在中国有相声，一般是两个人说，也有单口相声，大多是男的表演。好的演员敢拿自己开玩笑，说明自己幽默，自信，比如侯宝林，马三立，姜昆。

在美国相对应的有 Stand-up comedy ，一般是一人表演。我最喜欢看一人表演的，因为这最能体现语言幽默的功力。我常看的电视台和节目有 Comedy central 台的 Standup ， HBO Showtime 台的 "One Night Stand” , "Nude Night Comedy" (这个节目中间插有女子艳舞) 等。难能可贵的是还有女士加入到表演的行列。有些人能妙语连珠，笑话联篇；有些人讲故事不文不火，回味无穷；更有人自编故事，自我嘲讽，寓人警世。以下是 Ellen DeGeneres (She is a lesbian, by the way) 在 show 里的语录:

“ My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is. ”

“ I’m a godmother, that’s a great thing to be, a godmother. She calls me god for short, that’s cute, I taught her that.”

“In the beginning there was nothing. God said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better.”

以下是其他演员讲的笑话:

He said he read Play Boy for articles, I said: “Yeah, I know， I go to department store for escalators”.
---- Rita Rudner

One time I love to shop after a bad relationship, I bought a nice expensive dress, it made me feel better. When I saw a great outfit one day, I would break up with someone on purpose.
---- Rita Rudner

Women have a passion for mathematics. They divide their age in half, double the price of their clothes, and always add at least five years to the age of their best friend.
---- Marcel Achard

Women are like cars: we all want a Ferrari, sometimes want a pickup truck, and end up with a station wagon.
---- Tim Alle

To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
---- Helen Rowland

The great thing to be a alcoholic is that nobody will depend on you.

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow. I'm not even sick, I just want someone see me naked.
---- Tracy Smith

If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.
---- Margaret Thatcher