Jokes

[Anita Bensoussane]

I suppose the creator of this illustration doesn't understand Australians' humour and put it therefore at the bottom - or rather plunged it into the sea.

Perhaps Neighbours isn't exported to America!

Actually, I've just watched a very quirky and compelling (though gruesome in parts!) Australian drama serial called Boy Swallows Universe, about a 13-year-old boy growing up in difficult circumstances in Darra, Brisbane, in 1985. It's an adaptation of the book of the same title, by Australian author Trent Dalton. The story is absolutely laden with dark humour (though there's a lot more to it than just that) - and dark humour is right near the top in the picture!

I love puns and irony so they'd be much higher for me, but I find scatological humour and self-deprecation tiresome so they'd be drowning in the sea!

[Bertie]

Yeah, I'd certainly swap puns (which I love) to near the top and move Dark humour (which I'm less fond of) much lower down.

As regards the 'Australian humour' dig, I don't know if this cartoon was a UK or US one - but if it was the former then I've noticed the three countries that most comedians / saritists seem to feel 'safest' to poke fun at the most are France, USA, and Australia (and of course you can add in England for the other parts of the UK). So maybe it was just a cheap dig selecting from that usual small group of safe targets?

[Fiona1986]

It looks like a Grant Snider and he is American.
https://www.grantsnider.com/

[Bertie]

Ah, thanks Fiona.

Then, while i still think the general point about our comedians 'safe targets' is valid, it's not applicable here. And poor old Australian humour is getting stick from the US as well now!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Well spotted, Fiona.

Yeah, I'd certainly swap puns (which I love) to near the top and move Dark humour (which I'm less fond of) much lower down.

I must admit I've enjoyed dark humour ever since I was a child, loving the cautionary verse penned by writers like Heinrich Hoffmann (Der Struwwelpeter, known in English as Shockheaded Peter) and Hilaire Belloc (Cautionary Tales for Children). My daughter and son were/are fans too.

Some of Roald Dahl's work is in the same vein, as is Jamie Rix's series of books known as Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids. Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids was turned into a cartoon TV series for ITV in the early 2000s and my children loved it. Rix's tales are very much in the tradition of Hoffmann and Belloc, with children who misbehave meeting a sticky end.

[Bertie]

Yeah, that's never really been my thing at all. As a child I much preferred the 'normal' mystery and àdventure stories of Enid's rather than her fantasy ones, or Roald Dahl, Brothers Grimm, etc.

And as an adult I'm much fonder of the type of light hearted puns and silly humour of the likes of Tim Vine, Leslie Nielsen, PG Wodehouse rather than 'dark humour'.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I like light-hearted, silly humour as well as dark humour. I still chuckle at many of Enid Blyton's Meddle and Twiddle tales, which revolve around mishaps and misunderstandings. Frank Spencer from Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is a similar character in many ways, unintentionally causing mayhem wherever he goes. Characters of that kind are actually quite endearing and I think that's partly why they appeal. All of us are foolish or forgetful from time to time and we can't help sympathising with them to some extent, and wishing them well.

Lewis Carroll's "Alice" books helped introduce me to puns and parodies, which I still enjoy to this day.

Dr. Seuss is a firm favourite in our family, partly for his nonsense and partly for his sense! His books are full of tongue-twisters and witty, exuberant comedy, making readers laugh while inspiring them and making them think. My daughter, son and I used to take it in turns to read Dr. Seuss aloud to one another, completely caught up in his playful use of language and the zany worlds he created.

[Boatbuilder]

This was in Friday's Daily Telegraph and in reality it's not really a joke. Maybe we need to prove them (H.M.Treasury) wrong!

[pete9012S]

[pete9012S]

Lovely!

[Lucky Star]

Ah the original picture at last.

[Lucky Star]

Ah the original unedited picture at last.

[pete9012S]

[pete9012S]

[Barnard]

I got very hot while I was painting my living room yesterday.
The instructions on the tin of paint were, ‘for best results, put on two coats.’