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Hilarious Times People Caught The UK Going ‘Too Far’ And Documented It In These 50 Pics
Ah, Britain—my old love. From the fabulous invention that is tea time to the country’s storied history, impressive architecture, and most of all gorgeous parks, I’ve been enamored with British culture for as long as I can remember.
However, like some of the nation’s more errr creative meals (beans on toast, you might be delicious but I’m looking at you), its culture also has some quirks. Absolutely fun and uniquely witty? Definitely! Chaotic to the max in an oh-so delightfully and distinctly British way? You can count on it.
To show you the depths and bizarre niches in British humor and everyday culture, Bored Panda has collected some of the best examples of things that will make you wonder whether, this time, Brits have gone too far. Personally, I hope Britain will never change—it’s far too entertaining to watch from the sidelines.
Psst, Pandas, I’m off to make myself a spot of Earl Grey, so have a scroll down and remember to upvote your fave pics. And be sure to check out Bored Panda’s exclusive interview about the role that British humor plays in its culture with London-based comedian and comedy writer Ariane Sherine.
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Best Thing In Today's Daily Mirror
Good Old National Trust
Historical Figures Lined Up For Reopening Of Museum Of Gloucester
British humor, let alone culture, gets more difficult to define the closer you look at it. At first glance, everything seems to be clear-cut: the Queen, the Victorian era, rading P. G. Wodehouse's books, looking posh, sounding posh, pip-pip, cheerio, drinking tea and eating crumpets, liking ships (and having lots of them!), and the Beatles to name a few iconic images. You can probably picture these without much effort.
If You Can Read This, You Are Not A Train!
There Is Something Terrifying Happening In Brighton, England
Welcome To Leigh
But once you start thinking about it, British culture becomes harder to define precisely. And naming a few examples of what’s overwhelmingly British doesn’t get to the essence of what makes British humor, well, British.
A Fine Example Of Sophisticated British Humour
Front Seat On A Double Decker Bus
Same in New Zealand - those seats are ALWAYS taken first on the double decker bus I catch.
When The Pubs Have Been Closed For 4 Months, A Bit Of Rain Won't Stop These Lads
I wanted to get a better handle on the link between humor and culture, so I reached out to comedian Ariane who’s working on a number of witty projects. Who better to talk about what makes people laugh than a British comedian who knows what the entire thing is all about?
When The Council Forget About A Sinkhole In Your Town
It Gets Confusing
Breakfast Trifle
Tbh, I would eat that. Certainly preferable to the traditional trifle lol.
Professional comedian Ariane told Bored Panda that humor plays a “huge role” in British culture. And this isn’t bound to change anytime soon. “I think it is inherently witty and quirky but coupled with a huge dose of irony and self-consciousness,” she noted that British wit often has a dollop of self-deprecation mixed into it.
Challenge Accepted
Found An Angry Note On My Car Today. I Replied
Ok, Who Did This?
Nope. Me too! Don't you just hate it when the chippy is using new potatoes though
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My Dad, God rest his soul, used to grab the packet of crisps off me, crush it, then say “There you go, you’ve got more now.” As he handed them back.
Load More Replies... We visited a plant that makes chips (fries, not crisps - that, we visited, too, but on another day) with school, and they usually track their size and cut the large ones in half and recirculate into process at a point upstream of size-checking. Therefore, even a potato of a car's size would, in case the plant was able to process it, be cut, cut, cut, cut until normally sized. But, yeah, the huge ones, somehow, make me happy a bit. Just because.
Fun fact! The longest chip/french fry in the batch is called, "The Loomster."
I loved playing this game too when I was young and I'm French maybe I have some British blood too (that would make me so happy)
Must be a guy talking- they’re always talking about the size of their spud
It reminded me of a time, like 10 years ago, when my grandpa brought me a big a$$ potato from a local farmers market and I made myself a whole plate of french fries with it. Good times. Anyway, don't mind me, go on xD
When he said "past time", I expected something more like "middle ages".
According to Ariane one of the best things that sum up the essence of British humor is the Very British Problems book series that also has a Twitter account. “It's sarcastic, petty, ridiculous, embarrassed, self-conscious, and underpinned with the knowledge and awareness of how silly Brits are,” the comedian said.
This Is The Most British Headline I Have Ever Seen
I just bought these exactly biscuits less than an hour ago XD nom nom!
My Local Cinema Being A Little Pessimistic About Reopening
The Joys Of Living In Britain
I also talked to Ariane about the impact that British soft power, films, and media have globally. In her opinion, the way that British culture is characterized all around the world is slightly inaccurate and doesn’t represent the reality of being a Brit.
What's More British Than Trains And Sausage
Got A Baked Bean Mug For My Birthday So Naturally I Did The Right Thing
A Very British Headline
They’re not all as glamorous as the stars you’re used to seeing on your TV screens (though I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that all brits have a secret use-in-an-emergency top hat and monocle kit; pity I haven’t been able to prove it yet).
An Actual Job Here In The UK
Google Maps Accurately Capturing U.k. Life (Leeds)
Northumberland... Lowest Population Density In England... Just How I Like It
“When people think of us, they think of the Royal Family, iconic images like London buses and phone boxes, afternoon tea, period dramas, and posh people—like Hugh Grant in Richard Curtis films!” Ariane explained how the world tends to think when it thinks of the UK.
A House Overtaking A Boat On The A30 Today
This Guy Is An Absolute Baller
I'll Never Get Tired Of East London
“They see us as charming and antiquated and think we're adorable. Spoiler: we're not really like this! Which they'll find out if they ever visit Britain, but I guess most people never do, so we remain cute and posh in their imaginations,” she said.
This proves that even a lack of travel can have its upsides, namely, maintaining the illusion that all brits are as charismatic and gorgeous as the delightful Mr. Grant.
Hipster Level: London
Cheerio Germs
At first I was thinking "hang on, aren't cheerios American" lol. Was thinking of the cereal not the colloquial term for goodbye.
At First I Thought It Said Cornhole
Mom Brought A Slice Of Bread To Try Out Toasters
I know the pain. You think you've just bought a great little toaster. Open it up, and flipping a third of the bread sticks out when toasting. Why do they do that?!
Banksy Really Outdid Himself This Time
Found This In The Staff Room After The Morning Meeting...
Its Bank Holiday, Payday Friday. The Efforts For A 17:00 Post Work Pint Fill Me With National Pride. Liverpool
A Bloke Tucking Into Full English Breakfast On The Tube
I mean, as long as you don't spill it on someone else's shoes, enjoy your breakfast!
Looks Like A Rave
You Just Are
Breaking!!! Breaking!!! Hat Found!!!
If it is in good condition why destroy it, wash it and donate it instead.
Coronavirus Restrictions Are Being Eased Too Quickly
Who Amougst Us Hasn’t Dreamed Of Smelling Like Cherry Bakewell Tart Or Love Hearts?
Truly A National Tragedy
The Waitrose Way
"British Cuisine Is Bad" - Oh Yeah? Think Again
British Town Names
Came Across This House That Uses A Baby's Gate As A House Gate, Interesting Choice
Hey if it works. Seeing as the rocks are uneven, a baby gate kind of makes sense since the ends are adjustable.
To Be Honest Asda, I'd Rather You Got It From The Cow
I Took Cuthbert For A Charity Skydive
Bands Will Put Their Name On Anything These Days
Wrong Sort Of Heat
Pie On A Barm! Why Not!
Note: this post originally had 52 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
BP post about oddities in the UK - response from the Brits "ha, that's fun". BP post about oddities in the US - response from Americans "StOp MaKinG FuN of uS"
i'm guilty...still though, this post is full of fun things, while many of the US posts were about how stupid and ignorant they are. there were just a lot of posts bashing Americans and it got pretty old
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I love the British and the British food. So much more interesting than America and Americans to me.
Is it just me, or are the new pop up ads on this site really annoying?
As a Brit I scanned over the page, shrugged my shoulders and said ‘yeah, that’s about right, but there’s so much more our nation has to offer, we are a diverse bunch who have so many more ways to raise a smile in the stupidest and toughest of situations’. I’m friends with people all across Britain and I’ve travelled to our most northern islands and down to the southern tip of Cornwall, I’ve met plenty of decent folk and the odd f*****t, no one area is the greatest part but I can assure you that the greatest concentration of fuckwits is the Houses of Parliament that claims to represent us but spends more time lining its own nests rather than putting our people first. Hey ho, I’m off to brew a decent mug of tea and have a grumble to myself about the size of Wagon Wheels....
The US views 'British Culture' as Earl Grey tea and Hugh Grant. The author views it as the above. Both are wrong. There is no such thing as 'British Culture' (or even UK culture - they are different things) The above is specifically 'English' culture and although there may be a little overlap, if you go to Scotland, for example, you'll find vastly different foods and way of life on offer. To confuse anyone outside of the UK even many English people use the terms 'English', 'British' and 'UK' interchangeably. They mean vastly different things, like using 'French' to mean the whole of Europe, the Germans wouldn't be impressed, would they?
Speaking of Scotland, maybe you should look up the "no true Scotsman" fallacy. Because, with your logic, there is no such thing as *any* culture, because someone could make the same argument that "not everyone in that group is like that"... no matter how careful and narrow the culture is defined. --- I typed a comment earlier that Americans on this board keep getting agitated about posts about the US, but the Brits just laugh at ones like this... and then you come along and prove me wrong. I guess there are complainers no matter where you go.
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BP post about oddities in the UK - response from the Brits "ha, that's fun". BP post about oddities in the US - response from Americans "StOp MaKinG FuN of uS"
i'm guilty...still though, this post is full of fun things, while many of the US posts were about how stupid and ignorant they are. there were just a lot of posts bashing Americans and it got pretty old
Load More Replies... I love the British and the British food. So much more interesting than America and Americans to me.
Is it just me, or are the new pop up ads on this site really annoying?
As a Brit I scanned over the page, shrugged my shoulders and said ‘yeah, that’s about right, but there’s so much more our nation has to offer, we are a diverse bunch who have so many more ways to raise a smile in the stupidest and toughest of situations’. I’m friends with people all across Britain and I’ve travelled to our most northern islands and down to the southern tip of Cornwall, I’ve met plenty of decent folk and the odd f*****t, no one area is the greatest part but I can assure you that the greatest concentration of fuckwits is the Houses of Parliament that claims to represent us but spends more time lining its own nests rather than putting our people first. Hey ho, I’m off to brew a decent mug of tea and have a grumble to myself about the size of Wagon Wheels....
The US views 'British Culture' as Earl Grey tea and Hugh Grant. The author views it as the above. Both are wrong. There is no such thing as 'British Culture' (or even UK culture - they are different things) The above is specifically 'English' culture and although there may be a little overlap, if you go to Scotland, for example, you'll find vastly different foods and way of life on offer. To confuse anyone outside of the UK even many English people use the terms 'English', 'British' and 'UK' interchangeably. They mean vastly different things, like using 'French' to mean the whole of Europe, the Germans wouldn't be impressed, would they?
Speaking of Scotland, maybe you should look up the "no true Scotsman" fallacy. Because, with your logic, there is no such thing as *any* culture, because someone could make the same argument that "not everyone in that group is like that"... no matter how careful and narrow the culture is defined. --- I typed a comment earlier that Americans on this board keep getting agitated about posts about the US, but the Brits just laugh at ones like this... and then you come along and prove me wrong. I guess there are complainers no matter where you go.
Load More Replies... 