I admit, Atkinson makes me laugh, but you've given me some interesting perspective (and questions to ask myself). Thanks for posting the links to the two films--I look forward to watching them. I enjoyed this, thanks again!
I've never been a fan of Rowan Atkinson, but the older of my two younger brothers and my late husband adored him. But then my brother also found Fawlty Towers hysterically funny and I didn't share that view either. My favorite was Waiting For God and some issues of Yes, Minister.
I saw Paul Eddington on stage once in a Restoration comedy (from the time of Charles II) called “She Would If She could” and found it a bit of a bore, apart from seeing a “TV star” on stage in the flesh. But "Yes, (Prime) Minister" was a great vehicle not only for Eddington, but for Nigel Hawthorne as well, who was a much more talented actor in my view. Eddington forged his way into the British consciousness through the sitcom “The Good Life”, which was original and played well with an ensemble cast of Richard Briers, Felicity Kendall, Penelope Keith and Eddington. It wouldn’t have worked without any one of them.
Fawlty Towers always surprises when you know only 12 episodes were ever made. It was based on true-life experiences by the Monty Python crowd when they were filming on location and stayed in a hotel not unlike the fictional one. (I understand there were court actions.)
I rolled on the floor at it at the time, when I was in my teens, but have looked back at some of the episodes since, and just don’t find them funny any more. I find “The Germans” particularly distasteful. In fact, I‘ve grown to find all humour distasteful that is funny "at someone else’s expense." I guess I’ve been laughed at one time too many times to appreciate the humour that’s directed at others.
I guffawed at Indiana Jones, confronted by a sabre-wielding Arab in his first outing, to which he responds resignedly by hauling out a pistol and shooting the man dead. Then, it was funny. But as one realises what a statement of general US policy such a reaction is, it’s ceased to be funny over the years.
I don’t think there is objective funniness. Whether something is amusing or not is dependent on your viewpoint, and by the same token, therefore, there is no objective unfunniness. People laugh at what tickles their funny bone.
I agree. Graham, "humor" at someone else's expense is not humor at all, to me it is ridicule. The line I liked best in Funny Girl was when she stuffed a cushion on her belly, pretending to be pregnant. When Walter Pigeon in the role of Flo Ziegfeld scolded her for his number being laughed at Fanny Brice was supposed to have responded, "but they weren't laughing at me, they were laughing with me" That's the kind of humor I appreciate
I admit, Atkinson makes me laugh, but you've given me some interesting perspective (and questions to ask myself). Thanks for posting the links to the two films--I look forward to watching them. I enjoyed this, thanks again!
You're welcome, and thank you for your reaction.
I've never been a fan of Rowan Atkinson, but the older of my two younger brothers and my late husband adored him. But then my brother also found Fawlty Towers hysterically funny and I didn't share that view either. My favorite was Waiting For God and some issues of Yes, Minister.
I saw Paul Eddington on stage once in a Restoration comedy (from the time of Charles II) called “She Would If She could” and found it a bit of a bore, apart from seeing a “TV star” on stage in the flesh. But "Yes, (Prime) Minister" was a great vehicle not only for Eddington, but for Nigel Hawthorne as well, who was a much more talented actor in my view. Eddington forged his way into the British consciousness through the sitcom “The Good Life”, which was original and played well with an ensemble cast of Richard Briers, Felicity Kendall, Penelope Keith and Eddington. It wouldn’t have worked without any one of them.
Fawlty Towers always surprises when you know only 12 episodes were ever made. It was based on true-life experiences by the Monty Python crowd when they were filming on location and stayed in a hotel not unlike the fictional one. (I understand there were court actions.)
I rolled on the floor at it at the time, when I was in my teens, but have looked back at some of the episodes since, and just don’t find them funny any more. I find “The Germans” particularly distasteful. In fact, I‘ve grown to find all humour distasteful that is funny "at someone else’s expense." I guess I’ve been laughed at one time too many times to appreciate the humour that’s directed at others.
I guffawed at Indiana Jones, confronted by a sabre-wielding Arab in his first outing, to which he responds resignedly by hauling out a pistol and shooting the man dead. Then, it was funny. But as one realises what a statement of general US policy such a reaction is, it’s ceased to be funny over the years.
I don’t think there is objective funniness. Whether something is amusing or not is dependent on your viewpoint, and by the same token, therefore, there is no objective unfunniness. People laugh at what tickles their funny bone.
I agree. Graham, "humor" at someone else's expense is not humor at all, to me it is ridicule. The line I liked best in Funny Girl was when she stuffed a cushion on her belly, pretending to be pregnant. When Walter Pigeon in the role of Flo Ziegfeld scolded her for his number being laughed at Fanny Brice was supposed to have responded, "but they weren't laughing at me, they were laughing with me" That's the kind of humor I appreciate
What an astute observation that is, Fay, thank you. The difference between humour and ridicule. Yes, I like that.
Thank you, Graham