Quote: zooo @ February 22 2010, 7:04 PM GMTI both like Jam and have boobies.
Yeah, me too. 
Just the only difference I can think of within the people I hand around with. The girls don't seem to like Chris Morris as much as the men, especially not the really extreme stuff.
I can't think of any obvious differences that run along gender lines, with people I actually know.
Quote: sglen @ February 22 2010, 7:01 PM GMTMonty Python's pretty popular across the sexes isn't it?
In the past, Python seemed to be largely appreciated by males, which perhaps is unsurprising, given how little regard the Pythons seemed to have for women, portraying them either as naked or as frightful old bags.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there has been research which would indicate that there is a difference.
http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2010/02/01/10435/women_are_slower_to_get_jokes
Quote: AngieBaby @ February 22 2010, 8:19 PM GMTI'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there has been research which would indicate that there is a difference.
http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2010/02/01/10435/women_are_slower_to_get_jokes
That's cool.
Definitely agree that women seem to like stories in humour more than men (and turns of phrase go down better, generally, rather than flatout punchlines - this is from limited experience and might not necessarily be true!)
Did anyone read the Germaine Greer article on female humour in the Guardian last year? (Or rather "why women aren't funny") She failed to show that there were grey areas and generalised way too much but other than that I agreed with her.
Basic theory was that men bond through joke telling (thus "learn" to be funny through trial and error) where women bond through "chat" (thus don't) and that this is predominantly cultural. Definitely not true in every instance (me and my friends bonded through banter and repeating Lee and Herring or Harry Hill jokes - two of us are now comedy writers - and we're certainly not niche in that respect), but as a generalisation, I'd agree.
Reckon it's nature and nurture.
Quote: zooo @ February 22 2010, 3:04 PM GMTWho is Dane Cook?
Dane Cook is a stand-up who is known for HUGE arena shows that are attended by mostly college age girls. He has been in a few movies. Him and Jessica Simpson were in movie called 'Employee of the Month' that was kind of funny, mainly cause I have worked in a grocery store myself. He also played Steve Carrell's younger brother in 'Dan in Real Life.'
He has been accused of stealing jokes and not being a real stand-up. He is not necessarily funny, but he is a great performer and makes me laugh.
Here is a clip from one of his tours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L0G1DGCWwI
I know this isn't very scientific but in my experience many women seem to think Billy Connolly is hilarious and most men tend to find him a bit meh.
It is short step from idly speculating about this sort of thing and media types earnestly talking about demographics and the need to commission more comedy programmes aimed at women. And I don't think any of us want that.
Quote: Timbo @ February 22 2010, 11:26 PM GMTIt is short step from idly speculating about this sort of thing and media types earnestly talking about demographics and the need to commission more comedy programmes aimed at women. And I don't think any of us want that.
You, as a man, might not want that - but what about everyone else?
I certainly don't want shows aimed at what they think women want.
They try this contrived shit and it NEVER works.
Quote: zooo @ February 22 2010, 11:39 PM GMTI certainly don't want shows aimed at what they think women want.
They try this contrived shit and it NEVER works.
Women always say that.
I don't know about differences between men and women but I do know that when someone has bad teeth they tend to cover their mouth when they laugh.
I think women laugh more than men, bit of a control/power struggle thing with men laughing at other people. Quite often on panel shows the men will pull faces (see Paul Merton and Sean Lock) when other people are trying to be funny, whereas women seem more content laughing at other people.
The same material is sometimes not seen as funny if delivered by a different sex. Whether this is nature or nurture I haven't thought about enough.
Take Loose Women, a daytime show featuring a group of middle aged women making a load pathetic fourth rate smutty innuendoes. The female audience find it hilariously funny but I couldn't imagine them being so tolerant to a bunch middle aged men pulling faces because some gadget makes vibrator noises.
Males who would find men funny doing the same Loose Women material (probably retrieved from Frankie Howerd's dustbin 40 years ago) would also probably be restricted to under 13s and Sun journalists.
Worth another topic but generational differences in humour can be even more of a problem. Porridge, Minder and Only Fools... were probably the only programmes my dad and I would both laugh at together.
On dating sites, women would often say that wanted a man who could make them laugh. What is sexy to women about men being funny?