I am a Russian geologist. I work in Guyana. Guyana is an English speaking country. Guyanese believe that their English is even more correct than that of the Great Britons. Well, one day during the expedition, we ran out of food. This was one of my first expeditions and everything was new. Here you go. I listen to the conversation between the boss and the workers, and I hear the words "food", "Russian". I'm starting to wonder if they want to eat me according to the old local tradition. I felt a bit uneasy. Well, in general, everything ended well, we reached the boats and returned to civilization. And only then did I understand what the word meant, which I understood as "Russian". It was the word "rations", this word is very common here, as the necessary food supplies.

This is just perfect, the joke, the misunderstandings, Paul's insistence in making you repeat it, Ambar laughing at you... and I laugh with her every time!!! Now you can just add this video o the page for each episode where the joke is mentioned. I usually listen to the episodes while driving back home (about two hours on the road) on Friday. It's the best way to relax and get ready for the great weekend that is coming. Thank you Luke. Your podcast is brilliant!

Omg Luke...i still dont understand this joke, could you explain it again?

I've been following your podcasts and videos only for some weeks but I love them a lot, thanks for your work. It's the first time that I continue following an English teacher that speaks only English. I've started with your page from the first podcast and I usually listen to them especially when I was driving. Instead in other moments I like to watch or listen to your videos and they are presented by KZfaq without a sequency number. This is the reason because I listened to about Russian joke and I understood what it means only after this video. I've watched this video many times because it's so funny ... alone in the universe... I think one day in a dictionary we'll see among the explanations of the word Russian also "It was used for a joke by famous English teacher Luke Thompson and that means ...

Hello Luke! Personaly I find this joke hilarious! And even though I'm Russian I got it.😊 And I find this mixed up situation is even more funny. But no wonder it gets on your nerves already. I can't even imagine what it was like for you being on the stage at that monent. Anyways if it's any consolation, I apologize for all Russians who don't even make an attempt to learn English and still travel. And by the way, I've been listening to your podcast on and off for several years now, and I just wanna say a huge thank you for keeping it going! You made a great impact on my English and I am immensely greatful for that! Lots of hugs and kisses from Russia with love!🤗🤗🤗

This is a good joke) I like it. I do not know if there is a similar expression in English, but in Russian we call this situation a "play on words". This is when words with a similar sound are used in the opposite sense.

Hello, Luke! It's great to listen to your podcasts (I'm a fresh blood here, btw), thank you so much! Your pronunciation is one of my favourite British pronunciation, so I always have a good time while listening to you👍 As for Russian-rushing joke, I like it (I'm from Russia too), and obviously they didn't have enough vocabulary and listening comprehension skill to get the meaning. I think a year ago I probably wouldn't be able to catch it either))) It sucks that they didn't react to your joke properly, don't be upset if you'll come across this situation again)) Looking forward to listening to your new podcasts, please keep filming them, they're awesome!

i don't want this video disappear from the internet 🥺🤣 i just found it in my liked videos. always worth watching 😆

OMG, you're a brilliant storyteller. It's so funny! Thank you!

I just laughed so much when Amber and Paul were making fun of the vicious cycle.... lolol

Hi, Luke! Thanks for everything you are doing, thanks for the podcast. I love it

What an interesting story! :) I'm Russian, but I hadn't heard this joke before! :) Funny and easy! :):):)

Hilarious! Really. Perfect. You deserve genuine appreciation for this one!

When I've just moved to England and was not able to understand English well, I ordered food and guy who delivered it asked me: (as he and I were emptying his baskets on my kitchen table) are you russian? That gave me a fright :how does he know for God's sake!? 🙃 It took him 5 min to explain a meaning and spelling of the word 'rushing' to me 😂 and it was not even a joke

Okay, that's cool and new for me. I mean, the fact of posting or chatting on KZfaq this way. After watching this video about Luke trying to finish up explaining the Rushing joke, I now understand the comments at the beginning of the episode 425, when Paul start up mentioning it, even before contextualize the episode's content and either Paul and Amber start laughing at that situation. Greets Luke, you're great!!!

I got it couple of years ago, but still it's amazed me with it's brilliance))

To be honest when I only started listening to Luke's English podcast and this joke came up first time for me. I didn't understood it as well (I think you didn't explain it at that time, saying that people should find out by themself). The only thing which I understood was that it is sort of in-joke in your friends company. But now, I just love this meme, lol.

Dear Luke, you work so hard, put so much faith into what you are doing. 💎🙏🏻 Humble advice: Accept defeat. Apologise to the Russian gentlemen publicly. Laugh at yourself, rush to Mother Russia and stay there forever.))

You know what guys? Im Russian. First of all I understood the joke right a way, second - I find it hilarious.

Luke is polite. I would say "You were so rushing, that you are late" )

Hi Luke Could you please explain the exact moment which i need to laugh? Just kidding :D nice story, nice memory, nice expression. :)

😅😅 I came from the podcast you have done with lovely Amber and angry Paul. For the joke is okay😅 5:13

Like rushing? Therefore you're late to get on time to a comedy show like that? Like you're rushing. Haha

Paul and Amber are right-it’s hilarious 😂 What wonderful friends you have!

Hi Luke. I wanted to revisit this old vid for a specific reason, so I hope that's OK. I'm one of Paul's Patreon supporters (I'm a native English speaker, for context) and I was at the gig at le Zenith last night. I first subscribed to this channel after I saw you on the Happy Hour livestream and you were touting for subs. I don't really watch much, because I already know English, but you were one of my favourite ever Happy Hour guests and I really enjoy what I've seen of your stand-up style (I loved your set at the Roast, for example: "come see the magic man!"). I cannot tell you how delighted I was when you turned up as a special surprise act to do the first warm-up last night. I think the people around me must have heard me squeak "Luke Thompson!" just as it became obvious Paul was about to announce you, having referenced the "Sorry, we're English" thing. I hope you took it as a loving tribute that Paul made the whole "Russian joke" debacle into a hilarious moment in the show. I'd already watched this here vid, so I knew all about it, but hearing Paul take it on and riff on it in French (I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was like "imagine there's a country called Republique de Se Precipiter...et...", just trying to explain it, pointlessly) made me holler all the more. Anyway, I have no other way to reach you than to comment on a years-old vid, but I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your set last night and laughed my ass off. I hope you had a great time performing in front of over 4,000 people! 😃

...And you rush to explain Russian joke. It's really funny!

Maybe it was all Paul who commented lol

When you explain the punchline of a joke,you certainly take the fun out of it😅

Hi, Luke! Thanks for the podcast. Everything you are doing is great. It's a pleasure to listen to your podcast every morning when I drive to work. Cheers.

Hi Luke! I'm here because of episode 683 with Marie Connolly! Now I understand and I'm sorry you are stuck in this circle. In short, the irony kkkkkkk Love the podcast! Cheers from Brazil

I had to watch this video a few times and use the dictionary in order to understand this joke. This is a good joke on the C2 level of English.

got the Russian joke and can't stop laughing and crying now, you hit a linguistic recursion. and yes I am from russia. for all of Russian lepsters it is absolutely necessary to have a piece of something in your merch store

Hello! I have started listening you podcast. It is really great. And this situation is funny!)

I laugh a lot when people ask again and again and again about the Russian joke explanation. :)

We laugh when a Swede arrives late without even playing a word!

I got this joke only after you repeated it, so that makes sense!

no worries, Luke, I got the joke in the first place:) I laughed a lot about the situation itself though:)

Last time, when Amber counted countries where she'd been, Paul just threw awesome punch line with the RJ. Well, this meme will exist as long as you'll be podcasting. Best Regards, Rushin' Russian.

You are really a good Person Sir🙏

One of these latest episodes, you said to the audience if you don't know the Russian joke, go and google it yourself. and I was curious and I ended up finding this in google ----- This is Armenian Radio; our listeners asked us: “What is the difference between capitalism and socialism?” We’re answering: “In a capitalist society man exploits man, and in a socialist one, the other way around.”

Maybe you just have to write the the whole text of the joke under this video. It can helps especially for whom, who's not native speaker, since it's all about the listener's audition level.

Так спешили, что опоздали. 😂

Hi Luke, I got it straight away. You didn't have to explain it. It was quite funny.

Luke: You guys are late, where are you from. Russians: We are Russian. Luke: Were you the one Rushing to get here, were you? (Because you are late) ....

Спасибо большое, Люк!

Could you please make another video with a better explanation.Almost understood but I need more details...😂😂😂. Amazing Luke!!!!

I love this story!! :)

Hi, Luke! Thanks for your "(the) turn of the screw"! I enjoy it! I'm from Russia! Huhuhu

Got it, it's a really wonderful joke) But I have barely understood this one before hearing a whole story :D Thank you for you patience

Yeah I didn't understand this Russian joke too, could you explain this ? 😅😅😅

"Here is more pronunciation. Ration never rhymes with nation,. ..."

super love your accent!!

Definitively, this joke has come to get you somewhere... but rushing!!! LOL The problem to try understand the meaning of the words without ear its sound. Thanks for all your effort. Where can I no you a beer? ;)

Where were the guitars here

Thx a lot u made my evening. It's really amazing

It was a game with words😂😂😂

Lovely

"जब वह स्पष्ट रूप से यहां पहुंचने के लिए जल्दी नहीं कर रहे थे, तो आप थे क्योंकि आप देर हो चुकी हैं।" this is what luke said to russian in comedy show ... translated in Hindi for Indian's...

I get it Luke, since the first time😁. Greetings from Paraguay.

Understanding a joke in other languages is not easy, not only to understand the meaning of the words but the culture behind it , before you can react "laughing".

Hahahahhaa... Well, I liked that one Mr. Thompson. I got it and it worked for me. But I think these kind of word game jokes are not funny to everyone. Anyway, no worries, I do like that joke and I'll try to tell that one to my job partners... BIG FAN!

Mr. Rush Shia would like this

i love the russian jokes and understand it the first time you said it

Hey Luke, quick comment 😂 I did the same mistake and told your joke to someone from Russia he was upset and I needed to explain it .. it was awkward.

Thank you! Now I can understand :)

Hi Luke, I've heard that pin from my Russian English teacher😀

Luke and the curse of Russian joke.

The Russian joke is a vicious circle, it feeds itself, and it will be always present.

Thanks !

Thanks! But I andestended only what you speak about me, Russian. It is so nice! I hope. Could you add the subtitles in the descriptions to your video please?😶

Это клевая шутка Люк 😄

Oh my goodness, I am Russian and I loved the joke XD

haha, so you're stuck in kindda a vicious-cycle! 😆😆😆

😂I can't stop laughing 😂😂😂

As they say in Russia: "subtle English humor". And in fact, a funny joke if you know English. I sympathize with your experience, but the situation is really funny

I like the joke. But to be honest, when I heard this in podcast, I thought it’s some kind of term like daddy joke. Thank you for explanation.

Great 👍

GREAT!!!!!!!

Aha...and now I understand your Russain joke!

I like Mr Bean, he doesn't talk too much but very funny :),makes us laugh a lot!

Homophone puns are tricky and not caught by everyone. Take it easy)

Well for the Russian ear, the words Russians and rushing sound almost indistinguishable :)

Well, the joke is quite good though. I remember it was one of my first jokes in English. (I'm native Russian speaker. ) But what I did not understand from the context is why are you explaining it over and over again?

I've just found that video and thinks that joke is very simple to understand (actually im russian!). Actually, it's very funny (but I think if I will be on this stand-up as a person who was late, I felt myself embaressed and not reacting at all xD)

You remind me young Mark Knopfler

Luuuke, I didn't get the russian joke. Explain more specifically please

The Russian understood the joke but he didn't laugh because he was "Putin". (Probably only Brazilians will understand this joke)

More then 17000 views here, which means minus 17000 comments asking for exploration))

That's a shame, because I know a lot of Russian people and people of Russian descent who say they hear jokes all the time about "Rushing Russians" when they tell people that they are Russian, such as "you're rushin' around a lot", or "you're always in a hurry", and they get it right away and think it's funny.

great and easy joke! hahaha rushing is not an uncommon word, so is easy even if english isn't your first language...

Got it! Great!

Someone's rushing, someonee's britting.

When you are Russian and didn't get the joke...

Shouldn't those missing the Russian joke polish their English?

I can't read these comments. It wasn't really a joke, just a situation joke, you people can't just take it and tell it without that specific context because it sounds weird... 🤔

Hey, Luke. I didnt understand the russian joke. Paul Taylor tell me to say that hahahahaa

Your head looks unproportionaly large in this video lol - of course it isn't really, just it might be better to be a bit farther away from the camera. Cheers from a ninja coming out of the shadows!

Ok. Hello

Cool :)

Btw: I am from Russia