Me too. A great example that illustrates the difference is Top Gear (TV show) and Top Gear US. The latter is just so "watered down", boring, dull, just because they're are a nation so trembling of potential lawsuits. So much political correctness, that it makes you sick. And so sensitive. That is offensive! You hurt my feelings! LOL! Top Gear wouldn't be what it is without the sarcasm, without being offensive and edgy. Do you imagine the presenter in any US show calling someone an idiot directly in his face for not agreeing with him (it was meant as a joke and it was taken as such). Do you imagine calling it what it is and even exaggerating? For instance saying it's an appallingly looking car, total rubbish. And at the end of the show they do get sometimes lawsuit threats, but of course nobody files them, because GB (and Europe) truly has a freedom of speech and tolerance (the tolerance for someone being a bit intolerant if it's meant as a joke).

Actually, the reason is quite different. The UK is also ridden with the desire to be politically correct. Before the heady days of Smart Boards, my weans would come into S1 (first year high school) and scream at me for referring to the blackboard or the whiteboard, their primary teachers had told them to say 'chalk board' or 'dry wipe board', and even that I couldn't refer to 'coloured pencils', their primary teacher (that seemed to be only one teacher in one of our feeder primaries) had told them to call them 'rainbow pencils'. I kid you not.
Back to Top Gear. The reason Clarkson et al get off with all the tongue in cheek stuff is that the prog is put out by the Beeb, who don't have advertisers to sook up to. If it were on e.g. ITV, they would no doubt be aiming at car advertisers and would have to tone down their comments and criticisms accordingly. Anyway, in the UK, we're far more interested in Clarkson's (alleged) adulteries.

indeed, when they ban me from a forum it's usually run by americans.

Hard to believe!  but Ive never been banned from a forum as such. FT has banned me but they got the wrong end of the stick, I think they actually thought of somebody elses thread?

No it doesn't work outside UK (Haven't try using a proxy yet). I'll try to find a way.

Did you watch some of Clarkson's solo movies? This one rocks, though it's not for the sensitive yanks, since he really, really doesn't have anything positive to say about America and especially their cars (a lot of sarcasm&cynicism)

Jeremy Clarkson-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly part 1

. But I would recommend watching it to the yanks, so they could toughen up and start to think more in sync with the rest of the world, loose at least some of the political correctness and oversensitivity. They might even start playing rugby, the way real man do, not like a bunch of girls using all that armor and helmets (yes I mean American football)

It's true, we're an oversensitive bunch. And everyone is ready to sue everyone else when we're offended by something.

Seriously, one of the reasons I hate doing client work these days is that I'll often have to deal with someone's lawyer. Everyone has a lawyer just to protect themselves, because everyone is afraid of either getting sued by someone or getting pissed off enough at someone else to need to sue them. I'm seriously considering making it a new policy that I won't work with anyone who wants to waste my time dealing with their lawyer(s). Or I'll have to add a lawyer fee to invoices.

Clarkson isn't far off on his assessment of the U.S. We're a fast-food guzzling culture and we sure as hell don't know much about making good quality cars. I think my Jeep is entirely made of melted down action figures.

Anyone outside the U.S. seen Jamie Oliver's show? He's trying to bring decent food into U.S. schools and get us over our fast food obsession. And of course he's being met with a lot of opposition, some straight from the school districts.

Wow man, that's really big of you! Thumbs up, for that post!

Quote from: luissantos84 on June 05, 2011, 17:05

only a few months ago I started to understand gostwyck opinions, comments and I have always had the idea that he was "harsh" on words but I have seen a big change on his caracter or perhaps I am understanding more.. THIS to tell that he is soft comparing to lagereek,  I am wondering if you have been punished on your childhood or if you have a lot of bad days.. I am tired of your arrogance always full of yourself like you are the second yuri arcurs but no generalist world but a nieche photog.. sorry to tell you this but I cannot continue on this forum without saying what goes in my mind, again from a kid with 27 years old and a cheap camera, be more humble

You must have some sort of Yuri complex ??  youre alway stating and comparing everything to him, you even questioned in a thread why he wasnt engaging in P+. Leave the guy alone. As for understanding me?  dont bother, just ease down a bit.
Im half british, spent 25 years in London, still go there about 10 times a year, our humor is famous for sarcasm but in the best of spirits. You pay too much attention to verbals.

Now, just want to tell you that as a mini-Yuri, I have just graduated from an Instamtic to a new Holga camera, with a digital Phaseone back, the Holga-back with 65MP. So my gear isnt all that pretencious, is it.

Im a nice guy actually, just ask the Swedenborgian society.

sorry but I haven�t questioned anything about this photo+ wasn�t the person who asked that and if you want to know I hate the way he shows off but that�s his business to get free light, free tripod, free whatever, I just don�t like showing off people, end of story

only a few months ago I started to understand gostwyck opinions, comments and I have always had the idea that he was "harsh" on words but I have seen a big change on his caracter or perhaps I am understanding more.. THIS to tell that he is soft comparing to lagereek,  I am wondering if you have been punished on your childhood or if you have a lot of bad days.. I am tired of your arrogance always full of yourself like you are the second yuri arcurs but no generalist world but a nieche photog.. sorry to tell you this but I cannot continue on this forum without saying what goes in my mind, again from a kid with 27 years old and a cheap camera, be more humble

+1

well i prefer to take the risk of being sued for nothing rather than the certainty of having to wait a few years before even going in court as in europe.

Quote from: lagereek on June 06, 2011, 04:37

Youre dead right!  very, very few understand this kind of humor outside the British domains and can easily take offence. Mind you I much rather prefer that then the almost naive and rather silly American humor or should I say lack of humor.

Oh, come on now.  Cut us "yanks" a break.  Quite a few of us manage to negotiate the sarcastic/ironic waters around here just fine, and even join in with some zingers of our own

FWIW, Luis, who is the one objecting to Lagereek's tone, is Russian, not American...

ETA:  Good on you Mike for proving that a lot of us have a sense of humor.  Are we surrounded by idiots for the most part?  Yes.  But isn't everyone?  

Serious question - those of you in Britain and the rest of Europe - don't you find many of your fellow countrymen lacking in common sense or humor at times?  

I think it's more an issue of individual personality than national culture.  Maybe I'm wrong?  

Hi Lisa!  you have a great sense of humor and a very eloquent one if I may say, your posting in the IS forum against JB, is truly superb!

So LUIS,  is Russian!  no wonder I wasted my time, mind his English writing is pretty good,  well at least for being Russian.


The Swedes, are truly the most boring and self-rightious people in the world, this little Mickey-Mouse country actually think they can solve the worlds problems in a nutshell.
They havent been involved in a war for over 300 years! and thats why they are a suicidal nation.
Oh and you should nsee when I apply British humor in Sweden,   jeez, its more fun on a graveyard.

When I said American humor, what I meant was all these canned laughter sitcoms, they keep torturing us with.

swedes are pretty funny, the boring ones are eventually the Finns and the Belgians and sometimes the brits when they're sober ho ho ho 

mickey mouse country, oh really ... go there first and see by yourself, stockholm for instance, the paris of the north...

not to generalize but the problem in sweden is they've become a bunch of feminist liberal hippie as-ho-les.

FWIW, Luis, who is the one objecting to Lagereek's tone, is Russian, not American...

ETA:  Good on you Mike for proving that a lot of us have a sense of humor.  Are we surrounded by idiots for the most part?  Yes.  But isn't everyone?   

Serious question - those of you in Britain and the rest of Europe - don't you find many of your fellow countrymen lacking in common sense or humor at times? 

I think it's more an issue of individual personality than national culture.  Maybe I'm wrong? 

I though he was from Portugal:s. It probably was a joke if he said he was Russian.

Sometimes I do, usually those sensitive sissies, who think I'm going to far or being rude. And of course, dumb people usually don't get me. But usually I don't have problems people getting my jokes and yes usually I have problems with yanks for the reasons mentioned in this thread. U (yanks) have other qualities, don't worry. You personally might have a great sense of humor, I don't know you, but lagereek says you do. When it comes to yanks and humour, I absolutely love Carlos Mencia (ok not a yank really, but he did become a US citizen), really rude, str8 to the point, exactly the kind of humor I love and use. Check this out

Carlos Mencia - Not For The Easily Offended Part 1

. He's making fun of gay ppl, stupid/naive, black, white, latin, everybody. And of course he proves my point (and of the other brits and europeans in this thread), by warning ppl at the start of the show that it's not for the easily offended, stating reasons why and that they should leave if they can stand it. The second one is George Carlin, a really smart guy, talking about politics, religion etc (str8 to the point, rude by american standards etc), the third Dave Chapelle (black ppl usually make me laugh, they have great sense of humour.

Nations do have "personalities", don't they? Like being Imperialistic, or known to be cheap, or suicidal, drunks, happy, melancholic...

When I said American humor, what I meant was all these canned laughter sitcoms, they keep torturing us with.

LOL!  I know what you mean there.  I can't watch that drivel either.  

Thank God for HBO, Showtime, and BBC America.  Without them I would have to give up watching TV entirely.  

@Slovenian - yes, Carlos Mencia is funny.  Here's my opinion on that type of humor - I call it the "funny to mean ratio"(copyright Lisafx ).  A comedian can say ANYTHING, no matter how offensive, as long as it is at least as funny as it is mean.  The meaner it is, the funnier it has to be to compensate.  If the funny to mean ratio is off, the joke doesn't work.    When some of these jerks just get up and insult everyone, but the jokes aren't that funny, they come off looking like ass(arse)holes.  

Ricky Gervais (British) is a good example.  His jokes are harsh.  But he is so  funny it makes up for it.  But he does skate close to the edge.  Some of his jokes barely make it over the F2M threshold.  

Gregg Geraldo, who just died recently, was the king of that.  His jokes cut to the bone.  He could tear someone apart.   Watching him on those Friars Club roasts, he was frickin hilarious.  We'd be doubled over laughing so hard we were in pain. So were his victims.  He was "mean" but so  funny that it was entirely forgivable.  

Gilbert Gottfried - another example.  Here's my favorite Gilbert Gottfried joke.  Also on the funnier side of the F2M ratio.  
The Olsen Twins Walk Into A Bar

I think it's hard to ascribe one particular set of humor or values in the USA.  Our demographics are constantly changing.   We have people from all different cultures.  They are all "American" but all bring the attitudes of their countries or cultures of origin with them.  Believe me, we are NOT all Sarah Palin.  Shudder!

I really like 'Parks & Recreation'. Fantastic US comedy. Stereotyping nationalities is silly.