搜索
YoucouldspendalotoftimeexploringthedifferencesbetweenBritishandAmericancomedyonlytoreachtheconclusionthat,ironically,they'reprettymuchthesame.BackwhendirectorEdgarWrightandmyselfwerewritingourdebutfeature,ShaunOfTheDead,wewerecertainlybankingonacomicuniversalityinthestoryofasuburbanwasterbattlingthelivingdead.Wehadeveryconfidencethatthehumourwouldtranslate.Indeed,wemadeonlyonesubtledialogueadjustmentduringthewritingprocess,changingthewordpissedtodrunk,soastoavoidanyconfusionbetweentheconditionsofbeingmuntedandmardy.ThefilmwentontoenjoysurprisingsuccessintheUS,suggestingthatsurmountingthesupposedgulfbetweenourrespectivesensesofhumourrequiresnothingmorethanalightskip.Whenitcomestohumour,however,thereisoneculturalmyththatjustwon'tdie.Youhearitallthetimefromself-appointedsocialcommentatorssatastridehighhorses,dressedasknightswhosay,Ni.Theydon'tgetit.Theyneverhadit.Theydon'tknowwhatitisand,ironically,theydon'twantitanyway.That'sright:Americansdon'tdoirony.Thisisn'tstrictlytrue.AlthoughitistruethatweBritishdouseironyalittlemoreoftenthanourspecialfriendsintheUS.It'slikethekettletous:it'salwayson,whistlingslylyinthecornerofourdailyinteractions.ToAmericans,however,it'smorelikeaniceteapot,somethingtobeusedwhentheoccasiondemandsit.ThisiswhyanironiccommentwillsometimesbemetwithaperplexedsmilebyanunwaryAmerican.Takethisexchangethattookplacebetweentwofriendsofmine,oneBritish(B),theotherAmerican(A):B:Ihadtogotomygrandad'sfunerallastweek.A:Sorrytohearthat.B:Don'tbe.Itwasthefirsttimeheeverpaidforthedrinks.A:Isee.Now,myAmericanfriendwasbeingneitherthicknorobtusehere;hesimplydidn'timmediatelyregistertheneedtoburyemotionunderhumour.Thistendencyisalsoapparentinourdifferinguseofdisclaimers.WhenAmericansuseirony,theywilloftenimmediatelyqualifyitasbeingso,withajovialjustkidding,evenifthestatementisoutrageousandplainlyironic.Forinstance...A:Ifyoudon'tcomeouttonight,I'mgoingtohaveyoushot...justkidding.Ofcourse,beingAmerica,thismightbetrue,becausetheydoallowngunsandusethemonaregularbasis(justkidding).Americanscanfullyappreciateirony.Theyjustdon'tfeelentirelycomfortableusingitoneachother,incaseitcausesdamage.Abitlikehowwefeelaboutguns.It'snotsomuchabouthavingadifferentsenseofhumourasadifferentapproachtolife.Moredemonstrativethanweare,Americansarenotembarrassedbytheiremotions.Theyclaplouder,cheerharderandempathisemoreunconditionally.It'sanopennessthatalwaysleavesmefeelingslightlyguiltyandapologeticwhenAmericanpersonalitiesappearonBritishchatshowsandfindtheirjokesandstoriesmetwithtitters,notguffaws,ortheirachievementsmetwithsilentappreciation,ratherthanclapsandyelps.Wedon'tlikethemanyless,wejustaren'tinclinedtogivethatmuchofourselvesaway.Meanwhile,asaBritonanAmericanchatshow,it'sdifficulttoendureprolongedwhoopingwithoutintense,red-facedsmirking.Ofcourse,it'sthemainstreamoutputofourrespectiveentertainmentindustriesthattendstoshapeourgeneralopinionofeachother.AsktheaverageAmericanwhattheyperceiveBritishcomedytobeandyouwillmostlikelybequotedshowssuchasBennyHillandAreYouBeingServed?(although,thankstoBBCAmerica,thisisbeginningtochange).Thefandemographicforbothshowsismarkedlymorediversethanintheircountryoforigin.Thisisprobablyduetotheirparochialpeculiarity,ratherthanthequalityofthecomedy(althoughbothshowshadtheirmoments)andperhapsexplainswhytheAmericanaudiencetooktoShaunOfTheDeadwithsuchaffection.ArefusaltooccupythattransatlanticmiddlegroundthatsometimesscuppersBritishfilmsintentonappealinginAmericameansthatthefilmplaysasresolutelyBritish.Thatapproachdoesriskcertainsocialandculturalreferencesbeinglostintranslation.Butnotmany.TheonlyjokeinShaunOfTheDeadthatnevergotalaughintheStateswasEd'srequestforaCornettoicecreamat8amonaSundaymorning.Overall,thecast'sunderstatedreserveinthefaceofflesh-eatingzombiesjustaddedanotherlayerofamusementforAmericanviewers.Whenitcomestotheirmainstream,America'semotionalopennesshasoftengivenwaytoasentimentalitythatjarswithourmoreguardedandcynicaloutlook.ThisiswhytheinitiallyenjoyableHappyDaysbecameblightedbysaccharinelessonsinfamilyvalues,asHenryWinkler'soriginallysubversiveFonziewasmercilesslyappropriatedbythemiddle-classAmericanfamily,castratedbyMarionRoss'sMrsCunninghamandforcedtositonit(althoughit'sinterestingtonotethatinouttakesfromtheseries,WinklerandRosswouldoftenplayoutanirresistiblesexualtensionbetweenthemwithstolengropesandkisses,solelyfortheenjoymentofthelivestudioaudience,hintingatdarker,moreinterestingthemesthantheshowitselfevertackled).Generallyspeaking,sentimentalityisn'teasyforus.Itmakesusnervousanduncomfortable.Webecomeedgyanddismissiveofthesebrazendisplaysofemotion.Astheglobalvillageconurbates,however,ouremotionalhabitsareshifting.Weareeasingtowardsaslightliberationfromournationalinhibitions-althoughhopefullynotlosingthemcompletely.Ouruptightnessis,afterall,ahugepartofourcharm.ThesitcomFriends,forinstance,ashowoftendismissedbythecynicalascheesyorschmaltzy-andcertainlycapableofbeingboth-waswholeheartedlyadoptedbytheBritishpublic.Somuchsothattwoyearsafteritsfinalepisode,adaybarelypasseswithoutitsinclus