American humor is likely more familiar to many, thanks to Hollywood and sitcoms. To better understand British humor, famed comedian Ricky Gervais wrote an article in Time Magazine in 2011.
One observation he pointed out was that Americans are more reserved in their use of irony, while fellow Brits “use it liberally as prepositions in everyday speech.”
“We tease our friends. We use sarcasm as a shield and a weapon. We avoid sincerity until it’s absolutely necessary,” Gervais wrote.
Gervais is best known for his character, David Brent, in The Office, a mockumentary about corporate life. An American version of the sitcom starring Steve Carrell was later released.
Regarding the dry nature of British humor, Gervais admits that it’s not for everybody. He describes it as “play fighting,” which is a “sign of affection” for someone you like and an “ego bursting” for someone you dislike.
Gervais says British comedy’s offensive and slightly abrasive nature is more about speaking the truth. He never purposely attacks anyone with his comedy but always says what he means.
“Be honest. No one should ever be offended by the truth. That way, you’ll never have to apologize,” he wrote.
However, some experts believe there is no such thing as a British sense of humor. For University of Salford lecturer in performance and comedy Dr. Ian Wilkie, comedy is always open to interpretation and counterexamples you can’t pin down.
In an interview with the BBC, he described the process as “like trying to nail jelly to a wall.”
Gervais echoes a similar statement: all comedy is the same regardless of where you come from. But for him, it’s more of an “intellectual pursuit” where his objective is not to dumb down his audience.
“As a comedian, I think my job isn’t just to make people laugh but also make them think,” he stated. “Not everyone will like what I say or find it funny. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
