JayHind! A Barrel of Lakhs for IndiaIn India, the expression “Jai Hind” usually functions as a patriotic salutation to the homeland. Like L’Chaim, but instead of “to life,” it’s […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Live From Seoul, It’s Saturday Niiiiiiight!On December 3, 2011, South Korea got its first taste of this famous sentence. With its affinity for broad physical comedy and variety shows, […]
The Ex-Pat Revolutionaries of EstoniaAn American, Australian and an Estonian walk into a bar…
This may sound like the lead-in to a joke about general stereotypes, but it is […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
The Cuban Comedy (Non-)CrisisWhy are there no swimming pools in Cuba?
Because everyone who knows how to swim has already left the island.
This barb entitled “Swim […]
11 Comedy Tourist Destinations of 2011It’s been almost a year since I first invited the readers of Splitsider to join me in asking “what is the deal with international comedy?” […]
Those Clowns Down in PeruAmericans may be familiar with Peru as home to the breathtaking Machu Picchu, or perhaps as a bordering nation to Lake Titicaca. But, the […]
Can I Finnish?Geographically, Finland is sandwiched between two countries that could not be more different. Its neighbor to the left Sweden took first dibs […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Egypt’s Ancient Comedy HistoryHave you heard the one about the bored Pharoah? It’s literally one of the oldest jokes in the book, or the papyrus scroll in this case. It […]
Stand-Up, CroatiaIf the cerulean waters of the Adriatic Sea aren’t enough to compel you to visit Croatia, then perhaps a burgeoning comedy scene will tip your […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Looking at Hong Kong HumorThe Chinese have no sense of humor. At least that’s what the title of a recent study published in the October 2011 issue of HUMOR would have […]
Belgium: The Kingdom of ComicsFlemish humor. Sounds like a joke about my imminent Sinus infection from all this rain, right? Now that you’ve indulged me my one terrible pun, […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Commedia All’Italiana: Comedy, Italian-StyleA confluence of economic prosperity, skilled directors, screenwriters at the top of their game and equally gifted actors created a perfect […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Putting the Laffs in LaffghanistanTo say Afghanistan has had a rough go of it since the late 1970’s, is to guarantee an F on your Intro to International Relations term paper. […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Singlish, Subversion and the Singaporean SitcomFor a country as small as Singapore, they sure like their humor broad, at least when it comes to their sitcoms. Although much of Singapore’s […]
The Comedy Central of CameroonDid you know the Comedy Central of Cameroon is a Facebook app? It all started when Facebook developer Mohamed Ahmed Felata recognized the […]
Arabian Comedy NightsWho knew the home to Mecca was also a new mecca for comedy in the Middle East? Much like many of its neighbors, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is […]
Inside South Africa’s Young Comedy SceneWhat is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
The Backlash Against Brazil’s Anti-Humor LawWelcome to beautiful Rio de Janeiro. Home to the world-famous Carnvial, Christ-the-Redeemer, Stan Getz’s Ipanema, caiprihinas, samba! And also […]
The Myth of Universal HumorWhat is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and […]
Parazit: Iran’s Subversive Comedy News ShowWhat is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and […]
ByLaura Turner Garrison
Yoshimoto and the Business of Comedy in JapanWhat is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and […]
Translating China’s Xiangsheng Comedy SceneWhat is the deal with international comedy? Join me each week to ask that very question in Comedy Tourism as I explore different trends and […]