# What is "The funniest thing ever"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392 "2004-03-25T18:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/1 "2004-03-25T18:26:24Z")
A coworker just came up to me and started a conversation with “You’ve got to hear this, it’s the funniest thing ever…”. She then proceeded to tell a story that, while rather humorous, wasn’t the funniest thing I had ever heard. But it did start me thinking, “what is ‘the funniest thing ever’?” I don’t have an answer yet, and I’m reasonably sure that we will not reach a consensus on this. I’m not even sure exactly what the question means. Is it the one thing that still makes people laugh even after a very long period of time? Is it the one thing that was more funny than anything else at the time it happened? It apparently is _not_ the Three Stooges, according to every single woman I know. I understand might be"Wenn ist das Nunstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!",but I don’t speak German (luckily for me). So, Dopers, what is “the funniest thing ever”? (and congratulations to me for my first OP!) ---
**Author:** ![Quint\_Essence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/54ee81/32.png) [@Quint\_Essence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint_Essence)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/2 "2004-03-25T18:41:44Z")
humor is often the result of unexpected results which is why an old joke just doesnt seem as funny as the first time you hear it. The funniest thing I have seen recently was a guy screwing around with an old toilet seat. He held it up and opened the lid, then stuck his face through it and while he was mugging for the rest of the people in the room the lid came down smashing his fingers and nearly breaking his nose. Funniest ever? No. But it is the funniest thing I have seen in awhile 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/3 "2004-03-25T18:48:41Z")
I think a man getting hit in the groin is always good for a laugh. It also translates into other languages well. It doesn’t seem as funny to women though. And when its unexpected, like a guy hitting a golf ball that bounces off a tree at 100 MPH or when the perp is doing something stupid, like sliding down a 30 foot long railing on a skateboard, and it gets even funnier. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/4 "2004-03-25T19:56:48Z")
I’d say the black knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “God was my co-pilot, but then we crashed into the mountians and I had to eat him”, which was definately the funniest thing ever at the time. ---
**Author:** ![luluBahrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e5b9ba/32.png) [@luluBahrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luluBahrain)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/5 "2004-03-25T20:21:46Z")
Whatever the funniest thing ever is, I know it must have something to do with farts or farting. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/6 "2004-03-25T20:23:46Z")
A man being hit in the groin is _hilarious_ … my friend has a rottweiler dog that’s very adept at headbutting men’s crotches - reduces everyone to tears everytime ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/7 "2004-03-25T20:36:33Z")
There’s nothing funnier than a smoking monkey. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/8 "2004-03-25T20:55:38Z")
I don’t know what the funniest thing ever is, but I can tell you this - You can tell something is NOT going to be funny when it is prefaced by “Back in High School…” In most cases it will not be funny in the least. I don’t know why this is either. ---
**Author:** ![myrnajean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@myrnajean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myrnajean)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/9 "2004-03-25T21:01:39Z")
A little background first. I was a teenager growing up in a fairly bad neighborhood in chicago during the 80’s. The guys we knew were all Puerto Rican gangbangers & hoodlums, mostly harmless, but always had the “show” going on. They wore those baggies and dago tee’s and All Star gym shoes, big fluffy afro’s and walked that pimpdaddy-pigeon-walk thing with the head kinda bobbing forward with each step. My sister was going out with one of the older guys named “Woe”. Woe was the coolest of the cool, naturally (at least to himself and all the younger guys). Woe went with us to the lake one day. On the way home (we were riding the Chicago elevated system) we went to get off the train, of course, ladies first… We start to step off (the three girls) Woe follows us, head bobbing Doors close We hear this strange _uuuurrrck_ noise and turn around Woe is trapped in the door, with just his head outside and as he’s desperately swiveling his head back and forth, eyes bugging, looking for the conductor, the door continues to _slam-slam_ in from each side as it tries to completely close. ~swivel~ _slam-slam_- _uuuurrrck_ ~swivel~ _slam-slam_- _uuuurrrck_ ~swivel~ _slam-slam_- _uuuurrrck_ We all just collapsed on the platform laughing. Even now, when I remember it, I still laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/10 "2004-03-25T21:48:22Z")
You’re all wrong. It’s Homer Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/11 "2004-03-25T21:54:31Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > You can tell something is NOT going to be funny when it is prefaced by “Back in High School…” And when it’s an outtakes show that starts with old people on dancefloor, man walking backwards at poolside or stupid people standing on plastic chairs or flimsy tables. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. ‘Kirsty’s home videos’? News: They are not funny. Stop showing them. Stop accepting them. Send them back with big red sticker affixed: **NOT FUNNY!** ---
**Author:** ![InTransit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@InTransit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InTransit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/12 "2004-03-25T22:02:29Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > You’re all wrong. It’s Homer Simpson. Sideshow Bob with the rakes? Now that’s good laughing. ---
**Author:** ![domesticatedjunglefowl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@domesticatedjunglefowl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/domesticatedjunglefowl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/13 "2004-03-25T22:11:02Z")
‘Funny-strange’ or ‘funny-haha’? I think it must involve a monkey either way. [http://rpsec.usca.sc.edu/Classwork/703sp2003/Fornes/diversions.html](http://rpsec.usca.sc.edu/Classwork/703sp2003/Fornes/diversions.html) ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/14 "2004-03-25T22:20:07Z")
> [@](#): > > So, Dopers, what is “the funniest thing ever”? A 24-hour _America’s Funniest Home Videos_ all-children-and-animals marathon! ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/15 "2004-03-25T22:31:58Z")
George Bush I vomiting on the Prime Minister of Japan. That was the funniest thing ever, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![wnorthr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@wnorthr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wnorthr)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/16 "2004-03-25T23:51:53Z")
I saw this painting once of some dogs playing poker. It was a private collection so you’ll never get to see it. THAT was the funniest thing ever. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/17 "2004-03-26T00:21:46Z")
The funniest thing I’ve ever seen in a movie was in “WarGames” where the boy and girl are in biology class together, and the teacher says “We were talking about asexual reproduction. Who first came up with the idea of reproduction without sex?” and one of the kids, I forget which, says “Your wife”. And it’s not even a comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/18 "2004-03-26T00:45:41Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > And when it’s an outtakes show that starts with old people on dancefloor, man walking backwards at poolside or stupid people standing on plastic chairs or flimsy tables. > > You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. ‘Kirsty’s home videos’? News: They are not funny. Stop showing them. Stop accepting them. Send them back with big red sticker affixed: **NOT FUNNY!** Nope, you’re wrong. These are funny. Very funny Or at least they could be, if THE FUCKING NARRATOR WOULD JUST STFU AND TRUST THE COMEDY!!! God, it drives me nuts! A clip of a guy trying to jump a pool and not making it is amusing! Dub Bob Saget or one of these other idiot’s voices over it going "doh, de doh, think I’ll jump the pool now"and it becomes excrutiating to watch. Also, somebody just flat out needs to shoot Matt Gallant, look at the look in his eyes, he’s begging you to put him out of his misery, and we need to put him out of ours. ---
**Author:** ![Mottpot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Mottpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mottpot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/19 "2004-03-26T00:48:39Z")
I was going to bring up the dog riding monkey as soon as monkeys were brought up. Thank You **mangomerlot**! I don’t think I have ever laughed as hard in my life as I did after a couple beers and a marathon of _Family Guy_. And, coincidentally, my favorite character is the mean monky always threatening to kill Chris. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392/20 "2004-03-26T01:02:37Z")
Um, well, Jack Handy said something like "_The funniest think to a shark has got to be a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because, where does he think he’s going?"_ That to me is damn funny. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-funniest-thing-ever/236392.md?page=2)