There’s nothing quite like British comedy. Though it’s got its fabulous fans and cranky critics, there’s no doubt that this particular brand of rapier-sharp wit and self-aware and self-deprecating humor has had a major impact on the world. The United Kingdom’s soft power arsenal is vast and far-reaching indeed.
But British joke culture is more than just about Blackadder, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and endless quips about scones. The closer you look at daily life in the UK, the more you realize just how bizarre things can get. The ‘No Context Britain’ Facebook page documents some of the funniest memes about daily British life. And anyone who’s ever lived there will probably find them incredibly relatable.
Check out the funniest pics below, upvote the ones that you liked the most, and let us know which of these got you chuckling and thinking how much you’d love a Sunday roast right about now. Cheerio!
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Mate, do you want to be seen or not?
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At the time of writing, ‘No Context Britain’ had just shy of 11k followers on Facebook. British memes and daily comedy are actually very popular topics on social media. Naturally, there’s a bit of competition for internet users’ attention.
For instance, here on Bored Panda, we’ve featured ‘Casual UK,’ ‘No Context Brits,’ and ‘No Context UK.’ Give ‘em a read if you’re in the mood for some more Albion-esque wit and quips, once you’re done enjoying this list.
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Another juggler gives up on his dreams.
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Quite a few of the pics shared by the founder of ‘No Context Britain’ might evoke deep and thoughtful questions, such as: ‘What?’, ‘Huh?’, And, ‘What in the King’s name is going on?!’
More context would be lovely to have. Without it, though, we’re free to make up our interpretations. On the flip side, anyone who’s lived in the UK for an extended period of time might pick up on the context.
Someone who only visited London for a few days while on vacation, however, might not. Thankfully, this is the internet we’re talking about, and there are tons of people who’d be more than happy to explain the memes to you.
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A while ago, Bored Panda had gotten in touch with British comedy writer and journalism expert Ariane Sherine, for a chat about the UK, its food, and the weather.
She described the character of the British as “witty, grumpy, cynical, endearing, passive-aggressive, repressed, kind, tolerant, and reserved.”
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According to British comedy expert Ariane, the UK (at least to her) means: “National Trust historic properties, Grade II-listed houses, Routemaster buses, ancient magazines in doctors’ waiting rooms, people moaning about the weather (and also moaning about public transport and celebrities and the government)… queues, sunburn, red postboxes, the Royal family, pop music, and great jokes.”
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The comedy pro shared her recommendations for when it comes to sampling a bit of British cuisine. “Go to the seaside town of Whitby and try fish and chips. Or a steak and kidney pie with gravy. You can thank me later,” she suggested to anyone who’s visiting the UK for the very first time.
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Please don’t season pigeons.
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Rod Stewart is looking well
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Meanwhile, before that, writer Ariane was kind enough to share her take on the state of journalism in the UK. She shared her thoughts about tabloids (aka ‘red tops’) with Bored Panda.
“I think the British press, particularly the sensationalist yellow press uses a lot more wordplay, humor, and puns in headlines—and also employs shock to grab the reader,” she said.
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He was ahead of his time.
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“You’ve also got our tabloid the Daily Sport, which I wouldn’t even class as a newspaper as it’s mostly made up for entertainment and titillation!” the writer said.
“I definitely think people read the Sport purely for cheeky entertainment and to look at scantily clad women, as it’s only meant for that.”
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She noted that “a lot of people get all their news from the Sun or Star, which is a bit worrying. They definitely believe everything they read in those papers—and they shouldn’t!”
When it comes to writing a good, catchy headline, it really depends on the topic that’s being covered. “What’s the human interest angle? What would grab my attention? You have to distill the story into its essence in one sentence. What makes it entertaining?”
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And no collection of memes is ever complete without at least referring to one bizarre British headline. The puns, angles, as well as the topics themselves, are usually second-to-none. And they’re usually prime examples of how humor in the UK works.
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Which of these memes confused you the most? Were there any that made you chuckle and forward them to your pals? What, dear Pandas, is quintessentially ‘British’ to you? We’d love to hear what you think, so pop down by the comment section and spill the (baked) beans.
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Remember Clippy? This is him now.
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Thought it was the Honey Monster for a second.
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Source: boredpanda.com