Another Yank here. I remember Proops’ stand-up from Evening at the Improv and other shows way before WLIIA, and it was very funny (of course, on those shows you only saw the funniest bits). OTOH, one of the early shows of BBC 4 was a more recent version of his stand-up, and it was slightly funny only in a few spots. Mostly he seemed bored and slightly hostile.
Whoooooooosh 
I remember once a while ago a British tourist visiting Tibet stepped out of her hotel to suddenly get mobbed by a hysterical crowd and soon the police. She was dumb-founded, until she realized they were pointing at her shirt, which bore the image of Sgt. Bilko (Phil Silvers)–apparently he looks just like the Dali Lama. That was funny enough, but then I thought, “The Brits like ‘Sgt. Bilko’?”
It finished. Gervais did what he wanted to do. I was only planned to run that long. Two series and a two part xmas special.
Job done, move on. He’s now doing Extras Which is half way through the second series.
Actually, that makes sense – most of the act he performed can be summed up as “Boy, isn’t California great? Aren’t Californians wonderful? Nothing like those fuckheads in New York, huh?”.
It didn’t do much to endear him to the local crowd, but I can see it playing well on your side of the country. 
He definitely has a hostile, confrontational, somewhat superior tone…
The thing that impressed me the most was that one of the times I saw him, it was the evening of a day during which there had been one of the big anti-war rallies in SF. He had material, funny material, about what he’d just seen eariler that day. It was quite impressive.
At least someone got the joke
I’m an American and a fan of QI. I can’t figure out why Rich Hall is on there - he’s rarely funny except when set up to be funny. Seems like sometimes he talks just for the sake of not being left out of the episode.
So he’s “big” in the UK, eh? Sort of like this generation’s Jerry Lewis
Outside of Holliwood film Icons…
The Kenny Everett Radio show often featured clips of Emo Philips.
Kelly Monteith was quite popular in the late 70’s early 80’s
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in was on TV at the same time and was also popular.
We love all bitter, cynical and forensically scathing about Bush’s America Americans. Every time i’ve seen him, even on QI, he’s been killin’.
ZipperJJ, you might not find Rich Hall funny on QI, but the guy’s standup is very well regarded here, and IMO totally superb. He won the Perrier Award, which is the ultimate comedy accolade in the UK. Just my 20p’s worth.
When I was in school, Weird Al was much more popular than I remember him being when I moved here. I’ve never met an American who liked UHF, but I know plenty of Brits that did. Might just be my poor memory though.
Meet an American who LOVED UHF! Man that was some fun from Badgers we don’t need no stinkin’ badgers to The Beverly Hillbillies Theme to the Michael Richards Kiddie show – that is one freakin’ funny film.
SUPPLIES!!
/hijack
I love the categories they have. “Contemporary Comedy”, “Risque Comedy”, “Best of Channel 4 Comedy”?, “Cops and Robbers”, “Alien Invasion.”
I’m thinking of something orange. Something orange…
Count me as another American who loves UHF.
[hijack=2]
You get to drink from “THE FIRE HOSE!” YAAYYYYYY![/hijack]
Red Snappa!! [oooooh!!!] Vedddy tasty!!!
That’s a joke, right? 'Cause those are all Canadians.