scliffe

" How do you get 300 Canadians to leave the swimming pool????"

simply say..."will you please leave the swimming pool"

do Canadians have a sense of humour??? I think its up for a fair debate. while they laugh frequently and have a giddy wide eyed hash induced view of things its really bizarre actually getting them to understand British humour
How many times have we heard after telling something amusing to our Canadian colleagues..... "Oh that is soooo ferneeeeee!!!" The response is to laugh then. Surely that is what you do after hearing something amusing and not saying its funny with that stone cold poker face
I guess we as English are very adept and fruitful with our humour. We are brought up on it from the old Knock Knock jokes to the complexity and the weird. In short we have the ability to laugh at ourselves.
Canadians seem to mis understand this and most certainly do not understand sarcasm
Now I know you will immediately shout " sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" but I feel that it is the highest form of politely taking self amusement by secretly pulling the fun from your host without them realizing it! Try it with anyone at the end of the telephone..especially people like ICBC and Terrason gas....its fun
So in being funny here in Canada here is a few tips to make the standard Canadian issue male roll on the floor with laughter.....

1 Mention the word "titties" pronounced "tiddies" in your jokes referring to womens breasts. That will have them roaring with adolescent laughter.
2 tell Englishman Irishmen and Scotsmen jokes from the 1970s and substitute a first nations person for the role of the Irishman it works a treat with the typical Canadian being as racist as hell to first nation people (does anyone else find that? its really not nice!)
3 hoop and hollow like a madman during the course of the joke raise your arm and shout American marine corps sayings like ...."HHHHHHHoooooorah! "
Does anyone else have any tips on tapping into a canadians regressed sense of humour??????

jericho

Maybe you should try a joke that's actually funny?

JonboyE

A pirate walked into a bar and the bartender said, “Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. What happened? You look terrible.”

“What do you mean?” said the pirate, “I feel fine.”

Bartender, “What about the wooden leg? You didn't have that before.”

Pirate, “Well, we were in a battle and I got hit with a cannon ball, but I'm fine now.”

Bartender, “Well, ok, but what about that hook? What happened to your hand?”

Pirate, “We were in another battle. I boarded a ship and got into a sword fight.

My hand was cut off. I got fitted with a hook. I'm fine, really.”

Bartender, “What about that eye patch?”

Pirate, “Oh, one day we were at sea and a flock of birds flew over. I looked up and one of them s**t in my eye.”

Bartender, “You're kidding, you lost an eye just from bird s**t?”

Pirate, “It was my first day with the hook.”


All the Canadians I told that too laughed.

MB-Realtor

Its not the same as British Humor.

Don't try self-depreciating humor, they think you are being serious -

There is none of the jokey "repartee' you get with Brits, don't try it, it goes over their heads and you look daft.

You can try "Irony" but its hit or miss.


Humor is one, perhaps the one, reason Brits seek each other out abroad.

Partially discharged

That and trying to see who has an inside scoop on getting in some supplies of marmite, Heinz baked beans (UK version), orange squash,

MB-Realtor

Shsssch, my wife is a dealer in these exotic confections.

Lord Vader

I think this is funny, and I can barley understand a word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9dn1HhYXpE

Auld Yin

Yes, they do have a sense of humour. If they do not get/appreciate British humour it isn't anymore wrong than it would be if you don't get their's.
As has been said on other threads, Canadian life has been influenced for many years by what goes on south of the border, so humour is probably more of the American version. British humour would, IMO, not receive a more favourable response in the 50 States. I'm sure there are parts of the UK that do not understand humour from other parts, N.Scotland - Cornwall or Newcastle - S.Wales, etc, etc.

G77

Do not under any circumstances try any sarcasm, otherwise you'll get the following response

Alan2005

hahahaha...

In answer to your question - Yes Canadians do have a sense of humour, it's just that it's a bit shit.

Lord Vader

I disagree to an extent. If you are a stranger then sarcasm can go undetected, if people know you then they know what to expect from you. It isn't always easy to tell when someone is being sarcastic if one moment they are being serious about the price of cheese and poultry and then try a bit of sarcasm, both can sound equally funny or equally not funny. Trying being sarcastic with a smile on your face instead of attempting to look serious.

Alan2005

Deadpan doesn't work here. Mind you I can say the same about some of the posters on this website.

Largo

[QUOTE=Alan2005;7759694]hahahaha...

In answer to your question - Yes Canadians do have a sense of humour, it's just that it's a bit shit.[/QUOTE]

Explain Please!

Alan2005

[QUOTE=Largo;7759705] Are you Canadian?

Lord Vader

It doesn't if you are a stranger or not doing it right. If the person you are dead panning doesn't know your are dead panning, well, maybe you should work on your dead panning.