“Is there such a thing as German humor? They have humor, it’s just well hidden.
[Music]
So, this is the most questioned question to ask the Brits: what do the Brits think of the Germans? As you can see, I’m back in England and I’m here to answer this question for as many Brits as I can. This is my first time in St. Albans, a smaller part of England that many of you Germans may not know about. So, let’s go find out.
[Music]
What do you think of the Germans?
- Love them to bits, yeah. Always have. Ever since I was a youth, 40-50 years ago, I was younger and prettier looking. I found myself in Germany roughly every two months over a period of about five years and had wonderful experiences. Germans are very hospitable in my experience, more hospitable than the French. They don’t really get British humor as much. I haven’t personally seen it that much, but my mom says there’s a thing about Germans always making bowel or toilet-related jokes and not really getting sarcasm. I think they’re funny. Their language is kind of intimidating. If I was to get yelled at by a German person, it’s very strong.
- I’ve had a bit of a German renaissance recently. I’ve met a couple of new German friends in my life and they’re amazing. They’re cool.
- Have you spent a bit of time with them?
- Sure, yeah. I live in Germany, in Munich.
- I have a great deal of respect for them. I think they’re generally very competent. Occasionally, if they are incompetent, they’re very incompetent, but it doesn’t happen often. Regardless of what happened 70 years ago, that was driven by a small group of people. But I would say they make good cars. All the engineering is excellent; German products are fantastic.
- I agree. Their biggest export is cars.
- I was based in Germany as a squad, so I lived there for five years.
- Have you picked up the German accent?
- Yes.
- How did you acquire it so quickly?
- I don’t know. I think I’m always of German, so maybe that’s what’s happened. Maybe I’m sounding German and I don’t realize.
- You will be a fully-fledged German soon. Germans are always on time.
- That’s good. No, that’s great. I like that; it’s right up my street. I’ve got two girls and they’re terrible with time, awful.
- I think it’s a British thing. We’re just terrible at timekeeping.
- Do you think the Brits can out-drink the Germans?
- Absolutely not. Over the duration, we could take them, but in terms of volume, those German bellies can take it. They’re experienced; you don’t take on a pro. We’re good for an IPA session all day, but they’re professionals.
- What do you think of German humor?
- I don’t think I’ve seen anything yet. I feel like it’s better than English humor because anything is better than English humor. There isn’t really a German humor, but there is a German comedian on the circuit and he’s not that great, to be honest.
- I’ve seen him pop around, especially in Germany. There are differences, certainly. A lot of English humor isn’t appreciated in Germany. Understatements are completely lost on Germans, whereas they’re a big part of English humor.
- Is there such a thing as German humor? They have humor; it’s just well hidden. One of my recent friends, you have to mention Fawlty Towers in this sequence. Don’t mention the war. This is the big elephant in the room. I’ve pushed them to watch this episode so many times because you can’t mention the war without it. It just goes over their heads.
- What would be to like about a mad hotelier in Torquay hitting a Spaniard around the head?
- We’re all just people, right? And I think from being in Germany and in England, the Brits and Germans are too similar. They don’t realize it. I’ve had so many similar questions from both Germans and Brits. That’s what’s so interesting. The English take everything seriously; Germans, not so much.
- They have vice versa; it’s a white sausage and they don’t eat the skin.
- I don’t eat the skin on any sausage, but Cumberland sausages, no, I don’t eat the skin. Maybe it’s just me.
- I’ve just realized maybe I’ve been eating sausages wrong the whole time. Are we supposed to eat the skin on the sausage?
- We are supposed to.
- Some guys said we weren’t supposed to for our all-day breakfast. It was a complete no. Well, I’m glad now that the Germans are watching this that we do eat the skin on the sausages.
- Do you guys want to be in a quick video? What do you think of the Germans?
- I think I’ve landed in some German community here. The one time I try to get away from the Germans, they come over.
- Okay, let’s go.
- I think they’re great, not another European country. People, yeah. There’s always a lot going on in Germany. My mom actually lives in Berlin and has for eight years.
- Oh wow, and she still lives there?
- Yeah. I live in Germany too, so it’s really cool. We do irony much better than the Germans. The Germans are very good at doing silly, or they were 40 years ago. How they are now, I don’t really know. Schadenfreude, for example. When someone stubs their toe, it’s hilarious to them because it hasn’t killed you.
- I’d say we’re pretty closely aligned. From here to Germany is 600-700 miles, really. Northern European.
- We’re more similar than we think to the Germans, 100%. So, villain council, du sprichst ein bisschen Deutsch, ja?
- Yes, my German isn’t very good.
- Wow. This is the side note they can’t see. I hope your wife gets better too.
- I don’t think she’s going to get well enough to travel outside this country. She’s heartbroken.
- Well, I hope she does okay. It was lovely speaking.
- Cheers. Have a nice day.
- Is that still recording?”
- Hospitable: Friendly and welcoming towards guests or visitors.
- Bowel: Referring to the intestine or digestive tract.
- Sarcasm: Using irony or mocking humor to convey contempt or ridicule.
- Intimidating: Causing fear or apprehension; frightening or threatening.
- To get yelled at: To receive angry or loud verbal reprimands or criticism.
- Competent: Having the necessary ability, skill, or knowledge to do something effectively.
- Incompetent: Lacking the necessary ability, skill, or knowledge to do something effectively.
- To be driven by: Motivated or influenced strongly by a particular factor or force.
- Pick up: To acquire or learn something, often unintentionally or gradually.
- Fully-fledged: Completely developed or matured; fully qualified or experienced.
- Right up my street: Perfectly suited to one’s interests or preferences.
- Timekeeping: The act or practice of managing and keeping track of time, especially punctuality.
- Out-drink: To consume more alcohol than someone else in a drinking contest or social setting.
- Bellies: Referring to the stomach or abdomen.
- Take on (a challenge): To accept or confront a difficult task or situation.
- The big elephant in the room: An obvious problem or issue that everyone is aware of but nobody wants to discuss openly.
- To go over one’s head: To fail to be understood or appreciated by someone; to be ignored or misunderstood.
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word or phrase from the vocabulary section.
- Some medical conditions can affect the functioning of the __________, leading to digestive issues and discomfort.
- The complex mathematical equation seemed to __________, leaving her feeling confused and frustrated.
- After indulging in a hearty meal, they patted their __________ contentedly, feeling satisfied with the delicious food.
- Whenever he made a mistake, he dreaded having to __________ by his boss in front of the entire team.
- The hotel staff were incredibly __________, offering us refreshments upon arrival and ensuring our every need was met during our stay.
- Despite his small stature, he could easily __________ his larger companions when it came to drinking beer at the pub.
- She was eager to __________ the challenge of learning to play the piano, despite knowing it would require dedication and practice.
- Despite his best efforts, he felt __________ in his attempts to learn the new software, requiring additional training to improve his skills.
- His passion for environmental conservation __________ his career choices, leading him to pursue opportunities in sustainable development.
- The prospect of giving a presentation to the board of directors was __________, but with adequate preparation, she managed to deliver it confidently.
- As she traveled around the world, she began to __________ phrases in different languages, gradually becoming multilingual.
- She proved herself to be highly __________ in her role, consistently delivering exceptional results and exceeding expectations.
- The idea of hiking through the wilderness for days on end was not __________, but she loved the idea of exploring nature and challenging herself.
- His obsession with punctuality and precise __________ bordered on neurotic, as he insisted on arriving precisely on time for every appointment.
- When discussing the company’s financial difficulties, nobody wanted to address __________: the mismanagement of funds by the CEO.
- After completing his apprenticeship, he became a __________ chef, capable of managing a kitchen and creating complex dishes with ease.
- His remark was dripping with __________, but she failed to detect the underlying criticism and took it at face value.
