Do you think that Indians have a sense of humour?

indiawise · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:21

I lived in bigger places and lived in smaller villages. As an Indian there is a sense of humour that I see and share with my Indian friends.
However
But whilst reading local newspaper editorials and Political rhetoric, viewing bureaucratic indifference to tourists etc., and bantam shared between indians and tourists and so on I wonder just what the perception is?!

So, even you firang indiaphiles..how do you see the Indian sense of humour?

I can actually hear the hard-worked moderators go.."Oh no..not again..another ridiculous thread". Honest this important feed-back is required, based on which the Agra gate fee issue may be viewed in a new light.

agni5454 · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by indiawise

I lived in bigger places and lived in smaller villages. As an Indian there is a sense of humour that I see and share with my Indian friends.
However
But whilst reading local newspaper editorials and Political rhetoric, viewing bureaucratic indifference to tourists etc., and bantam shared between indians and tourists and so on I wonder just what the perception is?!

So, even you firang indiaphiles..how do you see the Indian sense of humour?

I can actually hear the hard-worked moderators go.."Oh no..not again..another ridiculous thread". Honest this important feed-back is required, based on which the Agra gate fee issue may be viewed in a new light.

Indians in general are very conservative people. Do they have sense of humor? I think all humans has sense of humor but what one culture perceives to be funny may not be looked upon as humorous by another.

Merchant · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:36

"Goodness Gracious Me," predecessor to "The Kumars at No. 42" on the BBC, is one of the funniest things on TV. The skit about the Indian ad firm trying to develop a campaign to sell tampons will have you rolling around on the floor.

indiawise · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:55

Merchant.... "The Kumars at No. 42" is a spoof on Videshi Indian-Non-Indian Indians made by India-Non-indians (???!) for a mostly Videshi market.
And sort of made along the lines of the '70s Peter seller's movie called 'Party'.

hmmmphh....

Merchant · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:56

It's still pretty darn funny, even if it is diaspora humor!

SteveM · Jun 7th, 2005, 02:58

An Indian Joke is a serious thing, nothing to be laughed at!

phobal · Jun 7th, 2005, 03:34

Indians have some of the greatest sense of humor I have seen.

SHIMLA · Jun 7th, 2005, 08:48

Their sense of humour is lost when it comes to laughing at themselves.

docgirl2005 · Jun 7th, 2005, 09:40

I think Indians usually have a great sense of humor as long as there is no degrading joke on them. If thats the case, they can get very defensive and rightly so. I agree with Shimla, sometimes laughing at themselves is a problem. I hate generalizing though, how is it possible to give a correct answer on this one? There cant be a consensus on 1 billion people...

readmymind · Jun 7th, 2005, 09:58

last year i was visiting my indian boyfriend. all the stuff in his cupboards are in previously used jars. (dry spices in jars that had held pickles, and such) anyway, i saw some instant coffee, (coffee with chicory - new to me, but was worth trying), from india, and so i boiled the water and stirred in a spoon of the round coffee granules, watched and wondered just how long they would take to disolve. they just floated around while i stirred the hot water. i figured the coffee was old, or something since it wouldn't disolve

turns out i was trying to drink mustard seeds.

as i told the story to his mother, when i met her this year, she gave a smile. she has a sense of humor

(and she's an AWESOME cook... she taught me to make dosai

)

docgirl2005 · Jun 7th, 2005, 10:05

LightBulb as i told the story to his mother, when i met her this year, she gave a smile. she has a sense of humor

(and she's an AWESOME cook... she taught me to make dosai

)[/quote]

Hey thats a great story. Glad to know she taught you how to make Dosas. Yumm dosas are the best, but not too healthy, especially the ghee roast! So do you make dosas for your boyfriend now? And what about his mom?

readmymind · Jun 7th, 2005, 10:12

i don't know what ghee roast means

in all honesty, i've made the dosai since returning home, but from a mix, not from scratch. still have to learn that part.

my boyfriend lives quite a distance from me, although he is relocating, much closer, in a few months. i will then make dosai for him. i hope to be able to prepare a whole, (decent tasting), south indian meal for his parents when they visit next year. i'm enjoying the practice until then

Paagla Dashu · Jun 7th, 2005, 10:23

Sense of Humour?

Understanding Humour in a different country is very much dependent on one's understanding of the culture and the language of that country to a deep level - not superficially.

So - even though I am Indian myself, I cannot answer the question for all of India - only the parts where I have lived, understand the culture and the language (in various degrees) and/or had close friends from. People from these places have a great sense of humour:

Punjab
Kerala
West Bengal
Bihar
Orissa
Maharastrians

crvlvr · Jun 7th, 2005, 10:39

Unlike americans, an indian's sense of humour warms up only after he get to know you well. A typical american on the other hand may joke with almost anyone. just an observation..

emjoi · Jun 7th, 2005, 10:49

Watching my Indian inlaws, they most definitely have a sense of humour. They can work themselves up into an uproar of laughter.

But.... I listen to the gags, and I just don't get them. It's obviously humour based around their old life in Chennai, and without that background knowledge the jokes just don't make sense. Especially when they mix in rude Tamil words that make it all totally confusing.

*confused white guy smiling at a bunch of hysterical Indians wondering what the heck they are on about*

Jun 7th, 2005, 02:21	#1
indiawise Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: india Posts: 269	Do you think that Indians have a sense of humour? I lived in bigger places and lived in smaller villages. As an Indian there is a sense of humour that I see and share with my Indian friends. However But whilst reading local newspaper editorials and Political rhetoric, viewing bureaucratic indifference to tourists etc., and bantam shared between indians and tourists and so on I wonder just what the perception is?! So, even you firang indiaphiles..how do you see the Indian sense of humour? I can actually hear the hard-worked moderators go.."Oh no..not again..another ridiculous thread". Honest this important feed-back is required, based on which the Agra gate fee issue may be viewed in a new light.

Jun 7th, 2005, 02:58	#6
SteveM Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: UK Posts: 122	An Indian Joke is a serious thing, nothing to be laughed at! __________________ Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans.

Jun 7th, 2005, 08:48	#8
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,129	Their sense of humour is lost when it comes to laughing at themselves. __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Jun 7th, 2005, 09:58	#10
readmymind curious soul Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: california Posts: 137	last year i was visiting my indian boyfriend. all the stuff in his cupboards are in previously used jars. (dry spices in jars that had held pickles, and such) anyway, i saw some instant coffee, (coffee with chicory - new to me, but was worth trying), from india, and so i boiled the water and stirred in a spoon of the round coffee granules, watched and wondered just how long they would take to disolve. they just floated around while i stirred the hot water. i figured the coffee was old, or something since it wouldn't disolve turns out i was trying to drink mustard seeds. as i told the story to his mother, when i met her this year, she gave a smile. she has a sense of humor (and she's an AWESOME cook... she taught me to make dosai ) __________________ *~ everything is right for it's place and time ~*

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Jun 7th, 2005, 02:36	#3
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,071	"Goodness Gracious Me," predecessor to "The Kumars at No. 42" on the BBC, is one of the funniest things on TV. The skit about the Indian ad firm trying to develop a campaign to sell tampons will have you rolling around on the floor.

Jun 7th, 2005, 02:55	#4
indiawise Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: india Posts: 269	Merchant.... "The Kumars at No. 42" is a spoof on Videshi Indian-Non-Indian Indians made by India-Non-indians (???!) for a mostly Videshi market. And sort of made along the lines of the '70s Peter seller's movie called 'Party'. hmmmphh....

Jun 7th, 2005, 02:56	#5
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,071	It's still pretty darn funny, even if it is diaspora humor!

Jun 7th, 2005, 03:34	#7
phobal IM hoser Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: canaduh Posts: 519	Indians have some of the greatest sense of humor I have seen.

Jun 7th, 2005, 09:40	#9
docgirl2005 Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: usa Posts: 443	I think Indians usually have a great sense of humor as long as there is no degrading joke on them. If thats the case, they can get very defensive and rightly so. I agree with Shimla, sometimes laughing at themselves is a problem. I hate generalizing though, how is it possible to give a correct answer on this one? There cant be a consensus on 1 billion people...

Jun 7th, 2005, 10:05	#11
docgirl2005 Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: usa Posts: 443	LightBulb as i told the story to his mother, when i met her this year, she gave a smile. she has a sense of humor (and she's an AWESOME cook... she taught me to make dosai )[/quote] Hey thats a great story. Glad to know she taught you how to make Dosas. Yumm dosas are the best, but not too healthy, especially the ghee roast! So do you make dosas for your boyfriend now? And what about his mom?

Jun 7th, 2005, 10:12	#12
readmymind curious soul Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: california Posts: 137	i don't know what ghee roast means in all honesty, i've made the dosai since returning home, but from a mix, not from scratch. still have to learn that part. my boyfriend lives quite a distance from me, although he is relocating, much closer, in a few months. i will then make dosai for him. i hope to be able to prepare a whole, (decent tasting), south indian meal for his parents when they visit next year. i'm enjoying the practice until then

Jun 7th, 2005, 10:23	#13
Paagla Dashu Unreasonably Unreasonable Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Where They Wear Clogs Posts: 1,223	Sense of Humour? Understanding Humour in a different country is very much dependent on one's understanding of the culture and the language of that country to a deep level - not superficially. So - even though I am Indian myself, I cannot answer the question for all of India - only the parts where I have lived, understand the culture and the language (in various degrees) and/or had close friends from. People from these places have a great sense of humour: Punjab Kerala West Bengal Bihar Orissa Maharastrians

Jun 7th, 2005, 10:39	#14
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,303	Unlike americans, an indian's sense of humour warms up only after he get to know you well. A typical american on the other hand may joke with almost anyone. just an observation..

Jun 7th, 2005, 10:49	#15
emjoi Some dude Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 134	Watching my Indian inlaws, they most definitely have a sense of humour. They can work themselves up into an uproar of laughter. But.... I listen to the gags, and I just don't get them. It's obviously humour based around their old life in Chennai, and without that background knowledge the jokes just don't make sense. Especially when they mix in rude Tamil words that make it all totally confusing. confused white guy smiling at a bunch of hysterical Indians wondering what the heck they are on about

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