Stephen Fry On The Difference Between British And American Comedy

Stephen Fry interviewed recently by a fan on ITV news about the difference between American comedy and British comedy. He touches on ideas of success vs failure, and character vs jokes, and class aspiration. [Edit: Please don't say "Fry obviously hasn't watched X" as a counter-argument. He says he is talking about the AVERAGE American sitcom. Also, please note that being a lovable idiot with a job and a lovely house and wife doesn't equate to being Tony Hancock, Alan Partridge, or Captain Mainwaring.]

[peterlisyak]

If you can't laugh at yourself, you have no right to make fun of others.

[slots]

One has to have a sense of the utterly ridiculous. I cannot see a Monty Python coming out of anywhere but the UK.

[hallaja]

Everyone debating which type of comedy is the superior one.. when really he didn't say British comedy is better. He just pointed out the DIFFERENCES between two types of comedy! Ultimately, it's down to personal taste. We all have different senses of humour. It's absolutely fine laughing at the American situational comedy with its punchlines, and so is giggling at British, character based satire with all it's witty sarcasm. Different strokes for different blokes my darlings

[jonathanburton]

Much of this just confirms to me just how bright Stephen Fry is, get to the nub of the question and answers it clearly.

[duggiebader]

As a Brit, I love and miss Robin Williams. George Carlin too. And Robert Prior.





Mel Brooks.

I think you're funny Yanks.

[TheMRMACHONACHO]

Sitcoms like Peep show and It’s always sunny in Philadelphia sum up this contrast perfectly, both are great but the British style of comedy is much more self deprecating and relies on cringe and 2nd hand embarrassment. The inbetweeners is another great example

[bgb]

im so baked why are all the comments so young

[brooksdubya]

It's alway sunny is probably the best us comedy series. An it's just like how he discribes english comedy.

[peckc]

It's one of the reason that American godzilla films can* have good action and effects, but ultimately miss the whole point. We can't make a movie where the US military is useless against an enemy

[richardcurrie]

Just to be clear.. here in the UK we love American comedy, but when it comes to British comedy, it feels natural and less forced. They are our anti heroes. Written well, most of our classics stand the test of time and are as funny now as they were then. I loved Animal House when it came out, but I couldn’t watch it now.

[Hollylivengood]

Only wait, in Toga Party John Belushi WAS the failure. His first scene is He's pissing on the front lawn and drinking beer at the same time like a human beer processor. He's the totally useless antihero that we love like Falstaff. Actually the whole movie was about the Animals being a car crash opposite the great and the good.

[annereilley]

On a similar topic, I always thought the difference between british and american Science Fiction is that britain leans towards analog and american leans towards digital. Like you have dr who with his tardis or HG Wells with the time machine that the person built himself. Compared to american scifi like star wars and star trek where everything is digital.

[yidingliu]

American comedies make sure you laugh and carry on with hope.
British comedies make sure you laugh at the idea of hope but still carry on.

[JACKnJESUS]

The wonderful thing about the Brits is...you don't have to put them down. They'll do it for you.

[cangaroojack]

Many people here are mistakingly taking his opinion as a British vs America, i don't see it like that, he didn't say once that one is better than the other, it's just different!

[GrandSupremeDaddyo]

I think that's one of the reason Sunny in Philadelphia has such a strong following. It's the only American comedy I can think of where all the main characters are absolute failures and deservedly so.

[thegreatevader]

Stephen Fry says Americans get more offended than Brits about humor, then the Americans in the comment section proceed to got offended and argue and completely prove his point. People just don't listen

[spirosb]

What I've noticed about British comedians is that they are able to make a scene a hundred times through subtle movements and facial expressions. They are the absolute best in that regard.

[andulasis]

Thats why i always say, if everyone would be able to laugh about themselves, the world would be a slightly better place :)

[Joker-ywhl]

The UK would never create a show like Brooklyn 99. The characters are way too confident and happy even when things are going terribly. But we like American comedy here too. It just seems less realistic