"Boffins seek world's funniest jokes" Posted Thu Sep 6 00:46:20 BST 2001 by Mogwai

From Ceefax:


Boffins seeking world's funniest jokes


The search is on to find the world's funniest jokes.

Hertfordshire University scientists intend to collect and assess tens of thousands of jokes from the internet.

Once they have chosen the funniest, they will read them aloud to a group of people and measure their brain activity changes using MRI scans.

The aim, they say, is to learn more about the psychology and brain chemistry of humour.

Subject: Re: World's Funniest [ Previous Message ]
Posted By mrdiscopop on Thu Sep 6 10:14:50 BST 2001:

http://www.laughlab.co.uk


I can't get it to work at the minute, but I'm hoping that the real reason for this 'research' is to turn the funniest joke into a weapon for use against Germany in the war.

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu Sep 6 16:42:15 BST 2001:

"....some of the milkmen are very old."

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Ian the Smegmeister' on Thu Sep 6 20:03:27 BST 2001:

Wenn ist das Nunstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Thu Sep 6 22:11:05 BST 2001:

I work next to a German guy who is involved in humour research. Take a look at

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/humour-research.html

and you'll get some idea of how humourless he is.

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Phil A' on Fri Sep 7 00:29:37 BST 2001:

Zer were zwei peanuts walking down zur strasse, und wan was assaulted...peanut. Oh ho ho ho.

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Anonymous' on Fri Sep 7 00:38:53 BST 2001:

i saw something about this on BBC Breakfast news - it's such a brilliantly non story. Academic research into humour is going on all the time, but they announced this "story" and then asked their viewers to send in their funniest jokes. That's what it's all about really - they can't just be honest and say "stuff current affairs, it's boring, let's just tell jokes all day" - it has to be dressed up as news

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Football' on Fri Sep 7 01:52:35 BST 2001:

>Zer were zwei peanuts walking down zur strasse, und wan was assaulted...peanut. Oh ho ho ho.

Yur MUDDA iz SOW FAT... SHe iz no use to de mazter Rrrrrace!

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By mrdiscopop on Fri Sep 7 13:13:52 BST 2001:

>they can't just be honest and say "stuff current affairs, it's boring, let's just tell jokes all day" - it has to be dressed up as news



I belive that this is the actual programme briefing for BBC Breakfast

Subject: Re: [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Fri Sep 7 13:37:49 BST 2001:

For it to be properly scientific, there should be a "control" group who are exposed to something completely unfunny.

Anyone got the URL of that Dan L site...?

[ Add Your Comment On This Subject ]
[ Add Your Comment Quoting Message ]