and thus relate on a personal and intimate level explains to some degree, why we as immigrants both complain about our host culture's lack of humour and the need to connect with other Brits. And, why this topic seems so important to us.
This has obviously been bothering me.
"Canada is the essence of not being. - Not English, not American, it is the mathematic of not being. And a subtle flavour - we're more like celery as a flavour."
I think a lot of humour developes out of our national or regional character. Much American comedy is brash and self confident, British comedy and humour uses the old class structures, and long held regional stereotypes along with a lot of self deprication and a large pinch of surrialism.
Mike Myers may be on to something - as Canada develops an identity of it's own and becomes more comfortable in it's own skin, Canadians may begin to feel more confident and develop their own, unique sense of humour.
That said, I think Celine Dion is hysterical.
Sep 16th 2009, 1:05 pm
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Sep 16th 2009, 4:51 pm
#100
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Is Ricky Gervais funny? (Modern Brit comedian)
His Dad is Canadian!
Is Mike Meyers funny? (Modern Canadian Comedian)
His dad is from Liverpool!
His Dad is Canadian!
Is Mike Meyers funny? (Modern Canadian Comedian)
His dad is from Liverpool!
Sep 16th 2009, 7:26 pm
#102
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
I thought a lot of Canadians work "behind the scenes" in comedy - writers for the Simpsons, Seinfeld, etc. Then you have Canadians like Seth Rogen who bring that type of comedy mainstream.
Sep 16th 2009, 8:38 pm
#103
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Yup, I believe there are a lot of Canadians in the production roles, behind the scenes in a lot of TV progs. Also, as most of us know, some of the biggest movies out there, which lead us to believe are shot in the USA, are actually set in Canada.
Sep 17th 2009, 12:36 am
#104
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
But, in North America both the gravity of survival and the immigrant desire for material achievement is such that practical concerns are much more useful than silliness. Canadian/American culture perhaps tempers the space where humour occurs naturally thus accounting for the differences.
Last edited by Lord Vader; Sep 17th 2009 at 12:39 am.
Sep 17th 2009, 3:43 am
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Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
I actually meant all Canadians, mainly the early settlers, with the exception of aboriginals. A major aspect of the ethos of North American culture is the desire for social and material advancement. In the UK, while there are some elements of that, it's not a foundational characteristic of our culture.