What is going on inside the country determines the kinds of jokes that are popular there. Americans are very independent and laugh about their routine lives most of the time (traffic, food, girls or boys, and so on).
Only in America...do people order double cheeseburgers, a large fry, and a Diet Coke...
Only in America...do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and leave useless things and junk in boxes in the garage...
Charles was getting annoyed and shouted upstairs to his wife,"Hurry up or we'll be late."
"Oh, be quiet," replied his wife. "Haven't I been telling you for the last hour that I'll be ready in a minute?"
Russians, on the other hand, think about the whole country’s problems like corruption, politics, freedom of the press, drunken people, etc. That’s the way to make all bad things look better - finding something funny in them.
Which is more useful, a Russian radio broadcast or a Russian newspaper?
-The newspaper, of course... you can use it to wrap herring.
Question: What is permitted and what is prohibited?
Answer: In England, what is permitted, is permitted, and what is prohibited, is prohibited.
In America everything is permitted except for what is prohibited.
In Germany everything is prohibited except for what is permitted.
In France everything is permitted, even what is prohibited.
In the Russia everything is prohibited, even what is permitted.
Night. A cop stops a drunk man in the street and asks:
- Where you going?
- I'm going to listen to the lecture about the harm of drunkenness and alcoholism.
- At night? And who will give the lecture?
- My wife and mother-in-law!
One more thing about Russian humor topics is that we never make jokes about our parents…I mean black humor. As a rule, relationships with older family members are very strong. It seems to be disrespectful to laugh at them. On the contrary it’s pretty common for some people from the US:
Yo momma's so stupid, she thought Fleetwood Mac was a new hamburger at McDonalds!
Yo momma's so stupid, she got hit by a cup and told cops she got mugged.
Yo momma's so stupid, she thought Sherlock Holmes was a housing project.
You get the idea.
Another interesting feature of any culture is humor in cartoons. Comparing Russian and American ones, I found so many differences. Russian characters always teach children to be kind, honest, study hard and show that lazy, rude people or liars will never be successful. The great example is a very old Soviet cartoon “Vinni Puh” that my mom watched, I and all my nephews watch now.
If you watch American cartoons like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” most of the time the main character is a very lazy fat man without any goal in life. I still cannot understand this phenomenon. Americans create this stereotype about their country by themselves. Now I know it’s not true, but what will foreigners think after watching “South Park” or “The Simpsons”?
I want to offer you 2 stories about our countries’ stereotypes (the first one I found on Facebook Russia):
How Americans imagine a Russian family: Husband: Dear, I’m home! Wife: Why are you so late? Husband: The bear dislocated his leg on the way home. I had to give him vodka as medicine. Wife: OK. Let’s sit all together and drink some vodka before doing our stuff. Son: Mom, can I go to play with the bear? Wife: OK. But drink vodka before. Wife: Where is our grandfather by the way? Husband: He’s staying in the line for two weeks trying to get a ticket for food. Wife: Thank God he drank vodka before going there. And you shouldn’t waste the time! Go and drink vodka! Wife: OK son. You can go for a walk and don’t forget to wear your fur cap with ear flaps. It’s pretty warm today-about 10 F. And also don’t forget to write the report to KGB. And buy more vodka on the way home. Husband: Dear, it’s too hot at home. Please, turn off the nuclear reactor. Wife: I’ll finish my vodka and will do it. | How Russians imagine an American family: Wife: Dear go to play outside. The weather is so nice. Son: Are you crazy mom? I’m too lazy to move. I’d rather play Play Station. And give me more chips, please. Husband: Dear, I’m home! Wife: Why are you so late? Husband: I went to the bar to drink beer, eat some chips and watch football with the guys. Wife: Let’s eat our dinner. I bought hamburgers and chips. Husband and son: Yeeeeeeas! Our favorite food! Wife: Did you hear we are going to bring democracy to Iran? Our solders, tanks and fighters are ready for a PEACEFUL mission. Husband: That’s great! We need to help other poor countries. I think we also should send our army to Africa and Asian countries. Only we can show people there how they MUST live. Wife: OK. We talked too much. Let’s go eat chips and drink beer. |
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