Americans voted "World's Funniest" but Canadians trail: Global Poll
By Contributor
The Americans have been voted the world’s “funniest nationality” — the one “best at making people laugh” — in a global poll, which rates Canadians as much less funny and the Germans the world’s “least funny” nationality.
Around 30,000 people across 15 countries, including Canada, were asked to name both the “funniest” and “least funny” nationality in a poll conducted by Badoo.com (http://www.badoo.com), the world’s largest social network for meeting new people, with 119 million users worldwide.
The Americans were voted the funniest nationality in the Badoo poll but Canadians ranked a lowly 12th out of 15, ahead of only the Germans, Turks and Poles.
“When we meet someone new, one of the first things we notice is whether they make us laugh,” said Lloyd Price, Badoo’s marketing director.
Americans are undoubtedly funny, says Price, but the low Canadian ranking is grossly unfair. Non-Canadians simply don’t realize how many of their favourite ‘American’ comic stars are actually Canadian: Jim Carrey, Seth Rogen, Mike Myers, Leslie Nielsen, Dan Aykroyd, Matthew Perry and Martin Short, among others.
“Canada probably turns out more great comedians per head than anywhere,” said Price. “If I were Canada, I’d demand a recount.”
At least Canada did not top the voting when Badoo asked users to name the world’s “least funny” nationality. That honour went to the Germans, confirming the verdict of America’s Mark Twain that “a German joke is no laughing matter.”
The British, creators of Monty Python and The Office, pride themselves on their humour but learn from the Badoo poll that they’re not as funny as they think. They placed just seventh of 15 – behind the Brazilians, French and Mexicans.
But they can console themselves, at least, that they still ranked well ahead of Canada.
Funniest Nationalities
- Americans
- Spanish
- Italian
- Brazilian
- French
- Mexican
- British
- Dutch
- Russian
- Belgian
- Argentinian
- Canadian
Least Funny
- German
- Russian
- Turkish
- Source: Badoo polled 30,000 users online in April/May 2011
