MovieChat Forums > Kath & Kim (2008) Discussion > Its Australian HUMOUR! thats the reason ...

Its Australian HUMOUR! thats the reason the american version was crap!

posted 16 years ago by KrystalYoung6
40 replies | jump to latest

ok so yea australians make remakes of show like "idol" and "Biggest Loser", but did you ever think that the reason its so crap in america is because Kath n Kim is pure and uter australian humour....

these americans saying its crap and not funny... well most australians think its hilarious.... just because it was a big hit here, america decided to make there own version, but australians have there own version of humour that is not always going to be understood by others..

like take "Rove" for instance.... i think its freakin hilarious.. the funniest talk show on the earth, though a lot of americans dont like it and like their own talk shows! their nothing wrong with that.. there just a different kind of funny.

thats why i think it was a flop in america...
what do you all think?

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] TheCornProject 15 years ago

I HATE ALL ADAPTIONS FROM ORIGINAL SHOWS PERIOD! i hate watching aussie idol & biggest loser & Gladiators (how horribly that turned out).

[–] sLaTerGatOr 14 years ago

umm you do realise that AMERICANS were NOT the ones that CREATED Idol and The Biggest Loser or any other reality show for that matter... YOU filthy *beep* copied it from other countries!! its funny how arrogant and naive you are when it comes to other countries. Americans only know about America, but i guess thats how you're taught, so i cant COMPLETELY hold it against you. But you are a *beep* AS*HOLE!

[–] Paul_Mall 12 years ago

"Creating" a reality TV show is not an accomplishment, it is the worst TV has to offer.

[–] A_l_a_c_h_u_a_1 16 years ago

"these americans saying its crap and not funny... well most australians think its hilarious"

Really? Most Australians think the American version is hilarious? Wow. Would have never thought so. I am American and LOVE the Australian version - have for years. I think the Australian version is hilarious beyond words. I also think the American version is "crap and not funny", as you stated.

Never had a drink that I didn't like; Got a taste of you, threw up all night

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] KrystalYoung6 16 years ago

i meant that some americans think the australian version is crap but we find the australian version funny.. sorry i wasnt clear

[–] Lexx-2 16 years ago

I too am an Aussie who doesn't much like the original. To me it's just mean-spirited stereotypes and overused catchphrases. The American version admittedly loses the cultural specificity, but is otherwise similarly sneering towards lower-middle class types. It's not as shrill as the Aussie version, and well performed, but its just not funny.

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] kizzy1 16 years ago

i meant that some americans think the australian version is crap but we find the australian version funny..

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Well some Australians find the aussie version "crap" (and no doubt won't even try the US version), while some Americans love the Aussie version and feel the US version is "crap". Then there are Americans who have NO idea about the original who are liking this show, but then again there are Americans who have NO idea of the original and think the US version is "crap".

Given all that then I think it's fair to say that overwhelmingly the US version is considered "crap" regardless of country of origin or previous experience of K&K.

It has nothing to do with "Australian humour".

[–] microbit 16 years ago

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.

I saw some excerpts of the first episode of US Kath & KIM and it still nauseates me. The casting is beyond laughable, the bit with the US version of Brett "I'm putting my foot down... please" was reminiscent of a visit to the dentist in Marathon Man, the dog chasing the cat... oh p-lease.
"Is it safe?" : Absolutely not. This is undoubtedly the worst crap I've ever seen.

I'm beginning to wonder if Jane Turner and Gina Riley got a final 'yea or ne' say in the casting and would have said... "thaaaat's fine", great casting !! :-) :-)

[–] Blackace 12 years ago

It's kind of strange as I've watched a couple episodes of the Australian version. I actually liked it more then the US version, which seemed a bit drab. There were a couple funny moments here and there, but the U.S. show is no where as funny as "2 Broke Girls" or "New Girl". I could tell it wasn't going to make it to a 2nd season and I was fine with that. I wish they would stop canceling the shows people like though. I miss Human Target and Chase.

[–] Alyx22 16 years ago

I'm Australian and I don't find the Australian version of Kath and Kim the least bit funny and either do 98% of the people I know. I saw a bit of the American version and it was just plain horrible on a whole new level to the original.

[–] tvsinesperanto 16 years ago

Yeah, what a bone head decision! If ever there was a show that would NOT translate to the American sense of humour, it's Kath & Kim.

Oz version of Kath & Kim = Funny. US version of Kath & Kim = Unsightly abortion.

It's a simple equation and one that, for me at least, didn't require 20/20 hindsight to work out. The core reason that it doesn't work is that there is no American concept or word for "Bogan". There are words that come close ("White Trash", etc.) but nothing that truly captures all of the connotations that are so appaent to Australians. Because they don't have an exactly equivalent concept to what Aussies call a "Bogan", Bogan humour is completely lost on the audience.

They should have just aired the original. Perhaps the ratings for the pilot wouldn't have been as high for the debut but it would have had far longer lasting appeal for an, admittedly, niche audience.

The US version of K&K deserves to die a quick, quiet and dignified death. Thankfully, it looks like this is what will happen.

Bad, bad idea.

TV

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Scary fact #348 - By definition, 50% of the world's population have a 2 digit IQ

[–] LittleMatchGirl 16 years ago

But, as you mentioned, since the US doesn't have something like bogan, then wouldn't showing the original with borgan humour make it even harder for americans to find it funny (since they don't 'get' such humour)?

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Posting and You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9q2jNjOPdk

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] tvsinesperanto 15 years ago

Yes, that was sort of my point. Leaving it alone would mean that only a tiny percentage would understand or "get" it but those that did get it would be fans. At least that way they would get a small audience over the entire series.

As it turned out, adapting it meant that they lost the core dynamic which meant that everyone could "get" it but it wasn't funny any more and no one wants to watch something that isn't entertaining.

A small audience is better than none and it would have cost them nothing to simply run the originals in the US.

TV

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Scary fact #348 - By definition, 50% of the world's population have a 2 digit IQ

[–] willjohn 11 years ago

The home of country music does not have the equivalent of a 'bogan'? Please try to make sense.

[–] rainerk2 16 years ago

like take "Rove" for instance.... i think its freakin hilarious.. the funniest talk show on the earth

Sorry, I just couldn't read anymore after that...you cannot compare the humour on Rove to Jon Stewart's Daily Show, Letterman, or even Conan. (sorry Leno is terrible).

[–] KrystalYoung6 16 years ago

are you american....???

cause then your a littlw bias... i guess i am too. but come on rove is soooo funny. he's the best... ehh anyway... cant be bothered to have a debate on whos better.

[–] edfmc 16 years ago

I read an interesting article written by an Aussie about the US version and he makes a good point. It seem slike most Americans DON'T like the US Kath&Kim and the writer, Michael Idato, makes the point that maybe the US Kath&Kim hit the nail of middle class suburban culture dead center and us Americans "infamously have little capacity to laugh at themselves".

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/tv--radio/tv-reviews/so-whats-an-aussie-think-of-the-us-version/2008/10/10/1223145621899.html">http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/tv--radio/tv-reviews/so-whats-an-aussie-think-of-the-us-version/2008/10/10/1223145621899.html

[–] Oomwoc 15 years ago

That's probably why The Office failed.

[–] KrystalYoung6 14 years ago

absolutely. Aussie can totally laugh at ourselves so thats a great point you make.

[–] sarahmoloughlin 15 years ago

the american version is NOT australian humour. Kath n Kim is funny to us Aussies because they do typical Australian idiotic things. The US version just stinks bcause they dont do Australian things. its just silly.
EG Kim is Hillarious in the Aussie version because shes curvy and wears outrageous clothing for her size. Selma Blair is a twig! she cant pull of the character, its stuff like this that makes it un-funny. Not the fact that its Australian humour. Americans just made a BIG mistake.

[–] scarletminded 15 years ago

I read about Selma's character being curvy and wearing too tight clothes, so that would be funnier...what else is different in the Aussie version?

[–] kizzy1 15 years ago

I read about Selma's character being curvy and wearing too tight clothes, so that would be funnier...what else is different in the Aussie version?

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There are HUGE differences between the original and the US version. Far too many to go into here. My best suggestion to you is to try and source the original aussie version and check it out for yourself.

But to give a couple of examples...

Kim is not merely "curvy" (is that a euphanism?) she's a good size 14-16 (which is perhaps 16-18 in the US) and dressing like a stick-thin teenager. She is only good-looking in her own mind (so the 'trophy-wife' joke works in the aussie version but not in the US one)

Have no idea about her 'best friend' in the US version but in the Aussie version she has a "2nd best friend" (who lives next door) who is about a size 30.

Despite their faults, the characters have redeeming features (or redeeming situations) which makes you like them and even empathise with them despite themselves. It moves around who you feel for.

[–] Unwritten_Law 15 years ago

I'm an Aussie and I find both shows funny. They are different, and they do have the same basis at the core. Yes there are a lot Australian culture centric jokes in the Aussie version, but so what?

The show's funny, and I think all the Aussies need to stop complaining and grow up. They're doing another season of the Aussie show, and they'll probably earn more money from one season of the US show than they have from all the seasons of the Aussie one, and good on them!

Be happy other people can enjoy a version of the show, when they might find the Aussie show having too many cultural hurdles. Although personally I think there's a lot less than people think.