Results of our studies

6 December 2021. VCIOM presents the finding of a survey among Russian on humor.

Many Russians are confident they have a sense of humor: 40% think they have a great sense of humor (46-53% of young respondents); 45% think they possess it to a certain degree; 9% have little sense of humor. Only 4% of respondents say they have almost no sense of humor.

The most popular comedy shows broadcast on TV are Comedy Club (20%, 27-39% of young Russians), KVN (15%, 20% of the 35-44-year-olds) and Uralskie pelmeni (15%, 23% of the 45-59-year-olds). Thirty-eight percent of Russians do not watch comedy TV programs on TV.

Russian online audience watching comedy shows is much smaller than the TV audience; most of Russians watch Comedy Club (4%; 8-9% of the 25-44-year-olds), “Uralskie pelmeni” (4%), and “Chto bylo dalshe?” (8-12% of the 18-24-year-olds) online. Three-quarters of Russians (74%) do not watch comedy programs online.

When asked what things can be laughed at, a majority of Russians point to relationship with the superiors (69%), relationship with the family and Russia’s economic and social problems (63%, each).

Russians think that it is inappropriate to laugh at things such as are the health of other people (91%), church (80%), national traits and traditions of different peoples and the history of Russia, the USSR and the Russian empire (69%, each).

Three-quarters of Russians (77%) do not like black humor such as mocking at death, violence, diseases and other dark topics (83% of women; 83-87% of older generation Russians). Only 5% perceive black humor in a positive way; 16%, neutrally or indifferently (26-39% of young respondents).

All-Russian VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted November 12, 2021. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

In your opinion, to what extent do you have a sense of humor?

(closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Total

Ages 18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 +

Great sense of humor  

40

53

46

42

41

30

Certain sense of humor 

45

34

42

41

47

50

Little sense of humor

9

7

7

10

7

12

Almost no humor

4

6

3

5

3

5

Don’t know

2

0

2

2

2

3

Do you watch comedy programs/ shows on TV channels or not? If you do, what TV shows? Several TV shows can be cited (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents, answers of at least 2% of respondents)

 

Total

Ages 18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 +

Comedy Club

20

27

39

23

19

4

KVN

15

9

10

20

18

14

Uralskie pelmeni

15

13

11

17

23

11

Stand Up / women’s  Stand Up

6

14

12

6

5

1

Petrosyan show

6

0

2

3

6

11

Anshlag

5

0

3

2

7

9

Odnazhdy v Rossii

5

4

7

8

6

1

Yumorina

5

0

1

2

7

10

Krivoe zerkalo

3

0

4

1

3

5

Smekhopanorama

3

0

0

3

4

3

TNT channel shows

3

7

3

4

2

0

Comedy Woman

2

1

3

2

3

0

Dizel show

2

0

1

2

2

1

Improvisation

2

9

3

2

1

0

Rossiya 1 shows

2

1

2

1

3

4

I don’t watch comedy TV shows/ programs / TV series

38

49

42

41

33

35

Other

18

15

18

17

21

20

Don’t know 

7

5

3

5

5

14

And do you watch comedy programs/ shows on the Internet, on social media, messengers? If you do, what shows? Several answers are possible ( open-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents )

 

Total

Ages 18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 +

Comedy Club

4

4

9

8

3

1

Uralskie pelmeni

4

1

4

5

6

2

Chto bylo dalshe?

3

12

8

2

1

0

Stand Up / women’s  Stand Up

2

6

6

2

1

0

KVN

2

2

4

3

3

0

Tik Tok

2

2

4

3

2

2

Vkontakte

1

0

3

0

0

0

Dizel show

1

2

1

0

1

0

Performances by Zadorbov

1

1

0

0

1

0

Comedy Woman

1

1

1

1

0

1

Studiya Kvartal -95

1

1

1

0

1

1

YouTube

1

1

1

1

1

0

Odnazhdy v Rossii

1

0

3

2

0

0

Humour TV shows / jokes / pranks

1

0

2

1

1

1

Game

1

0

3

0

0

0

I don’t watch comedy TV shows/ programs on the Internet

74

57

56

71

79

86

Other

4

17

17

4

6

5

Don’t know 

6

8

9

7

4

5

In your opinion, what or who can be laughed at, or what or who should not be laughed at under any circumstances?

(closed-ended question, one answer in a line, % of total respondents)

 

It can be laughed at

It cannot be laughed at

Don’t know

 

History of Russia, the USSR, the Russian empire

26

69

5

 

Russia’s historical figures still alive

31

63

6

 

Current government in general

55

39

6

 

President Vladimir Putin

43

51

6

 

Heads of other states

50

45

5

 

Russia’s economic and social problems

63

30

7

 

National specifics and traditions of different peoples

28

69

3

 

Church

17

80

3

 

Russian army, military forces 

43

53

4

 

Family members or family relationships

63

32

5

 

Superiors, relationship with the superiors

69

26

5

 

Health of other people

7

91

2

 

And how do you perceive black humor, i.e. laughing at death, violence and other dark topics – likely positively, likely negatively or neutrally, indifferently?  ( closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Total

Men

Women

Ages 18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 +

 

Likely positively

5

8

3

14

5

4

5

3

 

Likely negatively

77

70

83

45

68

79

83

87

 

Likely neutrally, indifferently  

16

20

13

39

26

16

12

8

 

Don’t know

2

2

1

2

1

1

0

2