I would recommend to focus on British English instead, as it is more graceful.
Delivering irony and sarcasm successfully (like delivering jokes) is a question of culture; making an ironic remark with a particular facial expression might get you a laugh, or a punch in the face, depending how you judge it.
I've heard it said that a German joke is a very serious matter (I believe that is actually an example of a German joke). <dodges punch>