Do girls really understand dry humour?

[Grandmaster Sexay]

It seems, from my experience, most females (usually the Amercians) do not grasp the amusing side of dry humour. As some would know, the British tend to comprehend that particular humour better.

For example, having encountered many girls, tend to look bemused, at odds or lost when I give the expression of dry humour on their receiving end.

Take this:

The most amusing part I find is, when one that gets the "uhhh" reaction.

Sitting at the dinner table a girl passes me a dish of salad and says "salad?"

I reply "yes it is".

Rarely do they laugh at this.

A girl and I were discussing Grace Kelly.

Girl (an american): "Yes she was a wonderful and beautiful actress"
Me "not much of a motorist though"

Lastly, three of my favourite one-liners

"Swimming is good for you, especially if you're drowning".

"A sure cure for seasickness is to sit under a tree."

"I don't mind dying. I just don't want to be there when it happens."

A person once said ''Sarcasm and dry humour in the US is often used as a passive-aggressive method to insult others, rather than as a vehicle for humor strictly for humor's sake as is the case in the UK''

Really, the question is, do girls really understand dry humour? I know there's cultural differences, but to me, they seem too fastidious to see the funny side of it.

 

[hi2u]

I watch the British automotive show "Top Gear," and it's riddled with dry humor. Most people in the states don't like it because of this. It's almost as if Americans take offense to dry humor. I just think American's aren't used to it. I wouldn't use it unless you know your target. It will just make you seem like a nerdy wierdo, unless you're a gorgeous british guy with a great smile and a super suave accent, in which case anything you say will be considered unique and cute.

 

[Bvbidd]

I think this must be only a Britsh thing.

Yeah it's a salad. Where do I laugh and why?
Mabye you have to say it in a certain way?

"Swimming is good for you, especially if you're drowning". That's the only one that's kind of funny. And yeah it just sounds nerdy.

 

[Stackthestyles]

LMFAO!!!

She probably does suck at driving.

Dry humour, I think they don't get it because you skip parts of the joke.

Oh yeah, props, I never knew what to call this before.

 

[Socialreject]

Well i can say from personal experience that dry humor doesn't seem to convey to well to women...

Why exactly to women, i have no idea!

I personally have a sense of humor that's about as dry as it gets. Sometimes I'll come out with something, most of the guys standing around choke in their drinks... most women standing around have an expression on their face that is somewhere between confusion and curiosity.

The thing is, for dry humor to really work, you have to somewhat in the spotlight. You need people to actually "think" about what you just said instead of just ignoring it as incoherent babbling.

This is the problem with humor, not every humor works on everyone, especially not in every situation.

So something really witty and funny works like 20% of the time... yet something totally lame like "did you just try to kill me with that ball, purse, fluffy bunny", etc works like a charm...

WOMEN!!

 

[Distant Light]

What exactly is dry humor?

It took me 3 times to get what you were saying about salad. (Wouldn't it be more easier to notice if you said "Yes I know it is salad just like this is salad dressing" or something like that) Either way I didn't chuckle at all, like its name it is "DRY". I'd stick to just using C&F.

 

[American_Psycho]

Most women don't have an acute sense of what is funny the way guys do. Look at how many male comedians there are compared to female comedians.

Intelligent women are probably more likely to understand.

 

[MacDiddy]

Just scratching my political demographics curiosity.

What would you say is the difference if any, betweem say a republican voting woman and a democrat in relations to dry humour. would the democrat find it funny, insulting, etc. as oppose republican???

 

[American_Psycho]

Just scratching my political demographics curiosity.

What would you say is the difference if any, betweem say a republican voting woman and a democrat in relations to dry humour. would the democrat find it funny, insulting, etc. as oppose republican???

I don't think political affiliation has much to do with intepretation of humor (unless of course, the joke is political in nature).

 

[MacDiddy]

I'm after the stereotypical viewpoint..

 

[Archaxis]

I watch the British automotive show "Top Gear," and it's riddled with dry humor. Most people in the states don't like it because of this. It's almost as if Americans take offense to dry humor. I just think American's aren't used to it. I wouldn't use it unless you know your target. It will just make you seem like a nerdy wierdo, unless you're a gorgeous british guy with a great smile and a super suave accent, in which case anything you say will be considered unique and cute.

Dude, Top Gear is great... Americans are just too fvcking used to being told everything is so great, all the music, all the movies, all the cars, because of media consolodation. The Brits will tell you a car is sh1t if a car is sh1t, and usually do it in a funny way. Besisdes, if a girl I've got doesn't like Top Gear, out she goes... I mean, why did she get into the Lotus to begin with?

 

[Grandmaster Sexay]

Dry humour is not widely recongnised in the USA. Most girls (even in Europe) do not like being on the recieving end of irony. Dry humour is defined to be dry and usually blatant with wit. By ''dry'', the responses varied depending on what the joke is in itself. The humour sometimes consists in black and gallows humour. For example:

''Come and see my ****roach collection. It may take an hour or so, but well worth it''

The salad response is an intention to point out what is the obvious. It is said in a manner that makes the person who said ''salad?'' look or feel like a twerp ''Yes it is''.
Dry humour can leave you bemused, chuckle, laugh or think it is some incoherent nonsense. But the fact of the matter is, as one said, you need an acute sense of thinking in order to comprehend it.

You need to have high tolerance for ambiguity and most dry humours do not have a sense of closure.

 

[Grandmaster Sexay]

Just scratching my political demographics curiosity.

What would you say is the difference if any, betweem say a republican voting woman and a democrat in relations to dry humour. would the democrat find it funny, insulting, etc. as oppose republican???

Knowing the Amercians way of tackling that sort of joke, both women are very much likely to take it as an insult, if they are identified to be from each party.

 

[MacDiddy]

=Its my conclusion that dry humour is only appreciated by Brit Chicks... on a wider scale of couse... Any Challenges here?

 

[Jariel]

I am very dry too and the examples you gave appeal directly to my sense of humour and really made me laugh!

Being English, I have found that a lot of women do get and love my sense of humour once they get used to it. But other women have acted thoroughly perplexed or even offended by it. It's always a bit of a risk, but it's my natural sense of humour so I go ahead regardless.

The great thing about dry humour is you can be very cool and maintain your dignity while you use it - unlike toilet humour or clowning around.

 

[MacDiddy]

I quite enjoy humour like Black Adder, Monty Python and recently House MD. staring Hugh whatshisname.. All, I would say, have very dry humour..

but House is doing good in the US??? go figure??

 

[Grandmaster Sexay]

I am very dry too and the examples you gave appeal directly to my sense of humour and really made me laugh!

Being English, I have found that a lot of women do get and love my sense of humour once they get used to it. But other women have acted thoroughly perplexed or even offended by it. It's always a bit of a risk, but it's my natural sense of humour so I go ahead regardless.

The great thing about dry humour is you can be very cool and maintain your dignity while you use it - unlike toilet humour or clowning around.

You are quite right. Deadpan humour doesn't work at all with cold approaches as it's based on obscure responses that cannot be identified instantly.

Even if it is a risk, but by my natural causes, it is the only humour I use. It is very much like marmite, ''you either love it or hate it''

Girls on the one hand, aren't particularly adaptable to that kind of humour until it is repeatingly used (that's only if she made it that far with you).

 

[Sapiens]

I do enjoy my dry humor with a glass of water.

Dude, it depends on the person not the gender. I know guys that are pretty dense.

:crazy:

-Sapiens

 

[MacDiddy]

Dude, it depends on the person not the gender.

Yeah... but our main concern is on chicks... STAY FOCUSED

 

[Grandmaster Sexay]

I do enjoy my dry humor with a glass of water.

Dude, it depends on the person not the gender. I know guys that are pretty dense.
-Sapiens

Of course, those with an IQ just above a carrot aren't going to quite catch the dift.

You should try it with milk instead, it's more lubricated.