# Canadian humor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230 "2012-02-28T05:37:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/21 "2012-02-29T22:27:16Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Cobie Smulders is Canadian, as is one of the main writers on HIMYM, so I think that explains some of the many Canadian jokes. Alan Thicke is a recurring guest, and Tim Horton’s did a lot of product placement one episode. You mean the one where Barney shoots his mouth off in a Tim Horton’s and finds out why we all have hockey sticks? I figured that was why they have so much Canadian humour in _that_ show, but not why it is such a common meme on tv in the States. Maybe there are Canadian writers on a lot of shows. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/22 "2012-02-29T23:07:06Z")
The point is that there is no point. It’s ethnic humor without being offensive; it can’t be offensive because it’s preposterous; discrimination against Canadians is nonexistent and there’s no harm in the joke. By making characters prejudiced agaisnt Canadians, you’re using the concept of racism and bigotry without actually invoking any. The joke goes beyond making a lame joke about Canadian things and **becomes a meta-joke about bigoted jokes themselves**. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/23 "2012-02-29T23:27:51Z")
It’s also a great place to park a girlfriend who doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/24 "2012-02-29T23:32:21Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > And here I thought Mexico was our beard. I didn’t think the US _needed_ one. After all, who is to stop it from displaying the orientation of its choice? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/25 "2012-03-01T06:05:08Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > …and Tim Horton’s did a lot of product placement one episode. Yeah, but the supposed Canadian cashier had a really thick Fargo-style North Dakota accent. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/26 "2012-03-01T11:01:01Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > Canada is the funny hat we wear on all the maps. Mexico is our tie. > **[Awesome Hats - Scandinavia and the World](https://satwcomic.com/awesome-hats)** > > Webcomic: Yes, Norway, Sweden and Denmark are wearing the hats from Hetalia. ;) > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Actually, America is Canada’s bitch, because we’re on top. 🙂 > **[Matter of Perspective - Scandinavia and the World](https://satwcomic.com/matter-of-perspective)** > > Webcomic: Don't be silly, Canada. > [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > And here I thought Mexico was our beard. > **[Denmark's Gaydar - Scandinavia and the World](https://satwcomic.com/denmark-s-gaydar)** > > Webcomic: After posting the comic about Canada being America’s hat, I got a lot of comments asking, “What about Mexico? They’re Americ [site not entirely sfw] ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/27 "2012-03-01T12:06:12Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Q. How do you get 200 Canadians out of a pool?[Spoiler]A. Say “Please get out of the pool.”\* > > \*Except for the one guy from Montreal saying “Non, you must ask me _een French!_”[/spoiler] I choked on my coffee over that one. It is far funnier than it _should_ be, but there you are. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/28 "2012-03-01T12:30:03Z")
I thought this thread would be about ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/29 "2012-03-01T12:32:38Z")
I thought this thread would be about Corner Gas, the funniest sitcom ever! Brent: Face it, Dad, you’re ornery. Oscar: I am not ornery! Brent: You once punched a skunk. Oscar: Well, he deserved it!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/30 "2012-03-01T13:05:14Z")
Jackass. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/31 "2012-03-01T13:49:47Z")
Not entirely germane to the phenomenon in sitcoms but the term Canadian is used in the midwest anyway as a thinly veiled code for “black person”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/32 "2012-03-01T14:13:11Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The point is that there is no point. It’s ethnic humor without being offensive; it can’t be offensive because it’s preposterous; discrimination against Canadians is nonexistent and there’s no harm in the joke. By making characters prejudiced agaisnt Canadians, you’re using the concept of racism and bigotry without actually invoking any. The joke goes beyond making a lame joke about Canadian things and **becomes a meta-joke about bigoted jokes themselves**. Excellent. > [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > Yeah, but the supposed Canadian cashier had a really thick Fargo-style North Dakota accent. There are several accents found in different regions of Canada. The west coast folks have the ‘surfer dude’-type accent, albeit very subtly, and not completely throughout the entire lexicon, but my SO gets a ribbing from me about it whenever I hear it come out of her. The maritimes (east coast) have a range of accents similar to what you might deem “Fargo-style”, the heaviest being spoken by our beloved Newfies (born and bred in Newfoundland). Of course Quebecers are mostly french-speaking. Ontarians, such as myself, by and large sound like most of the folks on any given US television show. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Maybe there are Canadian writers on a lot of shows. 🙂 Very likely. And you know that we completely crave recognition and validation from our totally cool American cousins. It makes me ill whenever there is an interview with some celebrity who’s visiting Canada, there is invariably a line of questions fishing for compliments about the city, region, or nation they are in. It’s natural to poke fun at ourselves, and provide some easy laughs for all, in the process! ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/33 "2012-03-01T16:17:31Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I dunno; I don’t know anyone just like him, but I can think of a few people who would be amalgamated into a guy like him. > [@Tapiotar](#): > > I’ve known guys from Upstate New York, northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the UP of Michigan who fit the Possum Lodge lifestyle perfectly. I knew it! 😛 I should add that I know Nova Scotians (is that what they’d be called?) and Toronto natives but neither fit the Red Green mold. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/34 "2012-03-01T16:44:56Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Cobie Smulders is Canadian, as is one of the main writers on HIMYM, so I think that explains some of the many Canadian jokes. Alan Thicke is a recurring guest, and Tim Horton’s did a lot of product placement one episode. I think it’s absolutely fair that, if Canada gets Cobie Smulders, we get to make jokes about Canada. Come on, it’s the least they can do. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/35 "2012-03-01T18:17:37Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Not entirely germane to the phenomenon in sitcoms but the term Canadian is used in the midwest anyway as a thinly veiled code for “black person”. That just makes it funnier for some reason (probably because most Canadians are so pale they glow in the dark). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/36 "2012-03-01T18:38:18Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > I thought this thread would be about Corner Gas, the funniest sitcom ever! > > Brent: Face it, Dad, you’re ornery. > Oscar: I am not ornery! > Brent: You once punched a skunk. > Oscar: Well, he deserved it!! > > 😃 People from outside Saskatchewan think Corner Gas was a sitcom. People from Saskatchewan know it was a documentary. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/37 "2012-03-01T19:15:17Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > There are several accents found in different regions of Canada. The west coast folks have the ‘surfer dude’-type accent, albeit very subtly, and not completely throughout the entire lexicon, but my SO gets a ribbing from me about it whenever I hear it come out of her. The maritimes (east coast) have a range of accents similar to what you might deem “Fargo-style”, the heaviest being spoken by our beloved Newfies (born and bred in Newfoundland). Of course Quebecers are mostly french-speaking. Ontarians, such as myself, by and large sound like most of the folks on any given US television show. Maritime and Newfie accents are dramatically different from Minnesota Nice; it’d be like confusing Irish and Australian. Maritime and Newfoundland speech is heavily influenced by Irish and Gaelic accents; Minnesota’s accent is to some extent influenced by Nordic speech. Ontarians speak an accent similar to American-generic but you might be surprised how quickly Americans will pick you out as Canadian; we absolutely aren’t the same. The difference is less pronounced as you move into large cities and up the educational ladder, but it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/38 "2012-03-01T19:15:26Z")
(duplicate deleted) ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/39 "2012-03-01T20:31:11Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That just makes it funnier for some reason (probably because most Canadians are so pale they glow in the dark). I prefer to be called translucent. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230/40 "2012-03-01T20:55:24Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > People from outside Saskatchewan think Corner Gas was a sitcom. > > People from Saskatchewan know it was a documentary. Heh - ain’t that the truth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-humor/614230.md?page=3)