Do you think we lose our sense of humour as we get older?

Don’t agree im afraid Kadinsky I can think of two or three posters on here who regularly make me laugh, or at least snigger and smile.
Off GN I often have a good laugh, my peer group are rather like me, taking the p out of themselves, not others. We also have a wide circle of age groups we socialise with, 30’s to late 70’s, our community pub is a great venue for an evening of fun.
So, in brief, I think it depends who you mix with.

With all the TV channels we have now, quite a few old comedy shows are been shown.

I am amazed at how sexist and to a lesser extent racist and homophobic, some of them were.

I cringed at Benny Hill licking his lips before chasing scantily clad women, Rigsby teasing Philip for being black and Dick Emery camping it up in a fur coat.

My husband says it’s an old person thing.
I think we have turned into a nation of old grumblers, myself included. I’ve become very cynical I do take myself off the the mirror for a chat 😂
I don’t want to turn into my mum, or mil 😩

Humour changes all the time.
I and most of my friends and acquaintances frequently still enjoy a good laugh. Of course much of what we used to laugh at is deemed offensive now.
Personally I enjoy natural, observational humour to contrived scripted but, there are a few sit-coms that I enjoy.

Crying with laughter the other night, at the two Ronnies. They could be quite cheeky, without being smutty. Same with only fools & Horses.
Today’s comedians do nothing for me.

When I was on hols with my grandson recently he said something so funny I had to run to the loo. Hadn’t done that since I was about 10!

TerriBull

I think the reason why threads can be funnier on MN they're often without the filters we see here on GN particularly around use if expletives, which can be funny depending on context. Inevitably, amongst a younger demographic their life experiences are different, and as such, so are their perspectives to some extent.

One post recently had me howling 😂
This is what I find hilarious.
It was an answer to the woman who posted that her husband wanted sex for an hour.
Her reply was id want a tea break with that
Often on GN I’m reminded of the Good Life sketch where Margo broke down because she didn’t have a sense of humour.

Im very lucky that I live with a very funny man. I would say most days he makes me cry laughing.
I have 2 daughters who are hilariously funny.

TerriBull

I think the reason why threads can be funnier on MN they're often without the filters we see here on GN particularly around use if expletives, which can be funny depending on context. Inevitably, amongst a younger demographic their life experiences are different, and as such, so are their perspectives to some extent.

This post has reminded me of MissAdventure.
We all know how funny her posts could be but in real life she’s able to express her humour fully. But because of the restrictions imposed upon us oldies you don’t get the full picture.

Interesting thread. I feel that I still have my sense of humour and love a laugh, but it has changed over the years. I used to love comedy on TV - The Fast Show, Not the Nine o clock News etc. but I couldn’t laugh at the them at all now. I also find some modern comedy, such as Upstart Crow and What We Do in the Shadows very childish. I used to roll around at The Two Ronnies but find it a bit cringe worthy now. I think that sort of humour hasn’t stood the test of time. I agree that situation comedy such as Here We Go is much funnier. I have also noticed that some posts on GN which are written to be funny are taken the wrong way, so maybe posters are cautious. I feel like such a grumpy old sod after previewing my post 😂

I never swear on here even quite mild words, but I do on MN. I frequently have to think of an alternative to arse as in he is a complete and utter arse.

ginny

Humour changes all the time.
I and most of my friends and acquaintances frequently still enjoy a good laugh. Of course much of what we used to laugh at is deemed offensive now.
Personally I enjoy natural, observational humour to contrived scripted but, there are a few sit-coms that I enjoy.

Likewise, especially humour being called offensive. Reminds me of a poem on a WI leaflet.
Oh, what a life without a wife
And only the fire to poke
I overheard it on a bus
And thought a hilarious joke.
But sharing it earned me a sneer
“We don’t think that is funny here!”

Is it a strict prerogative
reserved for modern youth,
to chuckle at smutty stories
Or laugh at a joke uncouth?
Don't other ladies feel like me
And laugh when over sixty three.

I have a friend in the down south who keeps me entertained with endless jokes or “true stories.” She’s over 80.

I find GN entertaining too and so does DH when there’s something for me to share.

I love laughter. As a family we do quite a bit of banter and piss taking to and of each other. I’d love to be remembered for the laughs I have given to people with the daft things I do, have done or said.

Mt61

Crying with laughter the other night, at the two Ronnies. They could be quite cheeky, without being smutty. Same with only fools & Horses.
Today’s comedians do nothing for me.

I remember Kate O'Mara in a sketch on the Two Ronnies show where she played a gypsy and she was sitting on Ronnie C's face for some reason when she remarked "You have a lucky face."

There were also quite a few boob jokes and busty women showing their cleavages. Ronnie B once referred to the Dickens novel about the French Revolution as "The Sale of Two ......." need I go on?

Perhaps I find these things smutty and the wrong side of cheeky just because I have a filthy mind.

I was possibly a bit young for Benny Hill and Till death us do part, but I remember my Mum laughing her head off at Benny Hill - I was more the Absolutely Fabulous, Blackadder era ( loved them both ) but I do remember finding Fawlty Towers very funny.

DH and I are always laughing together. On holiday in Spain a couple of weeks ago we were sat in a large circular settee in the shade, looking at Facebook reels on my mobile, laughing our heads off. A guy came over and asked if we'd like him to take our photo of us as we looked so cute.
We're watching the new series Mitchell and Webb Are Not Helping. The bad language is terrible but it is absolutely hilarious! Love it. Not all comedy shows hit the mark for us (think Mrs Brown's Boys).

There used to be a long running pub thing on here a while ago called the Captains Bar or something like that. It was funny but not everybody liked it.

MN can be really funny and some of the comments are hilarious.

You may be thinking of the Argy Bargy Bar Millie.

Ha M8 I didn’t see the Kate O’Mara. Sketch. I just like the four candles (fork handles). The silly ditty’s they would make up.

Kandinsky

I was possibly a bit young for Benny Hill and Till death us do part, but I remember my Mum laughing her head off at Benny Hill - I was more the Absolutely Fabulous, Blackadder era ( loved them both ) but I do remember finding Fawlty Towers very funny.

Yes Blackadded was good

Petra I must have missed the "I'd want a tea break with that" comment the first time round. It certainly made me laugh when I read your post above!

Mt61

Crying with laughter the other night, at the two Ronnies. They could be quite cheeky, without being smutty. Same with only fools & Horses.
Today’s comedians do nothing for me.

I agree with this. I used to laugh all the way through some of those old programmes. I also remember Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and Father Ted which contained a lot of intelligent humour or were just plain daft. Nowadays I don’t know of any TV shows guaranteed to make me laugh. And in my life only two friends have what I call a real sense of humour. Maybe it’s because we all have more health issues these days.

Certainly Mumsnet can be hilarious and I’ve had tears running down my face at some of their ‘classic’ threads.
I do think bereavement and illness affect us. I’m certainly more conscious of this vale of tears since being widowed. Posters often go on and on about their ailments which is understandable but not necessarily amusing…

I can’t watch a lot of the old sit coms now, many, not all leave me cold whilst I found them funny at the time. I watch comedies when my DS comes round and we have a good laugh. He’s always on the lookout for a laugh anyway and balances my serious side.
.

Mollygo
That poem made me chuckle😄

I can laugh at anything and my DDs all have a wicked sense of humour, my DH is starting to chuckle again after his stroke, which is good because the first thing that attracted me to him was his sense of humour.
I don’t think we lose it as we get older. Bladder control maybe, patience probably, and energy most likely. But not having a laugh 😂

You know this might sound a bit weird.

But mum died at 101 and during her last afternoon (she died at 8.30pm,) she was largely asleep and talking to various members of the family and laughing so much, - it was a joy to listen to.

So laughter lasts until death😄😄🥲