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Well, it's the oldest writing than can (with some fantasy) be interpreted as a joke. It's not the best one ever told in human history, which I would consider mo

by k__ 5y ago

Well, it's the oldest writing than can (with some fantasy) be interpreted as a joke. It's not the best one ever told in human history, which I would consider more interesting, but also harder to find. I'd also guess, depending on the measure, the best joke is yet to come.

igravious 5y ago
Boffins have done research on this a bunch of times[1][2][3]. Average length of best jokes is 103 (exactly) words by the way, as explained by Richard Wiseman to Sean Moncrieff at the 7m45s mark of this Newstalk radio-show segment[4]. Anyway … the scientifically proven funniest joke in the world is: Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He's not breathing and his eyes are glazed, so his friend calls 911. "My friend is dead! What should I do?" The operator replies, "Calm down, sir. I can help. First make sure that he's dead." There's a silence, then a loud bang. Back on the phone, the guy says, "Ok, now what?" === [1] “The Complexity of Jokes Is Limited by Cognitive Constraints on Mentalizing” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12110-015-9251-6 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12110-015-9251-6 [2] “In 2001, I teamed up with the British Science Association to carry out ‘LaughLab’ – the scientific search for the world’s funniest joke.” https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/research/laughlab/ https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/research/laughlab/ [3] “It's not just the way you tell 'em: researchers find the official 50 funniest jokes of all time” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322475/Researchers-official-50-funniest-jokes-time.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322475/Researchers... [4] “The Funniest Joke Ever” https://www.newstalk.com/joke https://www.newstalk.com/joke
- foobar1962 5y ago
  > ...funniest joke in the world... Where "world" is USA, Mexico and Canada.
bryanrasmussen 5y ago
> It's not the best one ever told in human history, which I would consider more interesting, but also harder to find. well the funniest religious joke is from Emo Phillips https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/29/comedy.religion https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/29/comedy.religio...

by k__ 5y ago

igravious 5y ago

Boffins have done research on this a bunch of times[1][2][3]. Average length of best jokes is 103 (exactly) words by the way, as explained by Richard Wiseman to Sean Moncrieff at the 7m45s mark of this Newstalk radio-show segment[4]. Anyway … the scientifically proven funniest joke in the world is: Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He's not breathing and his eyes are glazed, so his friend calls 911. "My friend is dead! What should I do?" The operator replies, "Calm down, sir. I can help. First make sure that he's dead." There's a silence, then a loud bang. Back on the phone, the guy says, "Ok, now what?" === [1] “The Complexity of Jokes Is Limited by Cognitive Constraints on Mentalizing” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12110-015-9251-6 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12110-015-9251-6 [2] “In 2001, I teamed up with the British Science Association to carry out ‘LaughLab’ – the scientific search for the world’s funniest joke.” https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/research/laughlab/ https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/research/laughlab/ [3] “It's not just the way you tell 'em: researchers find the official 50 funniest jokes of all time” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322475/Researchers-official-50-funniest-jokes-time.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322475/Researchers... [4] “The Funniest Joke Ever” https://www.newstalk.com/joke https://www.newstalk.com/joke

foobar1962 5y ago
> ...funniest joke in the world... Where "world" is USA, Mexico and Canada.

bryanrasmussen 5y ago

> It's not the best one ever told in human history, which I would consider more interesting, but also harder to find. well the funniest religious joke is from Emo Phillips https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/29/comedy.religion https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/29/comedy.religio...