The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-17
A. DISTINCTION
And q Difference Between the
Wit Of English Humor
And the Genuine HumOr Of Real
American Wit.
DIVERSE IDEAS OF FUN.
The Britisher Does Not Smile
at Yankee Jokes.
A Dissertation. on the Subject by
Katie Barry.
IDEAS OF FUN.

Sometimes I wonder if it ever occurs
TO the average American how an Eng
lishman feels when, after having lived
and laughed for some 80 years, he
comes over here and learns that he has
no sense Of humor. The conviction of
the New Yorker that the Londoner has
no power Of approaching q jest is fear
full and wonderful; more profound than
any other conviction know except the
Brttisher's idea that his religion is the
true gospel and that everybody else is
wrong. Your cOuntrymen are willing to
grant US observation-disclosures, cour-
age, industry and persist ence-except
that same sense of humor-
1t would be difficult to say how that
belief in our density reconc1les itself 10
the fact that England has produced a
greater number of wits than any other
nation in the world. Thomas Hood
Dean Swift, Charles Lamb, Oliver Cold
smith, W. S. Gilbert and score OF 9TH
ers have succeeded in exciting the risi-
bIcs not only Of their cOmpatriOts, but
OF readers everywhere. London has ten
comic papers to every one printed in
New York London supplies both cOuu-
tries with farces and musical comedies
London carica lures are reproduced uni
versally, yet Londoners do not know the
difference between a joke and an obitu-
airy noticel
Perhaps the reason for this interna-
GionaI misunderstanding is the wide
variance between the English and the
American idea Of fun Summing up this
variance, I should say that EngnShInen
are witty and Americans humorous.
The one thing upon which the former
insists in an anecdote or a bit or ma
logue-its prOba bility-is not taken into
account at all by the latter. Nothing is
too impossible or extravagant to be
laughed at in New York 1 remember
hearing a large party of young eoun-
trymen guffaW immoderately at a tale
about a 1aboring man who fell ten
stories to the sidewalk. A physician
felt the pulse of the unfortunate patient
and observed The man IS dead
WhereupOn the laborer replied
You're a liar, doctor; I'm not dead,
and his companion advised, Lie sun.
The doctor knows best"
An Englishman would never laugh
al this Joke, because he would first say
to himself: "a men who fell ten stories !
to the pavement WOULD be dead and
incapable of making any remark what |
ever" Since the thing could not have
happened. why give it any thought?
The British witticism does not Of ne |
cessity embrace action as does the /
American. 1t is preferably the report !
of some bright retort. Dean Swift ad- /
vised paving London with wooden |
blocks. sImpOssiblei" replied the cOun- /
ell. Not at ALL returned Swift. Gen
tlernen, lay your heads together and the /
thing is done" This is true wit, and /
among all your countrymen L know only /
one man, Mark Twain, who is master of |
st. To me Mr.. Clemens rejOinder to the /
FTenChman who said that Americans !
didn' know who their own grandfathers /
were has always seemed the acme of |
cleverness. Mark Twain's retaliation /
was to the effect that, at that, Ameri- |
cans had one generation the better of |
What I have said of the demand for
exaggeration in your humOr is more /
true in your theaters than anywhere |
else. Do you suppose that they would /
laugh on the other side at an Irishman ]
made UP with green Whiskers2 Certain !
" not. The certainty that no man ever |
born had green Whiskers would rob the /
Jest of its point. An English coined |
fan counts upon clear and neat enuncia- |
ton of clever lyrics to carry his song; /
the American is obliged to rely upon !
grimaces and ridiculous gestures. When /
first came over arrived at the con- /
clusiOn that in New York nothing else /
was judged so witty as the spectacle of |
q fat man falling down. I am not so /
Ifsh audiences are keener and quicker |
in their appreciation of real humor than |
are their cousins on the west Of the /
Atlantic You should have heard them /
scream in London at THE Duke of /
TCfUicran kfe'f when Fanny BrOugh ex-
pressed her disbelief in Mr.. Harris, the /
mythical guest at the dinner party, by /
observing. 'fAhi The husband of Mrs /
Harris I supposet' All this is neither I
here nor there, however My point is /
the ungra ciOusness of making fun of d |
whole nation because it's viewpoint is /
not precisely yours The fact that |
Americans do not laugh at English |
jokes proves nothing; there are great |
many American jokes at which English /
men do not laugh.-Katie Barry.