English humor - I dont get it?

  I'm not really sure how my comment of "A lot of people don't like intelligent humour" turned into "A lot of people don't like intelligent humour because they are too stupid (or lazy) to understand it". 

You said

British humour also seems to include more "intelligent humour"...where you might have to actually think about it for a minute. 

Coming from the mouth of a British person, the above probably would mean that such people were too stupid or lazy to spend a minute thinking.

Which is probably would I took at that way.

That's the point. British humor (in particular, British sarcasm) can be very indirect and to some people it can be seen as being dishonest or as being a way to avoid responsbilility for one's words.

subtle...

I think also that British humour is very much based on sarcasm and taking the piss. If you took those two elements out of shows like Mock The Week or Have i Got News for You then there would be little left.

As far as taking the piss is concerned and humour amongst friends or colleagues i read the best ever explaination of it somewhere on this site. I can't remember the poster but he (or she) said that they couldn't understand why the more they got to know people the more horrible things those people said to him, yet they were polite to people they didn't know. Finally clicked that the more comfortable with you people are the more they will take the piss out of you....and of course will expect to have you take the piss right back.

Another thing i recall, i have a very self depricating sense of humour sometimes - i used to find that was not understood by everyone when i used it on trips to the US. I was thought of as having low a self esteem or self image....lol

 

I think be able to take the piss out of yourself is also very much part of British comedy.

The difference to me is this:

If I were to reply to a post on UKY with, "You idiot," I'd have to add a  or a  so that it would be clear that I meant it in jest and so that I didn't hurt people's feelings.

If I were to reply to a post on a British forum with, "You idiot," it would be understood immediately that I didn't actually think the person was an idiot.

Here's the Simon Pegg article mentioned earlier: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/feb/10/comedy.television

More article recommendations are always welcome

Great article teatime45. I liked this quote:

"Although it is true we British do use irony a little more often than our special friends in the US. It's like the kettle to us: it's always on, whistling slyly in the corner of our daily interactions. To Americans, however, it's like a nice teapot, something to be used when the occasion demands it. That is why an ironic comment will sometimes be met with a perplexed smile by an unwary American."

I like the fact that my BF is concious of "taking the piss" out of me and will sometimes check to make sure he's not gone to far. Not sure if that's just him or the fact that he's spent a bit of time around Americans. But it's nice that he worries about it.

Another thing i recall, i have a very self depricating sense of humour sometimes - i used to find that was not understood by everyone when i used it on trips to the US. I was thought of as having low a self esteem or self image....lol

 

I think be able to take the piss out of yourself is also very much part of British comedy.

I have that sort of sense of humour myself and I'm an American. I'd make jokes about myself and people would tell me to stop putting myself down. I never thought of it as doing that, rather I guess it was my way of lightening the mood or whatever. But now that I'm here, no one ever thinks I'm putting myself down if I make a joke about myself, so I find that nice. 

I have a question-why do people think it's funny/fun to "wind people up"?

We watch Big Brother(I know, I know. It's our guilty pleasure, though!) and, granted, they're locked in a house with loads of other people, and not much else to do. But, they enjoy annoying each other and laugh about it.

And when I worked at the hotel a few months ago, there was a girl there that loved to "wind people up" and would laugh when people would react in different ways.

Is it just me? I just don't get what's funny about doing things that you know will annoy another person.

I just found this thread and read through it.  On a quick note, my mom always loved British humor and we grew up watching Keeping up Appearances and Are you Being Served on PBS, so we had a bit of an introduction to it.  I love Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Shaun of the Dead, Have I Got News for You, Alan Partridge, all kinds of stuff.  Withnail and I had me crying with laughter (and just crying too later on). 

But there are some shows that my husband thinks are so hilarious, and I just don't get it at all.  Or I get it and it's just not funny.  Is it over my head or what?  The three shows I am thinking of are Little Britain, The Royle Family and that awful show with that red-head guy in a neck brace.  My husband laughs and laughs, while most of it is just disgusting to me.  What am I missing here? 

I have a question-why do people think it's funny/fun to "wind people up"?

It just is. 

 The three shows I am thinking of are Little Britain, The Royle Family and that awful show with that red-head guy in a neck brace.  My husband laughs and laughs, while most of it is just disgusting to me.  What am I missing here?  

I can't imagine Little Britain being over anyone's head. Maybe you are trying too hard to see something more complex in the humour. It's pretty basic. (I haven't watched the other 2 you mentioned.)

that awful show with that red-head guy in a neck brace.

Bo' Selecta! Very funny to me, infantile offensive trash to my partner.

You can see the differences in American and British humour in these shows, primarily MTW, when they have some American guests. I can't remember the guy's name but he basically gets up and does one liners where everyone else has a more in depth sort of comedy.
 

I think you mean Stewart Francis and he's actually Canadian 

Stewart Francis - One Liners

But there are some shows that my husband thinks are so hilarious, and I just don't get it at all.  Or I get it and it's just not funny.  Is it over my head or what?  The three shows I am thinking of are Little Britain, The Royle Family and that awful show with that red-head guy in a neck brace.  My husband laughs and laughs, while most of it is just disgusting to me.  What am I missing here? 

Those are three of my favourites - Little Britain, The Royle Family and Bo' Selecta.  I also love Harry Hill and Red Dwarf. Maybe it's because those are my husband's favourites, so it's just rubbed off on me, or he has made them funnier to me through repeating the jokes. 

Father Ted