Thread: Tim Kirby on YouTube

If you want to learn about Culture etc. from an American living there. Start with this one about -- what else? -- водка!

http://www.youtube.com/user/tkirby3679# ... mEphVR2fw0

According to his interview to "Эхо Москвы" where he drew a bleak picture of the life in the USA he might look a bit of a traitor or even the enemy of the nation to an average American had the interview been in English. He is okay to a Russian though. Speaks the language fluently enough with a pleasant accent as I think most native English speakers do, which makes the funny things he sometimes says even funnier.
I didn’t get though what’s so amusing in those in Russia car drives you jokes. OK, the idea is that in Russia whatever they do they do it backwards, not like normal people do. But do Americans find these funny?
In America, you listen to the radio
In Soviet Russia, the radio listens to you
In America, your job determines your marks
In Soviet Russia, Marx determines your job
In America, you assassinate the president
In Soviet Russia, the president assassinates you
Well, maybe there is something in the Marx joke, but what about the many others? Do they really make you laugh and it’s only my lack of cultural background?

Originally Posted by alexB

According to his interview to "Эхо Москвы" where he drew a bleak picture of the life in the USA he might look a bit of a traitor or even the enemy of the nation to an average American had the interview been in English. He is okay to a Russian though. Speaks the language fluently enough with a pleasant accent as I think most native English speakers do, which makes the funny things he sometimes says even funnier.
I didn’t get though what’s so amusing in those in Russia car drives you jokes. OK, the idea is that in Russia whatever they do they do it backwards, not like normal people do. But do Americans find these funny?
In America, you listen to the radio
In Soviet Russia, the radio listens to you
In America, your job determines your marks
In Soviet Russia, Marx determines your job
In America, you assassinate the president
In Soviet Russia, the president assassinates you
Well, maybe there is something in the Marx joke, but what about the many others? Do they really make you laugh and it’s only my lack of cultural background?

The "in Soviet Russia" jokes were invented by Yakov Smirnoff.
His humour is based on culture clash experienced by an immigrant. Half way through the article, there's a bit about the "in Soviet Russia" jokes. Essentially, they carry political subcontext and is as much a commentary on Soviet Russia as on the American perceptions of it. The jokes are not about backwardness of Russia but about politics. His most famous line is "In America you watch television. In Soviet Russia television watches you". The derivative jokes are not always funny (or not funny to everyone), the joke is in the (cultural) reference to the original jokes. They are also not political anymore (or not always) but are rather a form of absurd humour (which is not for everyone, sadly).

Another acceptable one, where television watches you. I actually read the 1984 and can you imagine that, it was in English. Sad story and quite an interesting one. I nailed it in a day or two, I was so taken by it.

Originally Posted by alexB

Another acceptable one, where television watches you. I actually read the 1984 and can you imagine that, it was in English. Sad story and quite an interesting one. I nailed it in a day or two, I was so taken by it.

1984 is a good book but you should read (if you havent already) We (Мы) by Zamyatin as its influence on Orwell is obvious. I actually prefer We to 1984.

I prefer "Animal farm".

https://www.facebook.com/timkirbyrussia

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