Alan2005

That's what I thought you meant. Nearly posted earlier to that effect, but then decided against it. I think you are right btw.

Lord Vader

How do we correct our class culture and start seeing past the names on peoples shirts and shoes? How can we give everyone a chance regardless of the status of their family?

bsmith

I also think you need to differentiate between America and Canada. The US has produced genius performers such as Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks, Chris Rock etc. Canada - not so much. This probably comes down to Canada's lack of real cultural identity.

Oink

It's interesting that N. Americans overwhelmingly self identify as middle class. Everyone from a school caretaker to Jay Leno, from factory worker to Bill Gates. How do you laugh at people who are essentially the same as you, just more successful?

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.

PrairieSushi

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

Londonuck

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.

PrairieSushi

Ever seen Gary Unmarried ... I`m not even sure it`s mature enough to rate as juvenile in the UK.

bsmith

...fair shout - Shatner is a comic genius.

bsmith

In the village I come from in the UK The League of Gentlemen would be considered a documentary!

dboy

Dont forget russell peters! Hilarious.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtrAMK7_Qk

dboy

Why? There is very much a north american culture.

triumphguy

Shatner on being Canadian - not Kilingon!

bsmith

....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.

Oink

I personally think the American comics that resort to this type of material come across as unfunny bigoted a-holes.

Alan2005

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.