Having a bloody laugh
Comedian Ricky Gervais (above) from the UK sitcom 'The Office' has become an iconic representative of British humour. Photocredit: Diamond Geyser
In true comedy show fashion, let me open with a little anecdote – here’s a clip of actor Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton from the new film Alice in Wonderland interviewed on BBC’s Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
Jonathan Ross: Now, you are kind of “weird”, I imagine.
Johnny Depp: (shyly) Uh…yea, I’ve been accused of being weird.
Tim Burton: (jokingly agrees) He is weird.
Jonathan Ross: (to Tim) And coming from you, that’s quite a lot cuz you’re no stranger to “weird”.
Tim Burton: (now embarrassed) Well…what is “weird”?
Jonathan Ross: You two. You’re a double helping of “weird”.
Oh bless that Jonathan Ross for his not-so-tactful way with words. But like Depp and Burton, sense of humour is indeed ‘weird’ and unique to all. Britain’s quirky idiosyncrasies have been played out in the cheeky, rather direct nature of its humour.
So what exactly is British humour? In one word – awkward, in two – more honest. “Social awkwardness is definitely a key part,” says Graham Trelfer, chairman of The London Comedy Writers. “But British comedy is not as defined as it used to be.” Several acts have translated very quickly overseas, such as The Monty Pythons who are considered pioneers of British sketch comedy. They inspired a version of it in America with the successful launch of Saturday Night Live.
In the earlier years of the British comedy scene, acts such as Benny Hill and Mr. Bean have led others to lean British humour towards that of a physical, slapstick nature but it’s actually unintended.
“We do have a thing for slapstick comedy but strangely it’s never actually written in the script – it just happens. Maybe we’re just a clumsy nation,” jokes Kenny Cavey, founder of the comedy writers group ComComedy.
The other fundamental quality of British humour is subtlety. Cavey notes, “The humour is so subtle here and done really well with even just a tiny, secret look to the audience, which the British go nuts for. Whereas in somewhere like America, people may just be thinking ‘Ok – where’s the next joke?’”
A more recent example of a great translation of British comedy can be made of the UK sitcom The Office which took America by storm. Ricky Gervais’s character in the UK version is the embodiment of the generally sarcastic and self-deprecating tone that is classic to British humour. “We’ve been doing self-deprecation for centuries and Ricky Gervais has recently made it iconic to himself,” with the international success of The Office, says Cavey.
A recent scientific study in March 2008 led by Dr. Rod Martin at the University of Ontario surveyed 2,000 pairs of twins in the UK and 500 pairs in North America on their perceptions of humour. The results indicated that ‘positive humour’, referring to the bright side of life, was found in both regions. But ‘negative humour’, cruel jokes such as racist and sexist remarks, was found in Britain alone.
“The British may have a greater tolerance for a wide range of expressions of humour, including what many Americans might consider aggressively sarcastic or denigrating,” says Dr. Martin. America’s lesser tolerance for crude humour is seen in Steve Carrell’s character, who plays the more tolerable and sensitive version of Ricky Gervais’s character in UK version of The Office.
The British find humour in the more realistic, darker, uglier truths of life and “the comedy is often about wallowing in our own depravity,” says Trelfer.
“I think maybe we just cope better with more negative issues like depression,” says Cavey.
Former New York Times reporter Eric Weiner even goes as far as to say Brits are never happier than when at their most miserable in his book The Geography of Bliss.
“Most Brits, I suspect, derive a perverse pleasure from their grumpiness. For the British, happiness is a transatlantic import. And by transatlantic, they mean American,” he says.
Weiner believes, “For the English, life is not about happiness but getting by,” and British humour embraces this belief and makes light of the fact.
British actor, comedian and author Charlie Higson credits British comedy as “silly people doing silly things” and as less sophisticated than other acts around the globe.
But the rise of internet media has ultimately eliminated most of the cultural factors that determine an individual or even a societal sense of humour as viewership has widened, believes Cavey. “Nobody really goes to the internet wanting to get their bit of ‘British’ comedy.”
The wide-ranging internet audience appreciates the comedy before noticing where it’s coming from and ultimately raised the standards for the quality of humour and comedy.
With the overwhelming amount of content options on the internet, “You really can’t get away with making bad comedy anymore – which is really beautiful and the way it should be,” says Cavey.
Here are some recent Brit comedy programmes to check out if you’re itching for a laugh:
- The Thick of It
- The Inbetweeners
- Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Chips
- Live at the Apollo
- Mock of the Week
- QI
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