An American who grew up on sugary US sitcoms has delivered a blunt verdict after years living in Britain: you’re funnier than we are — and it’s not even close.

The revelation began at 11:25pm in New York. An eight-year-old boy shaken awake by his 13-year-old brother. “It’s on now,” his brother whispered.

What followed was life-changing. On the screen, an undressed, missing-toothed man grinned while playing the organ.

It was Monty Python’s Flying Circus. For millions of Americans of that era, it was a jolt. American comedy at the time was safe, moral and tidy. Attractive families broke minor rules and learned lessons by the end of each episode.

The writer had been spoon-fed shows like Diff’rent Strokes, The Brady Bunch and Leave it to Beaver. “Very special episodes” tackled AIDS, drugs or racism — and wrapped up neatly with a moral bow.

There were rare standouts, like The Bob Newhart Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But they were exceptions.

British comedy, by contrast, felt wild. Cruel. Dangerous.

In the UK, Basil Fawlty never reforms. The teenagers in The Inbetweeners don’t magically grow up. Men in Men Behaving Badly don’t behave better.

Comedy characters are rotten — and they stay rotten.

Even beauty standards shift. American sitcom stars are polished and glamorous. British characters? Not so much — and that’s the point.

“Pretty isn’t that funny,” the writer argues. Comedy isn’t a beauty contest.

British humour also demands more from its audience. A Monty Python sketch about summarising Proust baffled him at 11. A David Mitchell rant might require knowledge of the Battle of Stalingrad or the monarchy.

America, by contrast, built comedy for mass appeal. Broad lawns. Narrow minds. Accessible. Profitable.

Britain skewered everything — world wars in Blackadder Goes Forth, ancient Rome in Up Pompeii, trivia in QI and Pointless. Even maths and anagrams get laughs on Countdown.

The US rarely produced panel shows like that. Its celebrities, he suggests, often come from broadcast communications backgrounds rather than intellectual ones.

For a time, America caught up. Animation pushed boundaries. The Simpsons and South Park created foul, selfish antiheroes.

Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm embraced unapologetic villainy. The laughter felt equal on both sides of the Atlantic.

Then something shifted around 2012.

The economic model of comedy faltered. Cultural lines did not always travel well. Both countries developed sharper consciences.

Now, the writer fears, comedy rarely “punches” at all.

Instead, dark, cynical shows like Succession, Black Mirror and Slow Horses blur genres. They are comic — but not pure comedies.

So where does he find laughs today? Podcasts like No Such Thing as a Fish, linked to QI. Instagram accounts such as Very British Problems. And the classics.

He still turns on Monty Python to remember “what b******s everyone is.”

His verdict is sharp. Britain’s comedy works because it’s morally corrupt, pretentious and ugly — and gloriously unafraid.

America, he says, made it broad and beautiful. And lost something along the way.

Key Takeaways

• A lifelong US viewer says British comedy outshines America’s safe sitcom tradition.

• UK humour embraces cruelty, obscurity and flawed characters who never reform.

• Modern comedy on both sides is shifting toward darker drama, leaving pure laughs behind.

I’m an American in Britain – this is what makes you funnier than us

Not anymore. Humor in the UK is now outlawed. Iconic comedians now fear prison.

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/2172006/john-cleese-worried-Labour-govt-terrorist

Going back as far as I can remember, i.e., I'm All Right Jack, Brit humor generally often involved naked men cavorting to laugh-tracks. Now those naked men of old are referred to as "You're Far Right, Jack John" and threatened with arrest and incarceration.
Brit humor is no longer a laughing matter. And for God's sake, don't stand in the street and silently pray.

https://www.gbnews.com/celebrity/john-cleese-arrest-me-labour-definition-extreme-right

A good deal of US humor simply isn't funny.....entertaining, but not LOL funny.......except....

King of Queens.

28 minutes ago, connda said:

Not anymore. Humor in the UK is now outlawed. Iconic comedians now fear prison.

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/2172006/john-cleese-worried-Labour-govt-terrorist

Jeez, Express and GB "News" links.

John Cleese was a brilliant comic and writer back in the day. Sadly now he is a washed up racist conspiracy theorist and has been caught out numerous times forwarding absolutely untrue racist conspiracy nonsense on twitter.

And when he is pulled up does he retract it? Of course not.

BTW humour is in the UK is not outlawed. And we still don't need canned laughter to tell us when something is supposed to be funny.

I would say both are very funny, in different ways. Grew up on American comedy, and was always into it, right through now. Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Saturday Night Live and company, Eddie Murphy, Mash, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, George Carlin and many others. Monty Python has always been a laugh out loud watch (Biggus Dickus, it's just a flesh wound lol) and have seen a few more, Fawlty Towers, Ricky Gervais, Rowan Atkinson, and more. I don't think either are better but all lumped together into one group that have us smiling and laughing. The same with American and UK music, both of which are excellent, none really better than the other but both great.

Bernard Manning, Chubby, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd (sad about his father's canine friend), Gary Delaney, Jimmy Carr (not that Alan Carr puff), the Brassic team, Flanders & Swan, brilliant, Gilbert & Sullivan, Fascinating Aida, plenty more.

Biggest comedian in USA is the man 'in charge', and that's a joke in itself.

49 minutes ago, connda said:

Not anymore. Humor in the UK is now outlawed. Iconic comedians now fear prison.

https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/2172006/john-cleese-worried-Labour-govt-terrorist

Fact check - TRUE

The woke cult got comedy banned in the UK. Only lame jokes like, why did the chicken cross the road, are permitted. Or of course jokes about straight white cisgender christian men are also allowed. Outside that fergeddaboudit.

Cheers wokies😅

16 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Bernard Manning, Chubby, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd (sad about his father's canine friend), Gary Delaney, Jimmy Carr (not that Alan Carr puff), the Brassic team, Flanders & Swan, brilliant, Gilbert & Sullivan, Fascinating Aida, plenty more.

Biggest comedian in USA is the man 'in charge', and that's a joke in itself.

Thumbs down? Either a Trumpist or a miserable 4...ker. 555

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Jeez, Express and GB "News" links.

John Cleese was a brilliant comic and writer back in the day. Sadly now he is a washed up racist conspiracy theorist and has been caught out numerous times forwarding absolutely untrue racist conspiracy nonsense on twitter.

And when he is pulled up does he retract it? Of course not.

BTW humour is in the UK is not outlawed. And we still don't need canned laughter to tell us when something is supposed to be funny.

I don't think you have a sense of humour do you?

1 hour ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Fact check - TRUE

The woke cult got comedy banned in the UK. Only lame jokes like, why did the chicken cross the road, are permitted. Or of course jokes about straight white cisgender christian men are also allowed. Outside that fergeddaboudit.

Cheers wokies😅

Fact check - absolute blocks.

Do you know anything about British comedy? You are exposing yourself as an ignoramus who clearly has no clue what happens in the UK.

Just now, simon43 said:

I don't think you have a sense of humour do you?

I have an excellent sense of humour. I just don't tolerate racist conspiracy theories being perpetuated, especially ones that are completely untrue. What's funny about spreading ignorant hate exactly? Have you ever looked at Cleese's twitter feed?

53 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

Thumbs down? Either a Trumpist or a miserable 4...ker. 555

Would Bernard Manning be upset by a thumbs down?

Get over yourself.

Small Prophets, from Mackenzie Crook, is a work of utter genius. Great turn from Michael Palin. Pearce Quigley is a revelation. Great reference to Modest Mouse. Cynics will hate it.

https://youtu.be/CTAud5O7Qqk?si=FcFDce6Scp34imeB

Billy Connolly was the best ever. A true funny man whose jokes would cross all boundaries.

32 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I have an excellent sense of humour. I just don't tolerate racist conspiracy theories being perpetuated, especially ones that are completely untrue. What's funny about spreading ignorant hate exactly? Have you ever looked at Cleese's twitter feed?

Racist jokes, jokes about skin colour, body shapes (slitty eyes, thick lips etc), different cultures, jokes about the mentally and physically disabled, jokes about the Royal Family, gays, trannies, and absolutely anyone else on this planet is fair game to me!! Some of the best jokes ever created have been based on these topics....

14 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Racist jokes, jokes about skin colour, body shapes (slitty eyes, thick lips etc), different cultures, jokes about the mentally and physically disabled, jokes about the Royal Family, gays, trannies, and absolutely anyone else on this planet is fair game to me!! Some of the best jokes ever created have been based on these topics....

I largely agree with you. Jokes are jokes. Maybe you didn't understand my post, it is nothing to do with jokes.

I am talking about John Cleese reposting racist conspiracy theories. He has become a bitter old racist man and shares the most obviously fake stuff as true. He spews out dozens of posts a day, many of them factually incorrect - retweets racist guff without fact checking, doesn't retract it when people correct him. Nasty.

Nothing to do with risque jokes. Nothing to do with comedy - he's not even trying to be funny. Hatred. Ignorance. Conspiracies. Racism.

3 hours ago, bannork said:

On the screen, an undressed, missing-toothed man grinned while playing the organ.

What is this, some kind of bait and switch?

You promise us British comedy, then abuse us with a Ukrainian pianist!

After A Fish Called Wandy Cleese has not done anything good.

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

I have an excellent sense of humour. I just don't tolerate racist conspiracy theories being perpetuated, especially ones that are completely untrue. What's funny about spreading ignorant hate exactly? Have you ever looked at Cleese's twitter feed?

In a discussion about comedy, would you attempt to be funny?

"I am talking about John Cleese reposting racist conspiracy theories."

Maybe that's his idea of a joke >> highlighting how stupid and discriminatory the people who created these theories really are?

I wouldn't know, because I never use Twitter, Instagram etc etc. I only use Facebook under duress. As for this forum, well it's torture every time I open the webpage - so much bollo x... :) (This is an example of my sense of humour BTW...)

Spike Milligan, Peter Sellars and Harry Secombe, the Goon Show, I rest my case.

2 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Thumbs down? Either a Trumpist or a miserable 4...ker. 555

What is a Trumpist? Someone that believes in laws?

3 hours ago, wil iam not said:

Thumbs down? Either a Trumpist or a miserable 4...ker. 555

you know this was about comedy.. why do you even have to bring up Trump!

2 hours ago, khaosokman said:

Billy Connolly was the best ever. A true funny man whose jokes would cross all boundaries.

Except in the northeast Scottish coastal town of Banff who had him "banned" after he made fun of the town's name during his only show there.

"Banff? What's a Banff for goodness sakes? Banff! It's the sound a loaf of bread makes when you drop it on the floor."

If only Kenny Everett had stuck around......🙃🙃

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I largely agree with you. Jokes are jokes. Maybe you didn't understand my post, it is nothing to do with jokes.

I am talking about John Cleese reposting racist conspiracy theories. He has become a bitter old racist man and shares the most obviously fake stuff as true. He spews out dozens of posts a day, many of them factually incorrect - retweets racist guff without fact checking, doesn't retract it when people correct him. Nasty.

Nothing to do with risque jokes. Nothing to do with comedy - he's not even trying to be funny. Hatred. Ignorance. Conspiracies. Racism.

Why don't you serve us some examples, at least two for every post you claim the same that he is a racist conspiracy coloured comedian who lost it?

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Why don't you serve us some examples, at least two for every post you claim the same that he is a racist conspiracy coloured comedian who lost it?

He vomits out maybe 25 posts and retweets per day and I don't want to trawl through the sewage any more than I have to. Here are two completely false and inflammatory things he posted to get you started.

https://x.com/JohnCleese/status/2024329950468456629?s=20

No councils are banning dogs to appease Muslims. It is a lie. Completely made up to create division.

https://x.com/ScaryEurope/status/2023360544221405286?s=20

Absolutely nothing in this post is true. Katie Hopkins is not an MP. She did not say any of that. The images are AI. It is all fake.

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

https://x.com/JohnCleese/status/2024329950468456629?s=20

No councils are banning dogs to appease Muslims. It is a lie. Completely made up to create division.

John Cleese didn't say that councils are banning dogs to appese Muslims though

A current American comedian, Austin Nasso . He has his own zany style, frequently funny, imo.