79 replies to this topic

[Waylon]

kat, tell us more about your British costume. Will you carry around a cup of tea with you?

[James D]

Maybe you should talk in a steriotypical british accent as well LOL

[Mitchell]

Maybe you should talk in a steriotypical british accent as well LOL

Like Jay Reatard.

[M_Rots]

Chaton, I think what the less-than-articulate are trying to tell you is that it's funny when someone who's British parodies the British by dressing up as a Briton for Halloween, but when an American does it, it's uncomfortable, b/c everyone wonders if that's how they're seen and loses the humorous intent. Thisis sadly true of most comedy: Insiders can lampoon; outsiders can be quiet.

[Mitchell]

No we aren't.

[le chaton]

Chaton, I think what the less-than-articulate are trying to tell you is that it's funny when someone who's British parodies the British by dressing up as a Briton for Halloween, but when an American does it, it's uncomfortable, b/c everyone wonders if that's how they're seen and loses the humorous intent. Thisis sadly true of most comedy: Insiders can lampoon; outsiders can be quiet.

fuck that shit. i've lived here for two years and get constant shit for being an american (most notably at my workplace). i have earned my right to lampoon.

in any case, the costume is largely for the office do i am organizing, and my (english) friend who is co-organizing is going as an american. it will go over swimmingly.

[M_Rots]

Shut up and have some biscuits, Mitchell. And pick up a sense of humor while you're out. And then die.

[le chaton]

kat, tell us more about your British costume. Will you carry around a cup of tea with you?

i am carrying that as well as the oxford english dictionary, b/c the brits looove to tell the americans/s.africans/ozzies/kiwis/canadians how we botched their language.

Shut up and have some biscuits, Mitchell. And pick up a sense of humor while you're out. And then die.

[Waylon]

Chaton, I think what the less-than-articulate are trying to tell you ...

I asked because I am legitimately interested in her costume, and because I'm attempting to steer the thread back on track.

[Waylon]

Boo, what candy are you giving out this year? We got ghost dots, which are neat looking, but basically the same flavors as the regular dots.

[Finn McCool]

Maybe you should talk in a steriotypical british accent as well LOL

Like Jay Reatard.

I laughed. Sorry, I mean I 'larfed'.

[Mitchell]

Shut up and have some biscuits, Mitchell. And pick up a sense of humour while you're out. And then die.

I already have some biscuits in the flat, I bought them yesterday whilst shopping. They are quite nice.

I've have a sense of humour thanks, it doesn't extend to you, someone who is so sure of their own opinion, telling me I can't have my own. I'm perfectly sure Kat can defend her choice of costume as well as I can have reservations about how funny it be before knowing the details.

I'm pretty sure that myself and James (and by now Kat) know more about the English and their sense of humour than you do.

See here http://en.wikipedia..../British_humour to learn more.

Some general features characteristic of British humour are:

* Puns: these do not too easily translate into other languages (if at all)
* Nonsense: has its origins in the writings of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear
* Black humour: main features of black humour can already be found in the drama of the Elizabethan era
* Eccentricity
* Satire and sarcasm
* Self-deprecation, especially of the country as a whole
* The use of understatement and irony, so that many jokes pass unnoticed by those not familiar with it

What stands out from this list is the importance of verbal humour as a key element. This is not to say that British humour has no place for visuals; but to take a classic example, Benny Hill, whose work was quite visual indeed, was extremely popular in his day, but has long since failed to arouse much interest with British audiences. In the U.S. and France, however, he is still widely regarded as a comic genius.

Compare this with typical "classics" of UK humour, such as the "Parrot Sketch" from Monty Python, which are usually notable for the fact that fans can repeat them verbatim.

Like when The Simpsons take the piss out of the US, it's much funny than a European dressed as a fat cowboy eating a burger.

[Mitchell]

kat, tell us more about your British costume. Will you carry around a cup of tea with you?

i am carrying that as well as the oxford english dictionary, b/c the brits looove to tell the americans/s.africans/ozzies/kiwis/canadians how we botched their language.

See this is actually quite funny. If you are going for the upper class look (because chavs don't read) I'd recommend a monocle and a top hat as well. (There's an excellent hire shop on Camden High Street)

[Duff.]

Kids don't come to my door, so what Halloween means to me is 25-year old women dressing outlandishly skimpy and drinking a lot, which I can have no possible quarrel with.

[Paul]

Last year on Halloween I saw some girl on the blue line with a goofy costume on at about eight in the morning. It was one of the more pathetic things I've seen.

[Hewletts Daughter]

I look forward to busting this out one last time tomorrow night:

[Montana]

Halloween is by far the best holiday. The great fall ambience, party atmosphere, colorful shit all around and women dressing up like sluts makes for pure awesomeness. If you live in a place with seasons, I don't see how it can be beat.

[Montana]

If you really wanted to be British you'd not get involved with this pointless excuse for shops to sell tacky shit each year.

Halloween is about so many great things. Oh, but you do have "Boxing Day" , where old British people hand out things like gravy granules and laundry detergent.

[M_Rots]

Halloween is by far the best holiday. The great fall ambience, party atmosphere, colorful shit all around and women dressing up like sluts

You might want to go to a bar once in awhile, Monty.

[Montana]

Halloween is by far the best holiday. The great fall ambience, party atmosphere, colorful shit all around and women dressing up like sluts

You might want to go to a bar once in awhile, Monty.

Nah man. It's a special Halloween only type thing. The women are friskier too for some reason. Good times, good times. There's like some inherent, wild pagan type thing rippling just under the surface of everything.

My gf is in California this weekend, so it will be a boring Halloween for me......or maybe not. We''ll see. Nothing but absolutely fond memories of this great holiday.

I remember one time going to this Halloween party at SIU. There were lots of kegs, food, and a band at the edge of a lake near the Shawnee National Forest. Everyone was bussed in and absolutely wasted. A couple hours in it began snowing like crazy, and pretty soon the busses had to come back,, and people were *frozen*. Great after party too. I can still see that swampy ass lake and the snow coming down, with the bonfires lighting up the corner of the forest. You could almost make out long lost spirits contorting in the branches.