I’d say it is same everywhere.
Personally I find Adam Sandler to be a dismal shadow of an actor. That may be because of the roles he takes but I am not even faintly interested in his movies.
Steve Martin however does have talent IMHO, but sometimes his movies are bland. All actors have that happen.
Ricky Gervais is a one trick pony and I have yet to see him display any acting genius. Granted he is talented but its in a narrow range.
Rowan Atkinson by comparison has a wide portfolio of performances and for my money tops the other contenders in this discussion.
OK. Well, it didn’t.
We seem to be having two different threads simultaneously and you seem to be the problem.
Some are talking about why Americans like movies made by bad actors.
Some are talking about why movies about horrible characters are popular.
I think you were trying to go for the latter in your OP. I was pointing out its not just an American thing. Ricky Gervais has made a career out of playing horrid people. In fact there is a long British tradition of just that going all the way back to Shakespeare. Then you contradict yourself.
You can’t say that playing horrid characters is an American phenomenon and then just dismiss any other examples just because you happen to like them.
To reply to the question the OP didn’t ask 
Many characters who are known for being annoying are brilliant- in other roles. I HATED Adam Sandler him in most of the SNL characters he came up with, and I couldn’t bear to watch pretty much any movie he did for quite some time. Then I saw 50 First Dates, and it was very well done and honestly touching. Wasn’t that him in The Wedding Singer, too? Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean is like itching powder to me, but I’ll watch Black Adder or his stand-up over and over.
Although not an Adam Sandler fan, I did like the way he seemed to caricature himself in Funny People.
My bad.
While it may not be obvious, that was what I was trying to find out. Do Americans ( and others ) enjoy annoying characters in American films because it’s what they were brought up with, or is there some other reason?
Sez who?
If you understood the post, you’d know that I was in fact asking if Americans like Steve Martin’s annoying characters because they are American, or if there is some other reason.
I find Gervais funny, because he appeals to the British sense of humour that I was brought up with.
You obviously take yourself far too seriously if you actually think anyone cares about your “grade”.
You don’t like Bruce’s films then.
The worst Thai films I ever saw were ones made by overseas companies with American actors eg Bangkok Dangerous with Nicholas Cage and The Hangover part 2 ( in which they drive a speedboat from Bkk to Krabi in a couple of hours:smack: )
Do you not see the disconnect between these two posts?
No.
To use your own terminology you don’t understand why Americans like comedies about horrid people played for laughs. When it is pointed out to you that many British comics do the same you say it’s a British thing, you wouldn’t understand.
It’s a universal part of comedy. All of Shakespeare’s comedies used horrid and annoying people for comedic effect. As do British and American comedies today. Roberto beginini is annoying in Italian. Jerry Lewis was annoying and had worldwide appeal. As I flip by Sabido Gigante I see annoying characters I don’t understand getting laughs. It’s not an American thing. It’s comedy.
If it was comedic, I’d laugh. I don’t. I don’t think any of the characters in Grownups were funny.
When Steve Martin or Steve Carrell play doormat wimps, I just want to slap them.
Obviously Americans find them amusing.
From the responses to my OP, some find Atkinson and Gervais irritating, while I find Atkinson hilarious and Gervais amusing.
My conclusion therefore, is that it is a cultural thing.
So my OP did provide me with the answer I was seeking.
Can’t get a better result than that.
To use your example of Grown Ups, it made over $100,000,000 outside of the US. I’m happy you can declare victory and move on.
Your sweeping generalizations are as flawed as your taste in film. I know Brits here who love Steve Martin and Steve Carrell and don’t care for Atkinson or Gervais. I, an American, love all four.
Saying that obviously Americans like certain American comedians that you find annoying is a vast overgeneralization. Some Americans agree with you. Some Brits do like those American comedians. I don’t think that people’s tastes in comedy are as strictly divided on national lines as you think.
No dammit I declared victory! I won!
You consider The Hangover Part II a Thai movie? Seriously?
Isn’t the original post really just saying, “Some people feel differently about some actors and movies than I do, and I don’t understand why”? Or am I missing some deeper, more profound level of the post?
I guess I read the OP to be asking why Americans like some “comedy” movies when they contain very faint humour at best. To be honest I agree except it doesn’t bother me, if people like the stuff thats fine.
There are cultural differences at play. Some years ago when in the US I went to a Hollywood TV studio to watch a game show. The audience were instructed and played like Pavlov’s dogs by a couple of impresarios in the wings holding up signs for laughter, clapping, jeers yadda yadda yadda. My Kiwi friends and I cringed with embarrassment - our polite reserve could not let us join in.
Looking back no harm was done, the American audience loved being there, and we were just uptight. But hey - we still have our dignity. 