British humour
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British humour has a reputation for being puzzling to non-British speakers of English. Nonetheless, many UK comedy TV shows which use it as a basis have been internationally popular.
Some themes which underpin twentieth-century British humour were:-
- Smut and innuendo with sexual and scatological themes, typified by
- the seaside postcards of Donald McGill,
- the humour of Benny Hill,
- the series of Carry On films, and
- the comic magazine VIZ .
- Disrespect to members of the establishment and authority typified by
- Beyond the Fringe, stage revue from the 1960s
- Private Eye, satirical magazine
- Spitting Image TV puppet comedy lampooning the famous and powerful
- Discworld, a series of fantasy books written by Terry Pratchett, heavy with irony criticizing all sorts of aspects in Society.
- The Absurdity and banality of everyday life typified by
- The War between parents/teachers and their children. Typified by
- the Beano and The Dandy comics of publisher D C Thomson.
- The Just William books by Richmal Crompton.
- The British class system especially pompous or dim-witted members of the upper / middle classes. Typified by
- the Jeeves and Wooster books of P. G. Wodehouse, and
- the Dad's Army comedy TV series
- Fawlty Towers comedy TV series.
- You Rang M'Lord? comedy TV series
- The embarrassment of social ineptitude. Typified by
- Mr Bean comedy TV series staring Rowan Atkinson
- Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em comedy TV series staring Michael Crawford.
See also
British comedy and British sitcoms blend elements of all of these in varying weaves.
British comics
Overstatement and Zany Nonsense Humor: Monty Python's Flying Circus