# Germans are funny darnit! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458 "2012-05-10T01:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/1 "2012-05-10T01:41:00Z")
I’m really tired of this stereotype. I’ve known two Germans for over ten years and they laugh at my jokes and I laugh at theirs. Here is an [example](http://youtu.be/HBaZ7z-x7NQ). ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/2 "2012-05-10T01:51:46Z")
[Yeah, just take a look at German ambassador to the UN on Colbert.](http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/wed-may-2-2012-jonathan-haidt) (Skip to ~9:50.) ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/3 "2012-05-10T02:26:29Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > [Yeah, just take a look at German ambassador to the UN on Colbert.](http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/wed-may-2-2012-jonathan-haidt) > > (Skip to ~9:50.) One word “Awesome” That is all ---
**Author:** ![kmshrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@kmshrader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmshrader)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/4 "2012-05-10T03:05:11Z")
[Here’s another](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSq7D6aX4dI), since we’re dropping links, though I’ve been told it’s a bit less funny if you don’t understand the words. As for why this stereotype exists - it’s a lot easier to demonize people who “don’t have a sense of humor”. And it’s lasted because Germans are notoriously hard to get to know, so it would be a bit hard to clear up this misconception with just casual contact. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/5 "2012-05-10T03:33:59Z")
> [@kmshrader](#): > > [Here’s another](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSq7D6aX4dI), since we’re dropping links, though I’ve been told it’s a bit less funny if you don’t understand the words. > > As for why this stereotype exists - it’s a lot easier to demonize people who “don’t have a sense of humor”. And it’s lasted because Germans are notoriously hard to get to know, so it would be a bit hard to clear up this misconception with just casual contact. Really this hasn’t been my experience at all, Ich habe freundin im Frankreich, and almost every German I have met has been an easy going blast. Heck even the Lutheran Germans here in Texas are pretty cool if conservative. I actually think it is spoken German, which can sound rather harsh esp High German, which perpetuates this stereotype. Just go to you tube and watch the millions of parodies of the bunker scene in Downfall IMHO ---
**Author:** ![kmshrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@kmshrader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmshrader)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/6 "2012-05-10T03:42:03Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Really this hasn’t been my experience at all, Ich habe freundin im Frankreich, and almost every German I have met has been an easy going blast. It also has to do with the region you’re in, I imagine, much like in the States. What do you mean with the German tucked in there, though? Should that be “Freunden”? Do you mean that they live in France? If so, isn’t that comparable to ex-pat Americans? Not really the same as meeting them in their hometown, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/7 "2012-05-10T03:42:32Z")
**KMS** awesome video, it has subtitles if you want them, I need them because my German is terrible thanks ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/8 "2012-05-10T18:17:47Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > [Yeah, just take a look at German ambassador to the UN on Colbert.](http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/wed-may-2-2012-jonathan-haidt) > > (Skip to ~9:50.) I love that clip too, but I asked a friend of mine who is German if that was a real accent and she said yes but it sounds more Austrian. I guess there’s not much of a difference though when it comes to a sense of humor. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/9 "2012-05-10T21:05:59Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > I love that clip too, but I asked a friend of mine who is German if that was a real accent and she said yes but it sounds more Austrian. Possibly…it’s also possible he’s American. All I know for sure is that he’s not _really_ the German ambassador to the UN, unfortunately. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/10 "2012-05-10T21:38:51Z")
> [@kmshrader](#): > > It also has to do with the region you’re in, I imagine, much like in the States. What do you mean with the German tucked in there, though? Should that be “Freunden”? Do you mean that they live in France? If so, isn’t that comparable to ex-pat Americans? Not really the same as meeting them in their hometown, is it? You are correct about the spelling but Frankreich is the area surrounding Neremburg in Bavaria, it has its own dialect ---
**Author:** ![kmshrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@kmshrader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmshrader)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/11 "2012-05-10T22:41:39Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > You are correct about the spelling but Frankreich is the area surrounding Neremburg in Bavaria, it has its own dialect Um. Really not trying to nitpick, but you’re referring to **Franken** (English name Frankonia), the area near **Nuremburg** (German name Nürnberg). I lived in Bamberg, about an hour north of Nürnberg by train, and my Hochdeutsch is riddled with Fränkisch (the name of the dialect you’re referring to). Frankreich is France and, unless they’ve renamed someplace else in the region in an effort to spread confusion, _only_ France. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/12 "2012-05-11T01:06:10Z")
> [@kmshrader](#): > > Um. Really not trying to nitpick, but you’re referring to **Franken** (English name Frankonia), the area near **Nuremburg** (German name Nürnberg). I lived in Bamberg, about an hour north of Nürnberg by train, and my Hochdeutsch is riddled with Fränkisch (the name of the dialect you’re referring to). Frankreich is France and, unless they’ve renamed someplace else in the region in an effort to spread confusion, _only_ France. Sasch called it as such but that well may be Sasch, my German is terrible. There were constant jokes about independence and that may have come from that as well, all of the people working with me were members of the Franconian Liberation Army and loudly spoke of their persecution by the Bavarians, this was a joke of course ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/13 "2012-05-11T20:05:04Z")
Did you ever notice how men always leave the toilet seat up? . . . . . That’s the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/14 "2012-05-11T20:10:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Did you ever notice how men always leave the toilet seat up? > . > . > . > . > . > That’s the joke. You suck, McBain! ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/15 "2012-05-11T22:25:09Z")
Fawlty Towers, classic British sit com about an incredibly rude small hotel owner played by John Cleese. In one episode a party of Germans come to stay there, and Basil Fawlty after receiving a blow to the head starts acting strangely. He becomes obsessed with not offending them by mentioning the war, but of course ends up totally shocking them and one poor lady ends up in tears. John Cleese said that when he was in a German hotel after the series had finished, a German business man caught his eye across the lobby and shouted across “Don’t mention the war John !” Yes they definitely do have a sense of humour. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/16 "2012-05-11T23:11:34Z")
> [@kmshrader](#): > > Um. Really not trying to nitpick, but you’re referring to **Franken** (English name Frankonia), the area near **Nuremburg** (German name Nürnberg). Nitpicking your nitpick: the English names are Franconia and Nuremberg. ---
**Author:** ![kmshrader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@kmshrader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kmshrader)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/17 "2012-05-12T03:02:44Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Nitpicking your nitpick: the English names are Franconia and Nuremberg. Touché, my dear sir. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/18 "2012-05-12T14:15:25Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > I’m really tired of this stereotype. I’ve known two Germans for over ten years and they laugh at my jokes and I laugh at theirs. [Even Hitler liked to tell a good joke…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfyHUrL2O6g) ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/19 "2012-05-12T16:35:00Z")
One of the funniest, recent YouTube clips that went viral recently was from a German TV show: [Dad, How Do You Like That iPad We Bought You?](http://www.wimp.com/dadipad/) ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458/20 "2012-05-12T16:41:39Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > One of the funniest, recent YouTube clips that went viral recently was from a German TV show: > [Dad, How Do You Like That iPad We Bought You?](http://www.wimp.com/dadipad/) That is funny without translation:D [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germans-are-funny-darnit/621458.md?page=2)