If it's too funny, you're too old
Humor professional Charles Star points out a new study on how joke comprehension may decrease with age. To determine this, researchers showed participants the first three panels from old Ferd'nand comics and asked them to choose the correct punchlines. The problem is, for the example given at least, the wrong answer is about 100 times funnier than the right one, especially if you've been conditioned by the anti-caption contest.
Here's the joke: A businessman is riding the subway after a hard day at the office. A young man sits down next to him and says, "Call me a doctor ... call me a doctor." The businessman asks, "What's the matter, are you sick?"
Correct punchline: "I just graduated from medical school."
Incorrect punchline: "Yes, I feel a little weak. Please help me."
I just laughed out loud again.
Comments
Me too. I love the sad anti-captions the best, and this reminds me of the funniest one ever http://www.radosh.net/archive/001326.html
Posted by: patrick | July 11, 2007 1:48 PM
Better joke, same vain (maybe):
An old Jewish guy is struck by a car in mid-town Manhattan. As he lays on the ground a cop leans over and says to him: "An Ambulance is on the way. Are you comfortable?"
Old guy: "I make a living."
(It funnier if you use a Yiddish accent.)
Posted by: al in la | July 11, 2007 2:02 PM
Hmm, an anti-punchline contest...
Posted by: mypalmike | July 12, 2007 11:56 AM
A businessman is riding the subway after a hard day at the office. A young man sits down next to him and says, "Call me an ambulance... call me an ambulance." The businessman asks, "What's the matter, are you sick?"
Young man says, "What, so wanting to be considered an ambulance somehow makes me 'sick,' does it? Hmmm, now that you mention it, I guess it does."
Posted by: Vance | July 12, 2007 12:44 PM
I lose it every time I think of the incorrect punchline.
Posted by: asc | July 16, 2007 12:40 PM