the trip

What’s the primary difference between British and American humor? 

Americans don’t like the idea of revealing weakness, and if they do it’s very muted. Americans don’t like losers, while British really like losers. Americans like winners. Even if a person screws up, they basically have to be a winner at the end of the day. I don’t think Americans like looking at ugly people, either. Everyone has to be very good looking. That is, unless they are really interesting or it’s an old person—then they can be ugly. However, the upside is that you Americans try to look inside yourselves, understand yourselves and what makes you tick. We don’t do that in England. We’d rather kill ourselves then have any type of psychoanalysis. The upside is that we express affection for each other by taking the piss out of each other and mocking each other. We don’t really say “I Love You” in England. That’s why we’re oppressed emotionally. But it makes for better comedy, I think, when you’re ruder to each other.

via blackbook

Steve Coogan on Gentleman’s’ Clubs, The Trip, & Fighting with Co-Star Rob Brydon