Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Sep 17th 2009, 3:51 am
#106
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
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.
Sep 17th 2009, 3:55 am
#107
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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.
Last edited by Lord Vader; Sep 17th 2009 at 3:59 am.
Sep 17th 2009, 4:08 am
#108
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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.
Sep 17th 2009, 5:34 am
#109
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
At least with the more distinct class structure in the UK it gives us good comic material. It's funny to laugh at the idiocy of the upper classes, the pitiable sycophancy of the middle class and the bumbling militancy of the working class. In NA, the major differences are ethnicity and religion. Making fun at those just comes across as unseemly bigoted.
Sep 17th 2009, 5:53 am
#110
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 222
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
John Candy.
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
Sep 17th 2009, 6:45 am
#111
Éireann go Brách
Joined: Mar 2006
Location: White Man in Hammersmith Palais
Posts: 2,932
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
I remember a girl i worked with in Vancouver saying she'd seen an episode of The League of Gentlemen. She couldnt quite describe how sick she found it. She still looked rattled when she was explaining it. Her reaction made me realise the difference in humour and how sick ours is. 
Sep 17th 2009, 7:31 am
#113
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: The City by the Mall
Posts: 862
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
John Candy.
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
Sep 17th 2009, 7:37 am
#114
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: The City by the Mall
Posts: 862
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
I remember a girl i worked with in Vancouver saying she'd seen an episode of The League of Gentlemen. She couldnt quite describe how sick she found it. She still looked rattled when she was explaining it. Her reaction made me realise the difference in humour and how sick ours is.
Sep 17th 2009, 1:42 pm
#115
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
John Candy.
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
Dan Ackroyd.
Eugene Levy.
Jim Carey.
Mike Myers.
Seth Rogen.
Shaun Majumder.
Rick Mercer.
And of course William Shatner "singing" Rocketman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE).
For sure we lack comic genius ... maybe if we get bigger we'll get more recognition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtrAMK7_Qk
Sep 17th 2009, 1:44 pm
#116
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Why? There is very much a north american culture.
Sep 17th 2009, 2:36 pm
#117
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Posts: 2,092
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
Shatner on being Canadian - not Kilingon!
Sep 17th 2009, 11:18 pm
#118
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: The City by the Mall
Posts: 862
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
At least with the more distinct class structure in the UK it gives us good comic material. It's funny to laugh at the idiocy of the upper classes, the pitiable sycophancy of the middle class and the bumbling militancy of the working class. In NA, the major differences are ethnicity and religion. Making fun at those just comes across as unseemly bigoted.
Sep 17th 2009, 11:27 pm
#119
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
....although the best of the US stand-ups use these differences to great effect, from Lenny Bruce's cool New York Jew shtich, right through to Chris Rock and his famous "N" word routine. American comics seem to be able to handle these themes with a real confidence that even British performers seems to steer clear of on the whole.
Sep 17th 2009, 11:36 pm
#120
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Canadians' Sense of Humour?
As much as british humour is based on class, yank humour is based on race. I watch jon stewart regularly and they seem obsessed by it. There's that guy who does the 'black correspondent' bit - I can kind of see why americans find it funny, it just seems odd to me though.
