"Of course the Germans have as much a sense of humour as any other people...

[Skybird]

... but they have a different value scale with the comedian at the bottom and the tragedian at the top."

I was surprised to learn that an Australian source mentioned the death of Germany's maybe greatest humourist ever, two weeks ago. Loriot was not much known outside Germany, Ausria and Switzerland - but in Germany, he is legendary, everybody knows him, and his humour is clever, silent (although sometimes depicting scenes of total chaos), and as a private person he was also very much liked, due for his gentleman-style attitude and behaviour and intelligence.

The European tragicomedy (http://www.incise.org.au/2011-09-06/the-european-tragicomedy/)

[Magic1111]

Hi !

Very interesting ! :up:

Best regards,
Magic

[Jimbuna]

That is of course, presuming the Aussies actually have a sense of humour as well :DL

[Skybird]

One of his best pieces ever: the yodle diploma.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lliHC7QSiG8&feature=related

I still wet my pants when watching it.

[Magic1111]

I still wet my pants when watching it.

Me too...! :haha:

[Oberon]

Why is Canada called Canada?

Because there is no-one there.


Trust me, it works better in German. :yep:

[Tchocky]

German humour is no laughing matter

[Herr-Berbunch]

As a Brit I find Henning Wehn the funniest German - although I'm not aware of many alternatives. Loriot in that link was just like a bad day for Benny Hill. Wehn comes across as funny to us because he acts like the perceived stereotype of a German, which we all know isn't really how you all are. :hmmm:

[Catfish]

The picture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQkx9zBUdno

German Moon landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgNc4yyYAQ

The noodle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJhNUE2tbS8

[Magic1111]

The picture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQkx9zBUdno

German Moon landing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgNc4yyYAQ

The noodle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJhNUE2tbS8

:haha::up::haha:

[Sailor Steve]

I don't know that German humor is all that different from any other, but then I have some German background in me, so what do I know? Of the three links above I really identified with 'The Picture'. I can see myself doing something like that.

I particularly like the Das Boot spoofs, and I've seen a few off-color videos I wouldn't mind having translated, just so I knew what was really going on.

But the thread is about Loriot, whom I had never heard of before today, but I'm already sorry he's gone.

[Skybird]

Another famous classic by him: "Schmeckt's?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqJCEYS9WdI&feature=related

[Sailor Steve]

:rotfl2:

Even without subtitles that was hilarious! :rock:

[Skybird]

What...? You are talking to me again? :D

Nice. ;)

[Diopos]

"Of course the Germans have as much a sense of humour as any other people..."

Good. They'll need it ...

.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Then there's the Greeks...


:O:

[nikimcbee]

Australian source

Sounds like Tarjak propaganda to me.:hmmm::D

[Diopos]

Then there's the Greeks...


:O:

At present we are more into tragedy and National Geographic documentaries (you know trying to find a place to move to).

.

[nikimcbee]

...not to hijack the thread, but here's my favorite Russian comedian:

Monolog of a drunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-91QvA_dSrw

Efin Shifrin

My favorite one is the starving pornstar bit.:haha:

[Penguin]

Of course the Germans have as much a sense of humour as any other people.


So what's so bad in showing it sometimes? :know:

And the verdict of the international folks is clear:
Germany officially the world's least funny country (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/8560815/Germany-officially-the-worlds-least-funny-country.html)


But before Britons become too smug, the survey did not rank the UK a great deal higher, placing us fourth behind Russia and Turkey.

:D

Here's the top 10 least funny countries:


1 Germany
2 Russia
3 Turkey
4 Britain
5 America
6 France
7 Poland
8 Belgium
9 Holland
10 Canada

[Gerald]

And Sweden is not even, :nope:

[Sailor Steve]

The country that gave us Shakespeare and Monty Python is one of the least funny? I'd like to know what they think is funny.

[Penguin]

I haven't heard about this badoo.com site before I read the article, but there must be weird folks on it: Belgium one of the least funny countries? Belgium is pure comedy :har:

And Shakespeare is as funny as MP? :o
Maybe I should try to read him again.

And Helge Schneider is the best German comedian, no discussion about that - though I am the Generation Hallervorden.
He doesn't play a role, he is like this, here's a song with english subs - he is a great jazz musician btw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psgFiB9vy-I

[nikimcbee]

The country that gave us Shakespeare and Monty Python is one of the least funny? I'd like to know what they think is funny.

what about Mr. Bean?

[Jimbuna]

Then will everyone be kind enough to stop watching, quoting and laughing at British comedy....we are not amused :smug:

[vienna]

Re:

German Humor --- Max Raabe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu7eoE8FE-4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxEtScaEIYY


British Humo(u)r --- Bonzo Dog Band:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hcZ4s9cvpw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od2PBlZ3ZQM&feature=related


Bonus track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bxv_HLwT7U


[I happen to really enjoy musical humo(u)r... ]



Then will everyone be kind enough to stop watching, quoting and laughing at British comedy....we are not amused :smug:


...and, according to the poll, apparently, not amusing...

[Jimbuna]

Well we all know how manipulative polls can be :DL

[vienna]

Is that some sort of poll-ish joke?... :hmmm:



[Runs for cover...]

[Jimbuna]

LOL :DL

[CaptainMattJ.]

polls like this are how wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland) get started...

(RUN AWAAAAAY! :eek:)

[Sailor Steve]

IAnd Shakespeare is as funny as MP? :o
Maybe I should try to read him again.
And right in the middle of one of his histories, no less. In fact Python stole that routine from old Will.

"Truly, my name is Cinna."

"Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator!"

"I am Cinna the poet! I am Cinna the poet!"

"Tear him for his bad verses!"
http://www.shakespeare-literature.com/Julius_Caesar/10.html

Not to mention his several comedies. I highly recommend the Franco Zefferelli version of The Taming Of The Shrew, with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

[Penguin]

And right in the middle of one of his histories, no less. In fact Python stole that routine from old Will.

"Truly, my name is Cinna."

"Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator!"

"I am Cinna the poet! I am Cinna the poet!"

"Tear him for his bad verses!"
http://www.shakespeare-literature.com/Julius_Caesar/10.html

Not to mention his several comedies. I highly recommend the Franco Zefferelli version of The Taming Of The Shrew, with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

What the school failed to accomplish, does Steve: Alright, I will check out Shaky! :salute:

My tip of the day: Spike Mulligan's Puckoon. This was also definitely an inspiration for Monty Python, sadly a nearly unknown author in Germany. The British also made a film of this book some years ago, don't know if it's good though.

[Bilge_Rat]

British humour about the Germans:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfl6Lu3xQW0






(apologies to my German friends :D)

[SquareSteelBar]

There're so many variations of humor in the world.
One of my favorites is the British humor. In Germany Monty Python, Benny Hill, Mr. Bean etc. are very well liked. They got nearly a cultic state.

Loriot* [real name: Victor von Bülow] was one of the best german humorists. His main target was the german philistinism which was very distinctive until circa the end of the seventies of the last century.
The name 'Loriot' is the French word for 'golden oriole'; the bird is a part of his family crest.


...Monolog of a drunk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-91QvA_dSrw

Efin Shifrin...There's a german guy named 'Olaf Böhme' who does something similar. He personifies 'Der betrunkene Sachse' ['The Drunken Saxon']:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2y6j1ytMOA

Very funny...


*BTW:
surely you all know the movie 'The Longest Day'. In this movie there're two short sequences wherein you can see 'Loriot' as a german officer when he was a very young actor...


.

[Catfish]

British humour about the Germans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfl6Lu3xQW0
(apologies to my German friends :D)

How comes you think you had any ? :03: :D

B.t.w. John Cleese was really making fun about his fellow-english people and their stereotypic perceptance of germans. At least he said so in an english interview :hmmm:

Greetings,
Catfish

[Torplexed]

Not to mention his several comedies. I highly recommend the Franco Zefferelli version of The Taming Of The Shrew, with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

The funny thing is that one of my favorite episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 lampoons a dark, dreary version of Shakespeare's Hamlet made in 1960 for West German television. The best of both worlds. :D

http://pyxis.homestead.com/MST3000Hamlet.jpg

[frau kaleun]

And Shakespeare is as funny as MP? :o


In my high school all the English & literature classes used to do a yearly field trip to the Cincinnati Playhouse, they would put on matinees of "classic" plays for all the local school systems.

One year they did "Twelfth Night." I didn't think Shakespearean comedy was LOL funny from just reading it off the page... but you must remember that, just like the tragedies, those works were meant to be performed - not read. And I think the comedy in particular loses something without the live performance. But anyway - seeing that production completely changed my appreciation for Shakespeare as a comedic playwright, because what happened was that an entire theater of high school kids, most of whom would never in a million years read Shakespeare given the choice, ended up falling out of their seats laughing at that performance. It was AWESOME.

And may I also recommend: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/

It's been a while since I've seen it but I remember finding it most amusing.

[jumpy]

http://youtu.be/yTpoEe9CojY

http://youtu.be/qRFMz3wrCIw

http://youtu.be/p5kFIMG55A0

http://youtu.be/QDpdF4hQJxA

http://youtu.be/WwzQVlpYxMU

:yeah:

[Skybird]

I read that you Brits laugh a lot about Wehn.

Shows me how very much different the two of us are! :) Can't laugh about him.

Longer time ahgo, he had a small radio show in a local radiostation here in my hometown Münster. It got cancelled quickly, since numbers dropped quickly and then nobody listened anymore at all.

[jumpy]

I think one of the reason us englanders like Wehn is because he plays on the english/german/german/english thing.... sort of 'don't mention the war' humour, he makes fun of us and himself.
We brits like self-depreciating comedy.
It's a bit like 'wooo! look how great we used to be! ...er, oh... hmmm...' :DL

[Herr-Berbunch]

Longer time ahgo, he had a small radio show in a local radiostation here in my hometown Münster. It got cancelled quickly, since numbers dropped quickly and then nobody listened anymore at all.

I think that is the same for most comedians, the ones here in the UK are great on film or live on stage, but just about all who've tried to do a radio show fail miserably. I'll often be browsing through podcasts and see a funnyman's name and after five minutes I switch off. :nope:

Wehn must be funny, as he's the German Comedy Ambassador :D, surely no German would've made-up such nonsense, it must have come from some higher command. :hmmm: ;)

[Sailor Steve]

B.t.w. John Cleese was really making fun about his fellow-english people and their stereotypic perceptance of germans. At least he said so in an english interview :hmmm:
I would have thought that was obvious. Fawlty Towers was all about making fun of the stereotypical bigoted pompous, clueless Brit. Just as All In The Family was all about making fun of the stereotypical bigoted, pompous clueless Yank.

And of course the stereotype in both cases is only partly true, but funny nonetheless.

[Penguin]

I would have thought that was obvious. Fawlty Towers was all about making fun of the stereotypical bigoted pompous, clueless Brit. Just as All In The Family was all about making fun of the stereotypical bigoted, pompous clueless Yank.

And of course the stereotype in both cases is only partly true, but funny nonetheless.

We had our very own "All In The Family" during the 70s, called "Ein Herz und Eine Seele" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ein_Herz_und_eine_Seele).

This cool guy was its main character:
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4875/3b3317b32de880e2aa1d9de.jpg

Afaik there are no English subs available, also this is very German specific humor, with the clash between the "reactionary WW2 generation" and the upcoming "progressive '68 generation" - (both names intentionally set in quotation marks by me)