English or American comedy?

metaoblivia · 09-10-2009 04:52PM

American. English comedy is dull.

gizmo · 09-10-2009 04:54PM

Each has their own quality shows to be honest. Still surprised no one has mentioned Black Books on the English side and Friends on the other. Although I do feel the latter may be a contentious issue with some people I still think it's a great show.

That being said...

genericguy wrote: »

big bang theory - i pity the people who like this.

I pity the people that don't get it. :rolleyes:

ScumLord · 09-10-2009 04:56PM

The Perfect Drug wrote: »

I would have no hesitancy in saying it's the best Irish produced comedy avaliable. Father Ted, while pretty good, isn't all that.

Both are brilliant. Fr Ted is classic, even with all the repeats it's still watchable. Hardy Bucks is easily the best comedy to come out of Ireland ever.

Mossy Monk · 09-10-2009 04:57PM

Both have good and bad.

tinner777 · 09-10-2009 04:58PM

english, bottom, a great blend of violence and humor

Adrock-aka · 09-10-2009 05:00PM

British Comedy is probably funnier from a British perspective and American is probably funnier from an American perspective.

British comedy (for the most part) is more subtle and intelligent and imo much funnier. Most Americans dont get Ricky Gervais ffs! They rely on punchlines a lot more, like impersonations too much and made the ''i kill you'' hand puppet a megastar.

Irish comedy has come a long way, dylan moran and tommy tiernan (a few years ago) in particular are outstanding.

Edit: the above was for stand up, american sitcoms are much better than the english ones. Arrested development is the best show ive ever watched!

Turd Ferguson · 09-10-2009 05:01PM

TO ALL PEOPLE THINKING THAT FATHER TED WAS AN IRISH SHOW. YOU ARE WRONG. IT WAS MADE AND SHOWN BY CHANNEL 4 (ENGLISH) BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET IT MADE OVER HERE

That is all

Captain Darling · 09-10-2009 05:06PM

English comedy all the way.

Fawlty Towers, the Fast Show, Harry Enfield, Peep Show, the Office, Little Britain, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Ross Noble, Bo Selecta (for a while) Ali G, Rising Damp, Only Fools and horses. That list is only off the top of my head.

It is true that English comedic films are not as funny as American ones, not too sure why that is though.

Adrock-aka · 09-10-2009 05:08PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

TO ALL PEOPLE THINKING THAT FATHER TED WAS AN IRISH SHOW. YOU ARE WRONG. IT WAS MADE AND SHOWN BY CHANNEL 4 (ENGLISH) BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET IT MADE OVER HERE

That is all

Father Ted was written by two Irish writers. Atthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. Starred Irish actors mainly.

It aired on CH4 which is an english channel.

I suppose Friends and scrubs are English too. And every other international show.

Try not to use bold and large font sizes when ill informed on things.

Jim236 · 09-10-2009 05:16PM

Theres some great comedy shows that come out of England like Gavin and Stacey, Catherine Tate, The Royale Family, and Only Fools and Horses but thats as far as it goes. Most of their stand-ups are crap because they're too 'polite'(with a couple of exceptions like Peter Kay and Lee Evans), and their sitcoms are shockin. There was a Friends-type sitcom on Paramount there a few months back, tried watching 5mins of it and I just cringed it was that bad.

American comedy on the other hand is great in all areas - slapstick, animation, sitcoms, stand-up etc. You've got The Office, King of Queens, That 70s Show, Friends, the Fresh Prince, South Park, Family Guy, and Scrubs. When it comes to stand-up you've got legends like Chris Rock, Pablo Francisco, Jamie Foxx, and George Carlin.

American comedy wins hands down.

dyl10 · 09-10-2009 05:22PM

The Young Ones > That 70's Show

Warfi · 09-10-2009 05:25PM

John Abundant Mice wrote: »

Seinfeld was crap.

I couldn't let this pass!!! Best sitcom of all time! How could you not laugh at Kramer finding a chat show set in a dumpster and setting it up in his flat-with his friends as guests??
Or George doing the opposite of what his instinct tells him because listening to his gut hasn't worked for him so far?? And it actually works for him!
Ah I don't expect to convert you, just give it a fair go (takes a while to get into it)

Jim236 · 09-10-2009 05:26PM

Warfi wrote: »

I couldn't let this pass!!! Best sitcom of all time! How could you not laugh at Kramer finding a chat show set in a dumpster and setting it up in his flat-with his friends as guests??
Or George doing the opposite of what his instinct tells him because listening to his gut hasn't worked for him so far?? And it actually works for him!
Ah I don't expect to convert you, just give it a fair go (takes a while to get into it)

Nah have to agree with Frada, it was pretty crap...

Turd Ferguson · 09-10-2009 05:30PM

Adrock-aka wrote: »

Father Ted was written by two Irish writers. Atthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. Starred Irish actors mainly.

It aired on CH4 which is an english channel.

I suppose Friends and scrubs are English too. And every other international show.

Try not to use bold and large font sizes when ill informed on things.

Father Ted was written in England. It was comissioned by an English channel. It was filmed in England (apart from the external scenes) and it was shown by an English TV channel. By your logic Red Dwarf was made by aliens....and I'll use large font if I feel like it

Warfi · 09-10-2009 05:35PM

Adrock-aka wrote: »

Arrested development is the best show ive ever watched!

I've heard great things about Arrested Dev..... and 30 Rock. Still haven't gotten around to watching them though

A few favourites of mine are Frasier and MASH (not the social message years MASH, the earlier stuff). Both American. I love British humour too-you can't beat a bit of Farty Owls! Life of Brian-love that film.

Warfi · 09-10-2009 05:36PM

Jim236 wrote: »

Nah have to agree with Frada, it was pretty crap...

You're beyond converting

TPD · 09-10-2009 05:56PM

Jim236 wrote: »

Theres some great comedy shows that come out of England like Gavin and Stacey, Catherine Tate, The Royale Family, and Only Fools and Horses but thats as far as it goes. Most of their stand-ups are crap because they're too 'polite'(with a couple of exceptions like Peter Kay and Lee Evans), and their sitcoms are shockin. There was a Friends-type sitcom on Paramount there a few months back, tried watching 5mins of it and I just cringed it was that bad.

Wait... You like Lee Evans, and yet are expressing an opinion on British comedy?

DOES NOT COMPUTE!

thatsa spicy · 09-10-2009 05:58PM

I think English comedy is funnier more often than American comedy.
Peep Show, The Office, Brass Eye, The Day Today, I'm Alan Partridge, Bottom, Fr. Ted, Extras, Inbetweeners, Da Ali G show (and Mock the week if I'm alowed to include that!).

The Americans have a very different sense of humour that I'm not really a fan of, seen in shows like "King of Queens" "How I met your Mother", and "arrested development".
Although I must say that Family Guy, South Park and American Dad are good!
Curb your enthusiasm is great aswell but I think its actually a gem to have come out of America, very untypical American humour in it.

In short; English is funnier but the Americans make funny cartoons instead.

tinner777 · 09-10-2009 06:16PM

also vic and bob, masters

IM0 · 09-10-2009 06:20PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

I don't know about Irish sit-coms, because I try to avoid them.:o

Father Ted, Black Books..no :rolleyes:

TPD · 09-10-2009 06:36PM

me@ucd wrote: »

Father Ted, Black Books..no :rolleyes:

Eh, Black Books is English, one of the main characters just happens to be Irish.

IM0 · 09-10-2009 06:53PM

The Perfect Drug wrote: »

Eh, Black Books is English, one of the main characters just happens to be Irish.

I suppose your right, but then again I dont care that much to go and google it

but while your at it (or the OP) define Irish sitcom? Irish script writers, Irish main actors, Irish location, Irish funding, Irish.....hell you could say all 'American' sitcoms are Irish too!

What makes an English Sitcom..'English'

Jazzy · 09-10-2009 06:56PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

Father Ted was written in England. It was comissioned by an English channel. It was filmed in England (apart from the external scenes) and it was shown by an English TV channel. By your logic Red Dwarf was made by aliens....and I'll use large font if I feel like it

this man is correct. anything you say that against that is paramount to idiocy

Jim236 · 09-10-2009 06:57PM

me@ucd wrote: »

I suppose your right, but then again I dont care that much to go and google it

but while your at it (or the OP) define Irish sitcom? Irish script writers, Irish main actors, Irish location, Irish funding, Irish.....hell you could say all 'American' sitcoms are Irish too!

What makes an English Sitcom..'English'

Are you really that arrogant you can't just admit you were wrong? I mean did the fact that all the other characters were British, and it was a British-commisioned show produced by British and shown on a British TV channel, not give it away that it wasn't Irish?

mike65 · 09-10-2009 07:03PM

It wouldn't be a comedy themed thread without Father Ted arguements!

scanlas · 09-10-2009 07:08PM

Eddie Murphy "Raw" was the best stand up I've seen, "Delirious" was very funny as well. I'd put the best of American stand up slightly ahead of the best of English stand up.

TPD · 09-10-2009 07:33PM

me@ucd wrote: »

I suppose your right, but then again I dont care that much to go and google it

but while your at it (or the OP) define Irish sitcom? Irish script writers, Irish main actors, Irish location, Irish funding, Irish.....hell you could say all 'American' sitcoms are Irish too!

What makes an English Sitcom..'English'

Erm, neither do I. It's painfully obvious, if you've actually watched the show, that it's English. Set in England, 2/3 of the main actors are English, English production company, aired first on an English TV channel...

That's like saying James Bond is a Scottish film because Sean Connery was in it.

I wouldnt count the majority of Americans who call themselves Irish, as Irish. If you're the 2nd generation of your family born in a certain country, your family is from that country IMO. Sure we may as well say everyone is bacterianese, if you care to go back far enough.

Leprachaun · 09-10-2009 07:40PM

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Father Ted.

Father Ted is a british show.

wudangclan · 09-10-2009 07:41PM

Leprachaun wrote: »

Father Ted is a british show.

please!

deman · 09-10-2009 07:44PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

TO ALL PEOPLE THINKING THAT FATHER TED WAS AN IRISH SHOW. YOU ARE WRONG. IT WAS MADE AND SHOWN BY CHANNEL 4 (ENGLISH) BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET IT MADE OVER HERE

That is all

Not true. It's a very common misconception.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Ted

Contrary to frequent rumours, Mathews and Linehan did not originally pitch the series to the Irish network RTÉ, but rather offered it directly to Hat Trick Productions and Channel 4 in the UK.

Oh and btw... British Comedy all the way.... all you gotta do is think Blackadder.

English or American comedy?

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