Everyone in the group speaks English natively. Except you. Around the water cooler, they talk about their weekend, about sports, or about their latest DIY project.*

Then comes that inevitable moment when the storyteller says something, and the other Americans burst out laughing. Except you. You don’t know what’s so funny.

And what do you do? Do you laugh along, pretending you understood the joke? Do you stop the conversation–yet one more time–to say you didn’t understand? Or do you make a mental note to ask your co-worker later in private?

Humor is the last thing we understand in a new language. American humor is wrapped up in U.S. history and culture. It is connected with American literature and TV shows. And it involves double meanings which you did not learn in school.

During this segment, we will explain American humor. We’ll look at why Americans use sarcasm so frequently. We’ll share classic American jokes and take a look at the cartoons, puns, and videos that tickle our funny bones.** With these insights, we hope to bring you inside the circle of laughter, where you begin to nod or laugh because you truly get What’s So Funny.

Come join us. Because you belong here.