It's Official! The World's Funniest Joke
By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor
Who knew that humor could be quantified and rated? It can because scientists--not comedians--have conducted a year-long research project to find the world's funniest joke. The LaughLab, led by psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, invited people worldwide to post and rate jokes on the Internet. Some 40,000 jokes and two million ratings later, THIS is the winner:
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing, and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence; then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"
The joke was deemed the world's funniest because it appealed to men and women, young and old, and people in different countries. "Many of the jokes submitted received higher ratings from certain groups of people, but this one had real universal appeal," Wiseman said. Some funny facts:
--Germany: Every joke was funny.
--Ireland, U.K., Australia, New Zealand: Liked word plays.
--France, Denmark, Belgium: Preferred off-beat surreal humor.
{NOTE FROM ME: wouldn't it just go to figure that the joke voted funniest by an international poll would, in accordance with human nature, be violent!?)
