Which Countries Are The Funniest?
Jun 07
Updated June 2022
Because this piece sparked some interest when it was first published, I went back and selected a handful of comedians from the countries on this list for your viewing (or laughing?) pleasure. If you thought my country selections were poor, I now have proof to back it up! I strongly advise you to look up some of the comedians mentioned in this post on YouTube or another video platform so you can get a sense of their humor and how it reflects that of their respective countries.
Geographical location can have a big impact on how people think about comedy and humor. Depending on where they reside or what area of the country they are from, different people will find things amusing. Some countries, on the other hand, are known for their national sense of humor or sarcastic outlook on life.
Here are a few countries with people that like a good chuckle, in no particular order. Keep in mind, though, that different cultures find a wide range of things amusing. What is popular in the American Midwest, for example, may be unfamiliar to someone living on an Indonesian island. When it comes to the often absurdities of daily life, most countries have a decent sense of humor—it simply might not be the same as yours.
5 Countries With A Sense Of Humor
1. Canada
Canada must be one of the few countries in the world to build a comedy museum. But what does it say that the Just for Laughs Museum, which also served as ground zero for Montreal’s annual comedy festival, closed its doors in 2010? Still, Canadians generally are known for their quirky, understated or offbeat humor. They’re also gracious on those (frequent) occasions when they are the butt of someone else’s (usually an American’s) joke.
Canadian Comedians
Russell Peters
Russell Peters is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker of Indo-Canadian descent. In 1988, he began performing in Vancouver, Canada, and won a Gemini award for his first comedy album, “The Last Laugh.” He was also named one of Variety’s “Ten Actors To Watch” that year. He was the first Canadian comedian to obtain a Netflix stand-up special, and he was named number five on the “world’s most paid comedians” list in 2020.
Peters is regarded as a multifaceted personality. Naturally, his first personality trait is that of a comedian; he is easygoing, laid-back, and has a “funny-factor” that appeals to all audiences. Politics, life, sex, family, death, love, work, and even religion are all issues that he uses to make people laugh. He’s always seeking for ways to inject humor into a situation, and his performances are no exception. He is a one-of-a-kind comic who has amassed a sizable and well-deserved fanbase in recent years.
Jim Carrey
Yes – Jim Carrey is Canadian!
James Eugene Carrey, better known as Jim Carrey, is an American-Canadian actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer.
He first gained fame for his starring role in the late 1990s on the popular American comedy television show In Living Color. In addition to starring in that series, he wrote, directed, and produced the movie, “The Mask,” which he also co-starred in. The Mask became a massive success at the time of its release, and it remains a box office smash to this day.
2. United Kingdom
British comedy has historically been built around situational humor (these people have been through a lot in 35,000 years and have trained themselves to see the humor in everything from the weather to quinoa) and wacky exaggeration. They are masters of wordplay and ironic dialogue on every level of society and use language as a means of humorous political commentary like no one else. Add to that, the Brits also have a deep appreciation for physical comedy – think Monty Python, Mr. Bean, the list goes on. Taking the piss – humor that involves appearing to be serious but actually being anything but is a peculiarly British specialty.
British Comedians
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais is a comedian, actor, and writer from the United Kingdom. He is most recognized for his work on the British sitcom The Office, which he created, wrote, and acted in. He’s also known for co-writing and directing other comedies, including as 2009’s “The Invention of Lying,” and for his frequent cameo appearances on various television shows. Gervais is widely regarded as one of the best stand-up comedians in the world, in addition to his amazing acting abilities.
Ricky is one of the few comedians in the United Kingdom who can claim to have sparked a cultural revolution through his work. He has published multiple books in which he uses his well-known sense of humour to analyze various elements of British life, and he has also written extensively on topics ranging from sex and relationships to the national language, English.
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson is an award-winning actor, writer, and comedian most famous for his role in the sitcoms Mr. Bean and Blackadder.
Before continuing, I must admit that ever since the days of Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson has been one of my favorite comedians. I find that the best thing about him is that he seemingly never gets bored with what he does. His talent for writing and acting allows him to create the characters he wants to create. In addition, he can skillfully change the way he speaks, as well as his body language, to create such unique performances that they’re bound to stick in your head and make you laugh even months down the right. At least they have this effect on me!
3. India
Although private humor is rampant in India, publicly things tend to be more pompous and self-important and a national sense of humor often seems to be lacking. That may be changing with younger generations of Indians who are using the Internet for satirical and comic purposes in record numbers. It also helps that second-generation North American comics such as Aziz Ansari and Russell Peters are spinning relate-able tales of East/West cultural confusion.
Indian Comedian – Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari is an Indian actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director who was born in the United States. He is best known for playing Tom Haverford in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He is also a comedian and actor who has appeared in films such as Get Him to the Greek, This Is the End, and others.
The Netflix comedy series Master of None is Ansari’s most recent production.
This program is a little different from the TV comedies you’re used to, but it’s still a lot of fun and entertainment. It’s a terrific way to get to know Aziz Ansari, a comedian and actor with a lot to give.
4. Denmark
If you think weird is good then Danes definitely have a great sense of humor. They prefer sarcasm and the dark and uncomfortable side of humor rather than the jokes, witticisms or gags that Americans and other nationalities find funny. Denmark’s long-standing tradition of freedom of speech is continually being pushed to the max. Even on the world stage, there is nothing sacred, their sense of dark humor can lead them to places where other nationalities might fear to go. One example could be Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier telling a room full of journalists at Cannes that he was a Nazi. He later tried to explain, “It was a stupid joke. But that’s the kind of humor I use when I talk to my friends, who know me and know I’m not a Nazi.”
5. Malaysia
Crowned the “world’s funniest person” in 2016, Malaysian stand-up comedian Harith Iskander is proof that this Asian island nation knows how to tickle the global funny bone. The contest, which was sponsored by the US comedy club Laugh Factory and hosted by the likes of Chris Rock and Jay Leno, invited fans from around the world to vote online. Iskander credits his win to using “local material with an international context.” Semi-finalists included comedians from Greece, Israel, India, and the Philippines.
