Is the world running out of jokes? Posted Wed Oct 25 17:57:38 BST 2000 by 'Radiator Head Child'

The world seems to be running out of humour, much as it is new tunes (ROBBIE WILLIAMS), please inform and delight me with witty and intelligent comments, or alternatively have a discussion.
Rock on, Rock out, But Don't Rock the Boat


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Pint Of Mild' on Wed Oct 25 19:17:42 BST 2000:

>The world seems to be running out of humour, much as it is new tunes (ROBBIE WILLIAMS), please inform and delight me with witty and intelligent comments, or alternatively have a discussion.
>Rock on, Rock out, But Don't Rock the Boat
>

All humour is based upon an unexpected event occuring under a familiar set of circumstances, confounding your expectations. So the question is, have all possible situations had every possible unusual occurence explored, occurences that are above the level of reasonable expectation, making them funny?

I would suspect, although I can't be certain, that this is no.

So don't despair.

A more specific question is whether or not the current accepted genres of comedy (sitcom, satire, etc.), being such well explored situations, contain any more unforeseen happenings. I believe this to be a more serious problem.

The failure to remember events has also go to be taken into account. I imagine those with very short memories must find jokes funnier than others who remember their first outing. This is probably the reason behind the Corpses idea of the comedy clock being reset in the mid-nineties - a forced amnesia to make jokes funny again.



This has got a little out of hand.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Radiator Head Child' on Wed Oct 25 19:35:37 BST 2000:

wow


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake' on Wed Oct 25 21:51:41 BST 2000:

The best joke in the world (if you are overly childish, as I am):

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Poo!

[now fall about laughing]


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake' on Wed Oct 25 21:51:42 BST 2000:

The best joke in the world (if you are overly childish, as I am):

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Poo!

[now fall about laughing]


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake' on Wed Oct 25 21:54:28 BST 2000:

I double clicked, sorry.
Another great thing to do:

Go up to friend/person and say "guess what?"
When they say "what?", reply simply "Craig David" in a very matter of fact voice.
This will/should then develop into a fun game, where if someone says "guess what?" then you hae to say "Craig David" NOT "what?", or they will surely say "Craig David" and you will lose.
Fun for all, that is.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Squidy' on Wed Oct 25 23:16:46 BST 2000:

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

I Dun up.

I Dun up who?

Eerrr, you done a poo!





I'm so, so sorry....


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Bean Is A Carrot on Thu Oct 26 09:34:44 BST 2000:

My drama lecturer always used to point out to me that no joke or funny situation is new, it's been done zillions of times in zillions of ways. "No comedy is new young Bean" he would say, fingering his goatie and smoothing the creases from his cardigan.

He was right.

Ben Elton pointed out that the first recorded toilet humour comes from the Ancient Greeks who did jokes about getting rent boys to bugger them if they got constipated.

He was right.

No comedy is new, it's just been made to look that way.

Sigh.

Sadly comedy these days is generally unfunny. Or nicked from this Forum.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Squidy' on Thu Oct 26 09:57:30 BST 2000:

It was better on the Grecian urn.

What's a Grecian urn? About a dracma an hour...


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Thu Oct 26 10:18:49 BST 2000:

For as long as the world changhes there will always be new situations for comedy. 'Sitcom'is such a broad genre it can never die out. When people attack, they have in mind only certain hackneyed formulas - domestic/office-based ones, etc. But there have been, and can be, many more.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Radiator Head Child' on Thu Oct 26 10:31:32 BST 2000:

Nice to see some optimism Jon.

However lingering doubt leads me to believe it was sarcasm.

Oh well, roll on christmas cracker jokes...


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Chelsea Granma' on Thu Oct 26 10:51:32 BST 2000:

Further to Jon's posting, saying sitcom's dead is akin to saying poetry's dead because there have been a few bad poems recently.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Ewar Woowar on Thu Oct 26 14:48:26 BST 2000:

Oh, lighten up, the lot of you. The best thing to do is to realise that *everything* in life is funny. Honest. Everything!


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu Oct 26 15:23:45 BST 2000:


Comedy's just one big joke to you, isn't it Ewar?


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Thu Oct 26 15:37:32 BST 2000:

She is the Joe Pasquale of comedy.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Ewar Woowar on Thu Oct 26 16:01:27 BST 2000:

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By TJ on Thu Oct 26 16:05:45 BST 2000:

Chris Morris is the Scott Walker of comedy.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Mike J' on Thu Oct 26 16:26:12 BST 2000:

>Chris Morris is the Scott Walker of comedy.

We've been here before, and we couldn't quite get it to work. Did we ever come up with a Morris "Stretch" or "We Had It All"?


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Janet' on Thu Oct 26 16:45:21 BST 2000:

And yet again, as you lot moan about there being no good comedy, I return from another night out where I laughed myself raw at live, local comedy.
What is happening over there??
Poke somebody with a stick to razz them up a bit.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Thu Oct 26 16:52:19 BST 2000:

I think we should a whip-round to pay for Janet's first UK tour.

[clink] I've put the first 10p in... you next...


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Irritating Heater Kid' on Thu Oct 26 17:20:26 BST 2000:

Clink. The shiny new 50p piece my Gran gave me.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Thu Oct 26 17:24:53 BST 2000:

[Pushes Heater Kid to the floor, puts foot on head]: Give us yer dinner money!


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Irritating Heater Kid' on Thu Oct 26 17:59:42 BST 2000:

You huuuuurt me!

Mum!


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu Oct 26 18:32:36 BST 2000:

[Rustle]

Can I get some change from that?


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Radiator Head Child' on Thu Oct 26 19:43:56 BST 2000:

The campaign to destroy Irritating Heater kid is on.

Go on hit 'im in the stomach Jon!


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake' on Thu Oct 26 20:24:08 BST 2000:

I'm hoping Radiator Head Child was being playing along, not being a retard.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jake' on Thu Oct 26 20:24:43 BST 2000:

That didn't make sense, really, but you get my point.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Fri Oct 27 10:46:33 BST 2000:

[Clattering noise] Now I've dropped the bloody collecting tin! Oh well, I'll post her a fiver... what's your address, Janet?


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Ewar Woowar on Fri Oct 27 11:28:02 BST 2000:

> what's your address, Janet?

Don't tell him, 110b James St!!!

<cue mass audience hysteria, endless repeats>


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Radiator Head Child' on Fri Oct 27 13:31:55 BST 2000:

Not being retarded Jake. Promise.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Janet' on Fri Oct 27 14:09:41 BST 2000:

c/- Prince Patrick Hotel, Collingwood
With the current exchange rates a fiver should just about do it. (Our dollar is lower than a lizard's stomach)
BTW I've just heard Simon Munnery is over here for a visit. Hoorah!
(I know certain folk on this forum aren't Munnery fans, but I love 'im).


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Radiator Head Child' on Sat Oct 28 11:46:46 BST 2000:

I like Munnery, but reminds me of camp evil villain in panto.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Janet' on Sat Oct 28 17:00:43 BST 2000:

LOL - I'll tell him that


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Sun Oct 29 12:24:15 GMT 2000:

Since it's mostly uninhabited desert, I'll just write "Janet, Australia", and that's bound to get through.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Janet' on Mon Oct 30 08:14:48 GMT 2000:

Better to write "Janet - not the one with the two cats, the other one, Australia". That cat woman gets all my mail.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Jon' on Mon Oct 30 14:53:34 GMT 2000:

Why doesn't a wealthy philanthropist put up the money for Janet to really do a UK tour?

Just an idea.


Subject: Re: Is the world running out of jokes? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Mon Oct 30 15:00:24 GMT 2000:

It's 'Janet and John' again.

See the ball, John.


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