Stephen Fry on American vs British Comedy

A good example of a cross over is Frasier. (no doubt deliberately) He aspires to be the big knob the wisecracker (and sometimes he is) But he is also constantly failing in his pomposity. He is an obvious successful academic with a radio show huge apartment who has no shortage of money. But his personal life is a constant disaster noone and especially himself can live up to his standards.

He's effing brilliant. One of our national treasures. ❤

Jim carrey is Canadian.

Anyone out there a bit of a Rimmer?!

The difference is contrasted perfectly in Laurel & Hardy.

British comedy is forever an irate bloke telling his clapped out Austin 1100 Countryman: Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Before going on to give it a damn good thrashing.

American comedy is a wisecracking private detective saying to his ex-model business partner: yeah, the heebie jeebies are bad but you’re never quite the same after a case of the willies.

Low rent Tim Minchin asking the question

By this rationale, Ben Stiller is a better example thrn of British Humour. He is ALWAYS the one getting shat upon from a great height in his comedies

American comedy is funny now. British comedy is funny later.

I understand exactly what he means, but Ben Steller was not a good example as someone who makes themselves the wisecracking hero type; I usually can't sit through an entire movie of his creation without experiencing intense second-hand embarrassment at the situations he puts himself in.

Very similar here in Finland as well. There's a reason one of our favorite characters is Donald Duck. A failure, and a faulty man, but he tries his best and goes forth no matter what.

American comedy = slapstick and loud. British comedy = clever dry wit. I will take British comedy any day!!

British comedians are much funnier than Americans by a long way,…..however, having said that, I think the funniest and most brilliant of ALL TIME was the legendary George Carlin…….the absolute best, may he RIP

The brilliant comedian Rich Hall better describes the difference than Fry…..

well done

Someone said...
American comedy: It will be funny when I hit you with this pie.
British comedy: It will be funny when you hit me with this pie.

I disagree

Counterpoint: George Costanza

"Not quite smart enough to wear an old school tie".
Fry just went down in my estimation. Going to a private school doesn't make you clever, it just means you have well off parents and will have all the doors of the British establishment open for you, whether you are an idiot or not. Look at all these Tory morons with "old shool ties". Never thought Fry was a chauvinist.

Thriving on Schadenfreude is not a feature of American culture whereas it is in England where success is frowned upon. Therein lies the difference in comedy styles.

God, the host sitting next to Fry is checked out.

I love Stephen Fry, but it seems from this video that he has not seen Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) or Michael Scott (The US Office). Neither character fits the American comedy type that Stephen is describing.

Ive repeated this at many partys and gatherings ..everyone thinks im so smart, so Mr Fry i salute you...plus your spot on

I wouldn't say Americans don't have a dictionary of character tropes. We just have a different book. The smooth-talking wise-cracker is a popular character, but so is the lucky moron for whom everything goes well, the small town girl who moves to the big city, the lonely childlike dweeb.

Isnt the guy who asked the question humfrey from death in paradise

I’m American but I relate to the British comedian archetype more.

Al Bundy was in the British tradition.

In American sitcoms the lead is often an alpha in a dominant role like Seinfeld or Cheers. Whereas Britain often subverts this by having the alpha character in a submissive role like Blackadder or an alpha role in the hands of someone incapable like Fawlty Towers. American sitcoms tend to have the boss as an aspirational position whereas Britain has the boss as a hindrance. Probably a class thing.
American sitcoms also used to be more cheesy and played at the edges of where a situation could go in real life whereas Britiain was more absurd, but I think American comedies have taken on that aspect more in the last 20 years like Arrested Development or Brooklyn 99.

On SEINFELD George Costanza is the biggest loser ever in but American audiences accept it because he's he's not the lead, Jerry is. George is just the best friend. If it were a British sitcom George would be the lead. Same with the Andy Griffith Show and Barney Fife. We can laugh at Barney failing because he's not the main character. And then when Don Knotts started in his own movies he manages to succeed and be the hero.

I now understand why Taskmaster would never work in the US.

And then It's Always Sunny meets somewhere in the middle, where it's a bunch of wisecracking arrogant assholes to narcissistic to realize how pathetic and foolish they are, and thus constantly suffer in a hell of their own making.

poms always default to broad cliches when talking about 'american' humour in a vain attempt to assert a brand of cultural superiority. its pure snobbery and mostly false. 'americans don't understand sarcasm', 'americans don't understand irony'. the most popular sitcom in US history was Seinfeld, a series about four of the most unlikeable people imaginable wasting their time literally doing nothing. meanwhile the poms bring out broad slapstick nonsense like Little Britain thinking a man in a dress is the height of a sophisticated chuckle.

stephen fry is talking well articulated nonsense.

America doesn’t do comedy.

Donald Duck, Homer Simpson?

1. Americans have no self-deprecation. They have to be "the best of the best of the best, sir"
2. Americans don't get sarcasm

I was in a comedy show once when the audience was almost 50/50 British and American. The comic did a joke about just turning 50yrs old. There was loud cheering and his response was to thank the Americans in the audience. Quite right because me and the rest of the Brits were thinking “so what “ and didn’t clap.

I think that might be why the intersection of both makes for the best sort of entertainment! veep and succession for example!

I don't know if I agree 100% but "All things considered, not too bad" comes to mind.

Certainly British comedy is more humble, maybe that's a better description.

American humour used to be similar with the likes of Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin even later with Lucile Ball who in her sketches always got it wrong, was two steps behind the conveyor belt of chocolates for example - I’m smiling just thinking of it. But yes I find American humour to be more slick and therefore less funny

As a society Americans are delusional.

A video recommendation that came after this: "Nicole Kidman is Blown Away BY Stephen Fry's Intelligence". Another difference is that the UK has quite a few highly intelligent, Cambridge/Oxford educated comedians. Much less common in the US.

Mesmerising.

I agree with everything he said. Americans are unfunny and should die and the British are funny. Well said

I wonder what Fry would make of Always Sunny In Philadelphia, does anyone think The Gang are typical American Comedy characters?

Rimmer and even Lister to a degree feel like that.

I studied Catcher in the Rye when i was younger. I found it sweetly funny and liked Houlden (?). I'm a Brit and was confused that it is meant to be tragic...

The best way to sum up the difference between American and British comedy is the audience.

The US hit comedy M*A*S*H came with a laughter track. In the UK it was accidentally left on during one airing and let's just say UK audiences expressed their displeasure. Benny Hill was a hit in America and I think it was due to the laughter track. It certainly wasn't the risque humour and double entendres because most of that was edited out initially.

The difference is American comedy is funny.

Peter cook went to high scale fancy dress party he turned up in stained flannel track suit and sun glasses when asked what he came as he replied " an american "