I'd love to get hold of the whole survey. Anyone here subscribe to 'Reader's Digest'?
Scotsman Article Britain 'Good for A Laugh' By Helen William, PA News
Britain is the best in Europe at having a good laugh, according to a survey today.
In a Reader’s Digest poll of other European nations, Britain – home of TV comedy classics from Monty Python and Mr Bean to The Office – was overwhelmingly voted to have the best sense of humour.
It was ranked top with 30% of the votes from 4,000 people from 19 EU nations, ahead of Italy with 15% and France and Spain, both on 7%. The Swiss were the least funny.
One Dutchman said he liked British comedians for “appearing deadly serious and being hilarious at the same time”.
Achievements in football, medicine and industry helped Britain to be considered as the nation which has contributed most to the world. It received 28% of the vote, ahead of Germany with 21% and France at 13%.
But that is where the compliments stopped because, according to the survey, the British are rude, not sexy, inefficient and the food is bad.
At 12% of the vote the British were the third rudest, behind the Germans (27%) and French (14%).
“They do not seem to know how to behave on holiday,” one Dutchwoman said. “All they do is drink and yell.”
The Norwegians and the Swiss were the least rude on 1%.
The Italians were the sexiest with a 34% rating, followed by Spain with 15% and France with 14%, while Britons came joint seventh with four other countries after scoring a paltry 2%. The only comfort was that the Belgians were last after scoring 0%.
The Germans were seen as the most efficient Europeans with a massive 45% rating. The Swiss came a long way back in second place with 11%, with the UK chasing them on 9%.
Paris was easily the most desired destination with 25% of the votes. London and Rome gained 13%, Prague and Barcelona 6% and Venice 5%.
Bob Low, European Bureau Chief, Reader’s Digest, said: “It may surprise many people that the British come out top for our sense of humour, though this may be because we are more prepared than anyone else to laugh at ourselves.
“The rest of Europe appears to view us as a nation of Mr Beans and Basil Fawltys, which may not be too wide of the mark.”
