Sydney and a Sense of Humour.

A lot of Sydney residents feel that while the city pursues fine arts, political correctness and economic splendor, some of the most important aspects of Australian life are being cast aside. Namely, that famous Australian sense of humour.

Australia is known for its laid back attitude, that willingness to approach every situation, however frightening, threatening or dangerous, as if it's just plain no big deal. It's the attitude that Crocodile Dundee made famous around the world. Even what we might call "serious Australian entertainment" like The Road Warrior still manages to find roles for comic actors like Bruce Spence.

So is Sydney losing its sense of humour, its real Australian character? The truth is that it really depends on who you ask. The theatre critic sitting at the Opera House or the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre is going to wonder how Sydney lost its sense of spontaneous, wry humor, they're going to wonder how Sydney became a city full of stiffs.

Tourists come from around the world, and the first place they go is the Opera House. Sometimes, that's the only place they go. A national treasure it may be, but if you really want a sense of Australian humour, it's not going to be found inside the institutions for the performing arts.

Where you'll find Australian humour in Sydney is in the people of Sydney. In conversation with the folks around town, and at the wild comedy clubs like the Laugh Garage Comedy Club and Bar and the Puppy Fight Social Club. Australian humour is in the bones of the Australian humour, and while you might be able to cover it up with high culture, mortgage concerns and a hipster image, few Australians are ever more than a beer or two away from kicking back and telling some dirty jokes.