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Which Countries Have The BEST, WORST, STRANGEST Sense Of Humor?
Self | December 24, 2002 | PJ-Comix

Posted on 12/24/2002 4:31:21 PM PST by PJ-Comix

Okay, it's Christmas Eve so let's set aside politics here for a bit and discuss something that has interested me for a long time. Which countries/cultures have the Best; the Worst; and the Strangest senses of humor.

I would classify Britain and the U.S.A. as having the Best senses of humor although they are a bit different. The Brits rely more on subtley and wordplay. American humor is more slap-on-the-back. Sometimes both types of humor combine wonderfully such as in the movie The Loved One written by a Brit (Evelyn Waugh) but set in an American funeral home with very American funny characters in it.

Germany is often thought of as having the worst sense of humor but in this category I think we have to award the French with this honor since those folks actually think that Jerry Lewis is some sort of comedic genius. However, there is a lot of truth that the Germans have a lousy sense of humor. I once went out with a German chick named Ernegard (sp?) and not only did she have NO SENSE of humor but she hated it when anybody else thought something was funny. I well remember the many times she would say to me: "Alvays mit der jokes! Alvays mit der shmiles! It's all vun bik joke to you isn't it?" Then Ernegard would get even angrier as I did an impression of her muttering these lines.

The STRANGEST senses of humor goes to the Japanese. I haven't any idea why they laugh at what they do. Once I was in a bar in L.A. filled with Japanese businessmen. I recieved a couple of half dollars at the counter as change so on an impulse I stuck both of them into my eyes like monocles and screamed: "BANZAI!!!" Immediately the Japanese were rolling on the floor in laughter. When they recovered I thought it was a freak accident and I repeated the same bit with the coins and the "BANZAI!" scream and again they rolled with laughter. They laughed so hard that one of them begged me not to do it anymore since he was suffocating from laughing so hard. And why they laughed so much at such a silly routine I don't know but this is why I said they have the strangest sense of humor.

One other thing I have observed is that it also depends on what part of the country some folks are from as to their senses of humor. One of the funniest people I know is from India and works at the food court at the Swap Shop. I often buy breakfast from him because I appreciate the humor. However, he is from (judging from his appearance) South India but the folks from North India seem to have no sense of humor. I recently told a funny story to these two guys from North India and they just glowered at me. Then I told them a really good dirty joke and they acted as if they I were insulting them by telling that joke.

I used to think Chinese folks were super-serious but perhaps the most humorous person I have ever met is my friend, Jessica, from Wuhan, China. The other day I told her my idea for a Chinese Restaurant with a Red Guards theme and not only did she laugh uproariously at the concept but she now wants to incorporate that concept as a business. So if you see a Red Guards Chinese Restaurant in South Florida in the near future, it had its roots in a joke I told.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: humor
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To: PJ-Comix
People who think John Candy wasn't funny should watch old SCTV episodes. His Johnny LaRue, Doctor Tongue, and Billy Sol Hurok (he blowed up good) characters were works of comic genius.
101 posted on 12/25/2002 12:49:13 AM PST by driftless
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To: RedWhiteBlue
I've heard a description of Argentines as Italians who speak Spanish, think they're British, and act like the French. I had an Argentine Spanish teacher in college. One time she corrected me on my (mis)pronunciation of certain Spanish phrases. She criticized me for pronouncing them with an American accent. I had to hold my tongue as her English, though quite fluent, was pronounced with a very heavy Argentine-Spanish accent.
102 posted on 12/25/2002 12:57:41 AM PST by driftless
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To: PJ-Comix
Does anyone here remember the old radio comedy team, Bob and Ray?
At their best, some of their skits were totally surreal
as weirdly funny on radio as Monty Python ever was on TV.
103 posted on 12/25/2002 12:58:05 AM PST by Allan
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To: PJ-Comix
I adore slapstick, some of it. An example is the scene in the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy" where the hero is trying to get his jeep -- which has no breaks and whose motor can't be turned off because it's too hard to restart -- through a gate. Remember that? I watch that movie over and over, and roll on the floor laughing every time!

The other humor I adore is Dickens' "Christmas Carol", subtle but overwhelming. That too never loses its freshness and devastating punch.

PJ, I think your Banzai act would have been hilarious, too!

I think Mark Steyn at his best is the best humor writer today! He has the Dickens touch of out-of-control (seemingly) detail.
104 posted on 12/25/2002 1:36:08 AM PST by WaterDragon
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To: driftless
I saw a German movie comedy on HBO some time back about some homosexuals and their problems. One was trying to seduce (unsuccessfully) a straight German. Unbelievably it was quite funny...even in subtitles. Can't recall the name of it.

"Das Bootie?"

105 posted on 12/25/2002 5:26:09 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: dennisw
Especially that Shecky Green.

Except that Shecky Green is from CHICAGO, not NY. I know because my father's aunt knew Shecky because she and her husband ran the BIGGEST photo studio in Chicago (Maurice Seymore Photography) and took studio photos of many showbiz celebs, including Shecky Green.

106 posted on 12/25/2002 5:30:03 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
OK. What's Shecky's real first name? (I know the answer)
107 posted on 12/25/2002 5:35:07 AM PST by dennisw
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To: dennisw
OK. What's Shecky's real first name? (I know the answer)

Chiang? As in Chiang Kai-Shecky?

Actually there is an HILARIOUS but true story involving Chiang Kai-Shek. It happened in the middle of WWII when Roosevelt sent to China what is now considered the WORST Ambassador in History---An Oklahoman named Patrick Hurley. Hurley was so clueless as to different cultures and diplomatic niceties that he inadvertently insulted the Chinese many times. He started off on a bad note when he first met the then President of China, Chiang Kai-Shek when he shook his hand and said, "Glad to meet you, Mr. Shek."

Oh, and when he first arrived in China he got off on the wrong foot as soon as he stepped from his airplane. Meeting him at the airfield was a contingent of Chinese soldiers arranged in formation to greet him. When Hurley stepped out onto the ladder ramp extending to the airplane, he took off his cowboy hat and let out a loud Cherookee War Whoop in greeting. This scared the hell out of the awaiting Chinese soldiers who, despite their careful formations, ducked to the grown clumsily out of fear of this madman exiting the plane.

108 posted on 12/25/2002 5:44:55 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: dennisw
BTW, I am right now getting a lesson as to Chinese senses of humor. I recently told my Chinese friend, Jessica from Wuhan, about my idea for a Red Guards Chinese Restaurant which would feature a Red Guards theme. It would be kind of like dinner theater but instead of show tunes for the customers, Red Guards scenes would be displayed. The waiters and waitresses would be dressed in Mao outfits and caps. There would be periodic choreographed marching and singing with red banners by Chinese Red Guards girls. Then there would be chanting while waving the little Red Book by performers who would also occasionally drag out a dishwasher or cook from the kitchen and place a dunce hat on their hats and urge them to confess their crimes. The menu items would feature such things as Mao Tse Yum-Yums, Long March Lo Mein, and Chou En-Lei Chow Mein. There would also be performances that used to be popular in the Red Opera that Mao's nutty wife used to put on.

Jessica loved the idea and is now trying to get a Chinese Restaurant to incorporate this Red Guards theme. However, most Chinese don't see the campy humor in this. But don't worry. It is only a matter of time. Eventually in South Florida there will be a Red Guards Chinese Restaurant. Only those with a sense of humor will be admitted.

109 posted on 12/25/2002 5:54:49 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
Good story! Shecky's real name is Sheldon Greenfield
110 posted on 12/25/2002 5:55:05 AM PST by dennisw
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To: PJ-Comix
Americans are too dumb to know or care who Mao's "Red Guards" are.
111 posted on 12/25/2002 5:56:20 AM PST by dennisw
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To: PJ-Comix

Real names of many Jews in show biz:



http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:Mjm5Mxy5cjwC:www.jillsjokeline.com/name.html+%22shecky+green%22++born+name&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
112 posted on 12/25/2002 5:57:56 AM PST by dennisw
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To: dennisw
Americans are too dumb to know or care who Mao's "Red Guards" are.

That's why the material for a Red Guards Chinese Restaurant would be FRESH for most people here. As I told Jessica, we will RE-EDUCATE them. Oh, one other idea I had would be large B&W pics of Mao, Chou En-Lai and Stalin on the walls. However, occasionally the pic of Stalin would flip around to reveal a pic of a dour Chairman Hillary.

I even worked out how the newspaper ads would appear. It would feature a very earnest Red Guards member pointing out at the reader and the words above says: "The People's Revolutionary Committee Resolutely Urges You To Dine At The Red Guards Chinese Restaurant!" Folks would show up out of curiousity.

I got this idea because I heard complaints that in South Florida that the King Buffet chain was killing the business for traditional Chinese Restaurants.

113 posted on 12/25/2002 6:04:29 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: dennisw
I checked that list. Hey, I never knew that Jet Li's original name was Jacob Lipschitz!
114 posted on 12/25/2002 6:08:29 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
Bump for after gift opening!!
115 posted on 12/25/2002 6:10:07 AM PST by carpio
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To: PJ-Comix
Marx Brothers, 3 Stogges, Mel Brooks,
Rodney Dangerfield, all American Jews,
kill me. Monty Python skits are the best.
116 posted on 12/25/2002 6:20:59 AM PST by SonnyBubba
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To: SonnyBubba
Marx Brothers, 3 Stogges, Mel Brooks, Rodney Dangerfield, all American Jews, kill me.

You left Krusty The Clown off your list. The funniest Simpsons episode was when Krusty got re-united with his father whose voice was provided by Jackie Mason.

117 posted on 12/25/2002 6:24:48 AM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
I saw David Lynch's Eraserhead in Naples, Italy. It was in English, with Italian subtitles. Now granted, the movie is strange to start with, however, there were times when I was laughing and there wouldn't be a peep from the Italians. There were other times when the whole theater would be laughing uproariously. That made me wonder what the hell the subtitle had said.

I'd have to say I like British humor the best as that's what I'm most familiar with. I've found that Caribbean women are quick to laugh and generally apreciate a good joke.

118 posted on 12/25/2002 6:38:01 AM PST by csvset
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To: driftless
Well, I went to the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" with some Argeninei, Perui, Brazili, and other South Americanoi some years ago. They were all laughing about the "Bolivian Soldiers" speaking with Mexican accents.
119 posted on 12/25/2002 8:42:16 AM PST by Doctor Stochastic
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To: Kevin Curry
Not true that the French have no sense of humor!

Whoever invented the Bidet (i think the guys name was Bidet) has played a joke of monumental proportions on his fellow countrymen...

The French: never take a bath but have the cleanest assholes on the planet...

120 posted on 12/25/2002 8:44:40 AM PST by chilepepper
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