Canadian humour is an integral part of the Canadian Identity. There
are several traditions in Canadian humour in both English and French.
While these traditions are distinct and at times very different, there
are common themes that relate to Canadians' shared history and
geopolitical situation in North America and the world. Though neither
universally kind nor moderate, humorous Canadian literature has often
been branded by author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle as "gentle satire,"
evoking the notion embedded in humorist Stephen Leacock's definition
of humour as "the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life
and the artistic expression thereof."The primary characteristics of
Canadian humour are irony, parody, and satire. Various trends can be
noted in Canadian comedy. One thread is the portrayal of a "typical"
Canadian family in an ongoing radio or television series. Examples
include La famille Plouffe, with its mix of drama, humour, politics
and religion and sitcoms such as King of Kensington and La Petite Vie.
Another major thread tends to be political and cultural satire:
television shows such as CODCO, Royal Canadian Air Farce, La Fin du
monde est à 7 heures and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, monologuists such
as Yvon Deschamps and Rick Mercer and writers, including Michel
Tremblay, Will Ferguson and Eric Nicol draw their material from
Canadian and Québécois society and politics. Other comedians portray
absurdity; these include the television series The Kids in the Hall
and The Frantics, and musician-comedians such as The Arrogant Worms,
Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie and Bowser and Blue. Elements of satire
are to be found throughout Canadian humour, evident in each of these
threads, and uniting various genres and regional cultural
differences.As with other countries, humour at the expense of regional
and ethnic stereotypes can be found in Canada. Examples are 'Newfie'
jokes (with 'Newfie' being a colloquial term for a person from the
island of Newfoundland) and jokes revolving around English-speaking
Canadians' stereotype of French Canadians, and vice versa.Humber
College in Toronto and the École nationale de l'humour in Montreal
offer post-secondary programs in comedy writing and performance.
Montreal is also home to the bilingual (English and French) Just for
Laughs festival and to the Just for Laughs museum, a bilingual,
international museum of comedy.
are several traditions in Canadian humour in both English and French.
While these traditions are distinct and at times very different, there
are common themes that relate to Canadians' shared history and
geopolitical situation in North America and the world. Though neither
universally kind nor moderate, humorous Canadian literature has often
been branded by author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle as "gentle satire,"
evoking the notion embedded in humorist Stephen Leacock's definition
of humour as "the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life
and the artistic expression thereof."The primary characteristics of
Canadian humour are irony, parody, and satire. Various trends can be
noted in Canadian comedy. One thread is the portrayal of a "typical"
Canadian family in an ongoing radio or television series. Examples
include La famille Plouffe, with its mix of drama, humour, politics
and religion and sitcoms such as King of Kensington and La Petite Vie.
Another major thread tends to be political and cultural satire:
television shows such as CODCO, Royal Canadian Air Farce, La Fin du
monde est à 7 heures and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, monologuists such
as Yvon Deschamps and Rick Mercer and writers, including Michel
Tremblay, Will Ferguson and Eric Nicol draw their material from
Canadian and Québécois society and politics. Other comedians portray
absurdity; these include the television series The Kids in the Hall
and The Frantics, and musician-comedians such as The Arrogant Worms,
Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie and Bowser and Blue. Elements of satire
are to be found throughout Canadian humour, evident in each of these
threads, and uniting various genres and regional cultural
differences.As with other countries, humour at the expense of regional
and ethnic stereotypes can be found in Canada. Examples are 'Newfie'
jokes (with 'Newfie' being a colloquial term for a person from the
island of Newfoundland) and jokes revolving around English-speaking
Canadians' stereotype of French Canadians, and vice versa.Humber
College in Toronto and the École nationale de l'humour in Montreal
offer post-secondary programs in comedy writing and performance.
Montreal is also home to the bilingual (English and French) Just for
Laughs festival and to the Just for Laughs museum, a bilingual,
international museum of comedy.
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