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Original poster

You can’t beat British humour! One thing we are still best at in the world

190 replies

JennyTals · 22/02/2025 01:44

I know it a time of terrible doom and gloom
trump, putin, shit weather, people struggling

but thank FUCK
for our good old sense of humor that keeps us strong !

OP posts:
Mydadsbirthday · 22/02/2025 08:31

LaurieFairyCake · 22/02/2025 07:43

We also have cakes. Our cakes are the best.

And pasties.

I agree with cakes, but I'd take a samosa or an empañada over a pasty any day!

SinnerBoy · 22/02/2025 08:30

vivainsomnia · Today 07:01

I won't even mention Benny Hill 😂

It was hugely popular in the Soviet Union and the same for Norman Wisdom in Albania. And look at the American comedies which are shown in the UK.

Different strokes for different folks!

MasterBeth · 22/02/2025 08:29

bostonchamps · 22/02/2025 08:27

There's something quite humorous about posters getting bolshy on a thread about British humour

@MasterBeth would a nice morning coffee lighten you up a bit?

I wouldn't open with it.

NooNakedJacuzziness · 22/02/2025 08:28

Norman Wisdom was big in Albania
You Rang M'Lud was huge in Hungary
Monty Python in America
Mr Bean in lots of countries (takes all sorts I suppose)

Lots of our humour travels well, like it or not.

bostonchamps · 22/02/2025 08:27

There's something quite humorous about posters getting bolshy on a thread about British humour

@MasterBeth would a nice morning coffee lighten you up a bit?

MasterBeth · 22/02/2025 08:24

LunaNorth · 22/02/2025 08:13

The sense of humour gene can skip a generation, or so I’ve heard.

Show quote history

This is funny.

Not the best joke in the world, mind.

HelpMeGetThrough · 22/02/2025 08:22

why do Brits have to turn everything into a competition?

Because one day we may win something, so we can stop rattling on about the 66 World Cup.

MasterBeth · 22/02/2025 08:22

Doloresparton · 22/02/2025 08:19

They loved Norman Wisdom too.

I love the British sense of humour, it's something to be proud of.

Show quote history

You are proud of Benny Hill, are you? Why?

Rainingalldayonmyhead · 22/02/2025 08:22

Hard disagree on the cakes sorry. I find cakes here dry and crumbly.

Bodumb · 22/02/2025 08:20

Why is this such an irritating post?

it just is right?

Doloresparton · 22/02/2025 08:19

Moonlightstars · 22/02/2025 07:55

I disagree. In the 90s I travelled all over Europe and everyone I met brought up Benny Hill and loved him.
Actually not sure if this illustrates we have shit humour or the Europeans do?😂

Show quote history

They loved Norman Wisdom too.

I love the British sense of humour, it's something to be proud of.

MindenReload · 22/02/2025 08:18

LaurieFairyCake · 22/02/2025 07:43

We also have cakes. Our cakes are the best.

And pasties.

Oh, I couldn't disagree more with that.

I like British humour though, much more than my home country's, or American 'funny' movies.

NattyTurtle59 · 22/02/2025 08:14

@MasterBeth put it very well. I think we do a lot of things well in the country I live it, but I certainly wouldn't trumpet that we are "the best", and yet there are always posters on here claiming that Britain is the best at something. It's just weird to think you are so much better than everyone else.

LunaNorth · 22/02/2025 08:13

MasterBeth · 22/02/2025 07:47

What a load of self-serving soft nationalistic exceptionalist nonsense.

We don't have the greatest sense of humour in the world.

Neither do we have the best TV, military, queues, police, landscape, weather, manners, way of life, sense of justice etc in the world. All things that British society tried to teach us growing up.

Firstly, we don't have one single British sense of humour. We have a variety of modes of humour, from Jim Davidson to Judy Love to Victoria Wood to Reeves and Mortimer to Last of the Summer Wine to Carry On to Peep Show to pantomime to Stewart Lee.

Secondly, our humour, like all nation's humour, is shaped by us and for us. The things we find most funny are ourselves, our habits, our stereotypes. Of course British people love British humour best. It's what we know. It's who we are.

That doesn't mean it's "the best". It means it's the best for us.

The sense of humour gene can skip a generation, or so I’ve heard.

NattyTurtle59 · 22/02/2025 08:09

CaptainFuture · 22/02/2025 06:41

Who has the best then @NattyTurtle59 ?

Show quote history

I don't think anyone has "the best" humour, why do Brits have to turn everything into a competition?

sashh · 22/02/2025 08:01

NattyTurtle59 · 22/02/2025 06:12

Reading that thread just makes me think that Brits are decidedly odd!

As for British humour being the best in the world, you think that because it is what you grew up with and what you know. Isn't it just possible that people from other countries think the same about their own type of humour?

Edited

I was once transiting through a German airport. I use a wheelchair for this and then I was driven out to the plane while they were still loading luggage.

The two people transporting me were in fits of giggles and said, "we have been telling all our friends we are collecting Miss sashh", more giggles.

So I asked what was funny.

I share my surname with a famous actress, apparently that is the funniest thing in a German airport. Possibly in Germany.

Just totally different.

Trixiefirecracker · 22/02/2025 08:00

Our television dramas and comedies are often superb and having watched a lot of TV in other countries it’s definitely superior! 😂

soupyspoon · 22/02/2025 07:58

vivainsomnia · 22/02/2025 07:01

I think all nationalities think the humour they grew up with is the best. I fing some British humour very good and some...well...really not funny.

Old sitcoms....Only fools and horses....if you are not British and grew up in this era, it's really not funny. I won't even mention Benny Hill 😂

Benny Hill is quite European in many ways, our humour is more verbal and satire/sarcasm, Benny Hill was slapstick

Moonlightstars · 22/02/2025 07:55

NattyTurtle59 · 22/02/2025 06:32

Really, I've never heard anyone here say that British humour is elite. I think some of you delude yourselves - it's a bit like 'the NHS in the envy of the world' which is oft quoted on here.

Show quote history

I disagree. In the 90s I travelled all over Europe and everyone I met brought up Benny Hill and loved him.
Actually not sure if this illustrates we have shit humour or the Europeans do?😂

Icepop79 · 22/02/2025 07:54

Having spent last night watching Rhod Gilbert, I can wholeheartedly agree, OP.

soupyspoon · 22/02/2025 07:52

I havent read the thread referred to

But if MN as a whole is anything to go by, no one has a sense of humour these days. Thankfully this site is nothing like real life

CaptainFuture · 22/02/2025 07:51

What Brits used to be good at was self deprecating humour, while still believing we had good humour.
Now it seems the clamor is to say
'Oh yeah, Britain's shit, we're awful and rubbish at everything, all the other counties are so much better, am so ashamed to be British, everything we've done in comedy is awful'... 🙄

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 22/02/2025 07:50

Danes are very fond of British humour.

MasterBeth · 22/02/2025 07:47

What a load of self-serving soft nationalistic exceptionalist nonsense.

We don't have the greatest sense of humour in the world.

Neither do we have the best TV, military, queues, police, landscape, weather, manners, way of life, sense of justice etc in the world. All things that British society tried to teach us growing up.

Firstly, we don't have one single British sense of humour. We have a variety of modes of humour, from Jim Davidson to Judy Love to Victoria Wood to Reeves and Mortimer to Last of the Summer Wine to Carry On to Peep Show to pantomime to Stewart Lee.

Secondly, our humour, like all nation's humour, is shaped by us and for us. The things we find most funny are ourselves, our habits, our stereotypes. Of course British people love British humour best. It's what we know. It's who we are.

That doesn't mean it's "the best". It means it's the best for us.

ItMustBeBedtimeSurely · 22/02/2025 07:46

Hmm, I think you just understand the humour you grew up with the best tbh.