It's Mock The Farang Time!

[robitusson]

I'm sure this has happened to every Farang here. You go out to a night spot, one of those Thai style clubs with the covers band and the dancers. Then a "comedian" comes on and starts doing their crappy jokes, then he spots the Farang in the crowd. Doesn't matter if you're right at the back or at the stage. "Hello, where you from?" So you answer and then a quick joke is made, in Thai of course. The comedian continues doing ultra-cheap jokes at the Farangs expense, asking a question in his broken English and then mocking in Thai. If it was mildy funny it wouldn't matter. If it happened once, it might be slightly interesting, even amusing. But every time you go to one of these type of clubs though is really tedious. Personally next time this time happens I'm gonna tell the guy to go and #### right off!

[Morden]

It hasn't happened to me yet but then I don't even know where those clubs are. I guess that the Thais are entitled to get their own back for the rubbishy portrayals of them on Little Britain and elsewhere. Most traditional stand up comedians anywhere in the world would pick out someone who looks different from the crowd and make a victim of him. You're lucky not to have been an Asian at Bernard Manning's club!

If you give the comedian the advice to walk that you suggest you might be the butt of even more jokes. Have you tried getting your entertainment somewhere else?

[cdnvic]

Personally next time this time happens I'm gonna tell the guy to go and #### right off!

Yeah, that won't make you look like a dork at all.

Something about the heat and getting out of the kitchen comes to mind.

cv

[ding]

Tell him that you wont answer his question unless he tells the coming joke in english too.

I'm curious. Do Thais enjoy seeing Farang humiliated right in fron of them, and knowing the Farang probably has no idea what was said about them? Sounds like an understood disdain for Farangs on the part of Thais is what is gnawing at you a bit.

[Phil Conners]

Reply in pig-latin

[Uma~~]

Personally next time this time happens I'm gonna tell the guy to go and #### right off!

Yeah, that won't make you look like a dork at all.

Something about the heat and getting out of the kitchen comes to mind.

Perhaps if he said it in Thai and with a smile it would be alright.

[cdnvic]

You guys haven't ever seen live standup have you?

Laugh along with the Thais and show you're a good sport. If you haven't enough sense of humour go to a boat show or something.

cv

[kerryk]

I'm sure this has happened to every Farang here. You go out to a night spot, one of those Thai style clubs with the covers band and the dancers. Then a "comedian" comes on and starts doing their crappy jokes, then he spots the Farang in the crowd. Doesn't matter if you're right at the back or at the stage. "Hello, where you from?" So you answer and then a quick joke is made, in Thai of course. The comedian continues doing ultra-cheap jokes at the Farangs expense, asking a question in his broken English and then mocking in Thai. If it was mildy funny it wouldn't matter. If it happened once, it might be slightly interesting, even amusing. But every time you go to one of these type of clubs though is really tedious. Personally next time this time happens I'm gonna tell the guy to go and #### right off!

The comic told me I was gay. Which was kind of funny seeing I was with three women. So, I told him I was and I thought he was handsome man. I asked him if he lived in Thailand or if he was on holiday and if he would buy me a drink? Then he started in on my three lady companions. The only thing I could make out was he was telling them they looked like monkeys but they were laughing so hard they couldn’t interpret it. Everybody seemed to have a good time and I bought him a drink after the show.

[ding]

mai pen rai then!

[Patex]

I'm sure this has happened to every Farang here. You go out to a night spot, one of those Thai style clubs with the covers band and the dancers. Then a "comedian" comes on and starts doing their crappy jokes, then he spots the Farang in the crowd. Doesn't matter if you're right at the back or at the stage. "Hello, where you from?" So you answer and then a quick joke is made, in Thai of course. The comedian continues doing ultra-cheap jokes at the Farangs expense, asking a question in his broken English and then mocking in Thai. If it was mildy funny it wouldn't matter. If it happened once, it might be slightly interesting, even amusing. But every time you go to one of these type of clubs though is really tedious. Personally next time this time happens I'm gonna tell the guy to go and #### right off!

Never happened to me but if it would happen to me every time it would give me some matter to think about .

As far as I understand the audience is allways the welcome "victim" to these guy's, irrespective of nationality.

Once I went with 2 thais to such a show, one of them, thai/chinese looking, was picked by the comedian who insisted he was from Shanghai speaking only english to him, ignoring his Thaianswers. Funny, indeed .

Patex

[gburns57au]

The only experience I have had in this line was once in a village, a Bangkok team of stage actors came to the village to put on a traditional Thai play...at the end of the show local dignitaries were invited on stage to present garlands to some actors...we as farangs (3 of us) were invited on stage also...They saved the men dressed as ladies for us....One mate just gave his the garland and got off quick....Me and the other guy put the garlands around the actors necks and gave them a kiss on the cheek....The locals loved it and the actors even got a bit embarassed by it....(we werent supposed to know they were men)...

Go with the flow....you wont make friends by being intolerant or by acting like a DH...

The answer to "where are you from" is ....My mother and father...and you ??? ......Sort of cuts him off especially if you answer in Thai....

Edited February 5, 2006 by gburns57au

[Gazza]

I used to find them ok but a little bit too pantomimish for me.

And it did get a bit tiresome hearing the oft used line of;

"My father's a Falang.........[sound of rising twang of a bass guitar string].........and my mother's a Papaya.[sound of two drum beats].

[Patex]

I used to find them ok but a little bit too pantomimish for me.

And it did get a bit tiresome hearing the oft used line of;

"My father's a Falang.........[sound of rising twang of a bass guitar string].........and my mother's a Papaya.[sound of two drum beats].

Hey,

never heared this one

[robitusson]

I've only seen these comedians in these type of places about four or five times and they've always done this. It's happened to me three times now. I thought this must be really common.

I've only seen these comedians in these type of places about four or five times and they've always done this. I've been the pillory three times now complete with the "spring-twanging" sound-effects and drums on the punch line. I thought this must be really common, maybe not. Thai comedy has a looong way to go it seems, not that I understand it all, but it does look particularly infantile.

[sierra01]

I've only seen these comedians in these type of places about four or five times and they've always done this. It's happened to me three times now. I thought this must be really common.

I've only seen these comedians in these type of places about four or five times and they've always done this. I've been the pillory three times now complete with the "spring-twanging" sound-effects and drums on the punch line. I thought this must be really common, maybe not. Thai comedy has a looong way to go it seems, not that I understand it all, but it does look particularly infantile.

They need the sound effects to help make it appear funny, a bit like the Americans and their canned laughter

[robitusson]

You guys haven't ever seen live standup have you?

Laugh along with the Thais and show you're a good sport. If you haven't enough sense of humour go to a boat show or something.

cv

That's the problem.....it's not funny!

[jackr]

When he says it again, say "Get back to the circus you c***!". That might do the trick

[Misplaced]

You guys haven't ever seen live standup have you?

Laugh along with the Thais and show you're a good sport. If you haven't enough sense of humour go to a boat show or something.

cv

That's the problem.....it's not funny!

You guys must be kidding right?. You're in a comedy club forgod sake. Funny or not just go along with the show and have fun with it. It shows you have good sense of humor.

[Neeranam]

I haven't been to a comedy club, but it happens a lot in bars with live bands.

If you're with another farang and neither of you can speak Thai, what do you expect? Imagine a couple of Pakistanis in a bar in Glasgow, and none of them could speak English, of course they would be butt of a few jokes.

[richb2004]

If you don’t find Thai’s funny it’s because you are not in touch with the Thai people. If you find the pantomime style TV shows infantile it’s because you are don’t understand the intricacies of the culture. If you find Thai pop music to be uninspiring and unimaginative it’s because you haven’t taken enough time to listen.

That’s the stance that some take anyway. I just think it’s all sh!t.

It might be different in the ‘comedy clubs’, but I can’t see it.

[Phil Conners]

I beg to differ. I know many urban Thais who find these shows similarly boring and infantile.

[chuchok]

I beg to differ. I know many urban Thais who find these shows similarly boring and infantile.

I agree.Although we should all bow to richb2004 superior knowledge and understanding of all things Thai.

[chanchao]

> Thai comedy has a looong way to go it seems, not that I understand it all,

> but it does look particularly infantile.

Jesus F.C. okay, here's some really obvious advice:

pssssst: if you don't like something, don't go there! Especially as you imply you don't speak enough Thai to understand ANY joke, yet you're able to tell it's infantile.. Well, up to you, but for chrissakes stay home and rent a DVD of something you think IS funny.

Personally I love those places, and if a comedian cracked some jokes with/about me then I'd be honoured! Be a good sport, or leave. It's not that hard.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[taxexile]

[UncleDonald]

Blonde(supposed to be college student)looking at me and pointing: "Oh

look we even have foreigners coming in here now. Or is he Chinese?"

Short guy: "I don't know, but his face is certainly red. Maybe he's

Japanese."

Other guy: "Sir, where are you from anyway"

Me, in my best Thai: "I come from Bangkok"

Short guy: "Well, one thing for sure, he can't speak Thai very well."

College girl: "He certainly speaks a lot better than your father."

[meadish_sweetball]

Cheers Tax. Perhaps the most accurate and insightful documentary about the bar scene ever published.

[steveromagnino]

To describe all Thai comedy as 'infantile' is not really particularly accurate.

You have a few comedians who are very political, you have the American slice of life knock offs like Note Udom and then you have the more typical vaudeville troups.

Only the 3rd one could even come close to infantile, and yes, some of the material is incredibly infantile. It is also incredibly funny to my sense of humour. Some of Note's stuff is simply genius, and some of it is total rubbish.

But then again, I consider that there are about 5 funny people total on American TV (other than the stand up, which is brilliant), whereas I think British comedy (the older stuff anyway) is hilarious and their stand up is mostly very very average. One could hardly describe the antics or Filthy Rich and Catflap or Father Ted as much more than infantile, but it is well funny to me.

If it isn't to you, then don't watch it, that would probably be the best advice to give.

Regarding the farang jokes; that is par for the course; you look different, you probably can't understand the language, you probably are there with Thai people who do (including perhaps a girlfriend or workmates), so yes, you will be the butt of a few jokes. It is all in good fun. Try being fat, really short or some other odd body shape; you will get far more flack. And that is why smart people in comedy clubs try to avoid sitting near the front :-)

Many of the Thai jokes are plays on words, and without a decent understanding of the language, you can get the phsycial comedy bit, but not the play no words bit. So, without understanding the language, it makes it a lot harder to judge whether something is funny or not...witness the popularity of mr Bean here vs,. Blackadder; one is a lot easier than the other to understand to be funny; it doesn't actually mean that it IS funnier; because amusement is a mathematical formula as follows:

amusement = fart jokes + Benny Hill big boob women + racist insinuations about other people - insinuations about yourself or your own mother

Since it is maths, you cannot argue.

[Patex]

"Funny cartoon"

taxexile,

Your own work? Respect, I like it

Patex

[Ijustwannateach]

Usually the gay clubs have a dance show followed by a kathoey comedienne at midnight. It's pretty common for those guys to target farang in the audience, too. I usually move back behind a pillar when that part of the show starts, 'cause it's just one little part. Otherwise if I couldn't escape I guess it would get annoying- but then again, I go there for other things...

[chanchao]

> But then again, I consider that there are about 5 funny people total on American TV

2 of them being cartoon characters, then there's Bill O'Reilly, and who are the other two ?