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Germans stereotypically have a conceptual intelligence. If something is good, they will like it. This is why they like badly-translated US sitcoms so much when
by pm3003 4y ago
Germans stereotypically have a conceptual intelligence. If something is good, they will like it. This is why they like badly-translated US sitcoms so much when there's a laugh track. This is why the French sell so much bad-tier wines in fancy bottles (even if you know the producer and the wine, don't buy it in Germany unless you've tasted it or it's certified like AOC). This is why their sense of humour is so...strange.
That said, I like North German humour and Flachwitze.
- sebmellen 4y agoI’m German-American, and I would say I am culturally much more American than German, but I find German comedy quite funny. I think it is much more observational and satirical than US standup comedy, but it’s also more biting, which makes it funny in a more self reflective way. German comedy seems to play the role of a court jester speaking uncomfortable truths through humor. American comedy to me is much more surface level by comparison — there are a few comedians like Carlin who seem to have embodied the German satirical spirit. I think another aspect of German comedy that is very hard to translate is the linguistic structure of it, where the structure of the language often plays a key role in the funniness of the joke.
- Barrin92 4y agoBeing German I think our political satire is really good. Kabarett/Cabaret is huge and has a long tradition and it's often uniquely dark and has a lot of gallows humor compared to other places. We also I think have one of the largest poetry slam communities. Everything that comes out of the performing arts scene really is pretty solid. But popular television type comedians here are really bad and cringeworthy. Much worse than in Britain or the US. Kind of like music in that way. Popular music in Germany is bad compared to across the pond and most of the good stuff is more niche.
- mbg721 4y agoI think German improv is generally better than German sitcoms. I have the disadvantage of mentally translating and overanalyzing as I watch in a way that a native speaker wouldn't, but Schillerstraße, for example, strikes me as funny.
- davrosthedalek 4y agoThat is embodied very well in the Fastnacht (Carneval), especially of the Mainz and southern German variants (Cologne is a little bit more "Kokelores"), with many acts with biting political satire and commentary.
- sebmellen 4y agoYes almost all of my German family is from around Mainz.
- davrosthedalek 4y agoMe too!