Proof positive
"The researchers picked out a variety of jokes — good, bad, conventional, absurdist — to look for differences in reactions between self-described liberals and conservatives.
They expected conservatives to like traditional jokes, like the one about the golfing widower, that reinforce racial and gender stereotypes. And because liberals had previously been reported to be more flexible and open to new ideas, the researchers expected them to get a bigger laugh out of unconventional humor, like Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts” about the reindeer effect and Hambone.
Indeed, the conservatives did rate the traditional golf and marriage jokes as significantly funnier than the liberals did. But they also gave higher ratings to the absurdist “Deep Thoughts.” In fact, they enjoyed all kinds of humor more."
Read the story here.
Thanks, Tim Blair.
Who are the liberal counterparts to P.J. O'Rourke, Jonah Goldberg, Mark Steyn, Andrew Ferguson, R. Emmett Tyrrell, and Florence King? Can a liberal even spot the wisecracks in a column by William F. Buckley or George Will? Liberals haven't figured out yet that Will has a sense of humor. He should laugh at his own jokes, to make it easier for them.
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“You can pretend to be serious,” wrote Sacha Guitry, “but you can't pretend to be witty.” True, you can’t pretend to be witty because wit is dry, subtle, lacerating, cynical, elitist, and risqué — all impossible to fake. Humor, on the other hand, is broad, soothing, positive, inclusive, and smutty — to make sure everybody gets it. Pretending to be humorous is easy and a great many people are doing it.
--Florence King
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You're joking right?
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I'm super, super serial.
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One thing kids like is to be tricked. For instance, I was going to take my little nephew to Disneyland, but instead I drove him to an old burned-out warehouse. "Oh no," I said "Disneyland burned down."
He cried and cried, but I think that deep down, he thought it was a pretty good joke.
I started to drive over to the real Disneyland, but it was getting pretty late. --Jack Handey
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