American Humor perceived by Russian women

[elliott]

On a related note, it is now understood that the string type of panties present a health hazard in that they promote or allow the transfer of bacteria from anal area to vagina area.  Various bacteria existing in certain areas of the body cause no harm in those areas, but they do cause harm when transferred to other areas.

That is totally unrelated to humor, and it ruined every lovely-woman-wearing-a-thong image that I have seen.  Damn you.


Back to humor.

Russians simply don't laugh at a lot of what Americans deem funny

So, what American comedians do Russian women like?  I realize it's a personal thing as there are many different styles and deliveries.  Do they like Stephen Wright?  Dane Cook?  Richard Pryor?  Bill Cosby?  Jeff Dunham?  Chris Rock?  Adam Sandler (and his movies)?  Lots and lots of different kinds of comedy out there.  Which is funny?  Which is offensive?

How about comedic television?  Southpark:  funny or offensive?  How about Family Guy?  Is your preference the 'safe' shows of yester-year like Full House, Step by Step and Family Matters, or do you want something that pushes the boundaries (whatever those are)?

What about dry, British humour, or a greasy, urban style?  Cussing or no cussing?  Religion?  Race?  Gender?  What's taboo and what's not?  These are just some of the things that clue me in to a woman's sense of humor.

[Lily]

elliot, may be you could post some links on these comedians so that we could watch them performing?

[SANDRO43]

elliot, may be you could post some links on these comedians so that we could watch them performing?

Stephen Wright's humour: verbal - a string of one-liners .

[youtube=325,250]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPWGfnJ9X7c[/youtube] [youtube=325,250]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56v_jenBUpU[/youtube]

Lily, you can find other examples by Googling for Youtube and a comedian's name. Also for some favourite US TV comedy shows like:

- Saturday Night Live
- Comic Relief
- Stand Up Comedy

[groovlstk]

Just my own experience, but my wife hates American slapstick comedies and thinks American humor in popular movies and TV, is silly crap. (I tend to agree with her in most cases.)

Funny enough, she loves Curb Your Enthusiasm and even thinks Larry David, of all people, is sexy  Whenever I ponder the oddity of this I have to remind myself that she married me, after all, so it's not too strange. 

[Lily]

Thank you Sandro. So now I watched and heard a little of Steven Wright.

The one-liners back and forth, spoken in a barely distinguishable voice.
On a general note I'd say that his lines may be the things to smile at, if I could heard them spontanely spoken in a daily life. For example, the 'Could I speak to N? - No you can't, as he is only two months old' could be a funny sudden line in a dialog.

But to laugh my a$$ off as the spectators do.. is beyond my understanding.

This is the humor in American movies that I like:

[SANDRO43]

This is the humor in American movies that I like:

I'd say that means you're more into 'situational' rather than purely 'verbal' humour, which is understandable because the latter requires a firmer grasp of the language/culture and, in the case of Stephen Wright, concentration and prompt reflexes because of his style of delivery.

Here's another style, Jeff Dunham's. He's a ventriloquist and delivers the comedy part of his act through his dummies while he plays the 'straight man':

[youtube=325,250]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uwOL4rB-go[/youtube] [youtube=325,250]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZJu5GtZ9sU[/youtube]

[Lily]

These look a bit more interesting than Steve's one. A bit livelier and funnier.

But for my personal taste, I'd rather watch the Soul Plane's epizodes several times and will laugh at them again. I wasn't able to watch Jeff's to the end, anyway.

[SANDRO43]

I'd rather watch the Soul Plane's epizodes

Maybe inspired by the 1980 movie classic Airplane! :

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaXvFT_UyI8[/youtube]

[KenC]

Most Russians I have known love slapstick comedy.  My former in laws laughed to tears while watching "Jackass the Movie."  No interpretation necessary.
KenC

[jj]

one of the american comedians Marina and I both like is Steve Martin.  Also we get a kick out of  brit comedians across the pond . Mr Bean and also the late Peter Sellers in his Pink Panther series. 

[SANDRO43]

and also the late Peter Sellers in his Pink Panther series. 

A series that started in 1964 with A Shot in the Dark:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78KP5DmXnkA[/youtube]

In 1968 Blake Edwards directed Sellers in another delightful comedy, The Party:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfWvWRqrAig[/youtube]

[KenC]

Comedy is such a personal thing and often influenced by your mood at the time.  I originally watched a comedy movie "The End" staring Dom Deluis and Burt Reynolds and hated it.  A few years later watched it a second time and laughed my butt off.  Some comedians are an acquired taste that has to be built upon over multiple viewings.

Peter Sellers in Pink Panther-funny, Steve Martin in Pink Panther-not funny.

Richard Pryor begot Eddie Murphy begot Chris Rock, all funny stand up comedians with marginal success in movies.  Whereas most of the Saturday Night gang seem to have more success in dramatic roles.

Does anyone think Dane Cook is funny?
KenC

[SANDRO43]

Peter Sellers in Pink Panther-funny, Steve Martin in Pink Panther-not funny.

I agree, I think SM was overacting his Clouseau interpretation, PS was subtler.

That's the problem with remakes, at least for older audiences who have already seen the originals. For instance, Clooney's 2001 Ocean's 11 was good, but I much preferred Sinatra's 1960 version.

Whereas most of the Saturday Night gang seem to have more success in dramatic roles.

Oh yeah, quite dramatic :

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjGfnsjdJec[/youtube]

[tfcrew]

Situations usually do better here than stand-up/one liners etc
ie. Monk ..Seinfeld..Dumb and Dumber 

[remiel6]

I will agree with the Pink Panther analysis. 

Stand up comedians are not "actors" they do not really have to get into dramatic situations and play a character. So I think that is part of the reason for the lack of success. Most stand up comedians that succeed do so in television and historically thier series, ie sienfeld, home improvement, etc... are based on their comedy in thier stand up. So there is more of a comfort zone.
As for saturday night live, those that make the transition to film always start with comedy and in my opinion as they get better at thier craft they branch out into more dramatic roles. Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey (though i don't think he came from SNL), even Dan Akryod ala driving miss Daisy serve as examples
By the by..... Blues Brothers, awesome movie .

[tfcrew]

Jim Carrey (though i don't think he came from SNL

Side note.. Jim Carrey did audition for SNL and they turned him down.

[SANDRO43]

Situations usually do better here than stand-up/one liners etc

Situational is the easiest/most basic form of humour, everybody almost anywhere will laugh at victims receiving a faceful of cream cake or slipping on a banana peel - a relief emotional reflex, many psychologists maintain.

Verbal humour stimulates other brain structures and requires some work on the audience's part - attention, among other things . Lower, artless forms of verbal humour rely heavily on the repetition of 'signature' clichés - we call them tormentoni in theatrical Italian. Maybe their familiarity triggers a laugh in expectation of what will follow , not necessarily always met .

[KenC]

Sandro,
The Blues Brothers was one of the very few SNL bits that made a decent movie.  The other might be Wayne's World (the first one) but most have flopped.  One of my favorite remakes is the Thomas Crown Affair, both were great for their time.  To this day, I do not think anyone could be as erotic as Fay Dunaway while playing chess! :hairraising:  As in the Ocean movies, the newer versions kept the same flavor and mood of the previous one.  You get the feeling that George Clooney and his buds had a ball making the movies together.  Frank came up with the original idea to make it with the rat pack while they all were hanging out in Vegas doing shows.
KenC

[Sculpto]

my list should come as no surprise...

Lenny Bruce..
Andy Kaufman..
Bill Murray

The only really funny guy in the last decade, IMO, is Bobby Lee, who is a bit more slapstick than I usually like, but, he is so perverted that I got over it.  Mike MacDonald is pretty awesome also, though, I am not sure he will do as well in cinema as he was on Mad TV.

Mad TV was in general way better than SNL in the last decade.. pity its off the air now.

[Sculpto]

a friend sent me this today.. I didn't get it at first..

Не знаю почему, но надпись на продукте Made in Velikobrytania вызывает у меня некоторые сомнения...

[jj]

I agree Steve Martin could not compare with the original Pink Panther series.  But liked him in some of his other films.  I can't help but jumping in here with 3 slap sticks that entertained kids for a few generations . American Icons as comical "stooges".                                                                                     





 

[jj]

[remiel6]

I would agree Steve Martin has done some funny films. I just like the other pink panther better. Maybe it was because I saw it first. I don't know.

[remiel6]

Oh and the first time I saw steven wright I was with my brother and a friend of mine and we were laughing so hard we were crying for 15 minutes. Had to throw that in there. 

[Lily]

I agree Steve Martin could not compare with the original Pink Panther series.  But liked him in some of his other films.  I can't help but jumping in here with 3 slap sticks that entertained kids for a few generations . American Icons as comical "stooges".                                                                                     

Interesting show, very understandable talks, but I hate it when people get hit by something or someone. Nothing funny at all