# Why do some people think a fart is so funny? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736 "2003-02-13T02:30:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/1 "2003-02-13T02:30:40Z")
Ok, Posted this in IMHO because I doubt there is a truly factual reason, but rather a bunch of opinions. Why? It is only gas passing from the body. It isn’t like it is unnatural or something. I just wonder why everybody from the average 3rd grade classroom all the way up to (sadly) adults, find it funny. I don’t find it amusing, I simply move away from whoever passed the gas. It isn’t like whoever it is got up and said a joke or something, it just seems odd. Odd post, I know. But what is it about a fart that makes people crack up? ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/2 "2003-02-13T02:48:01Z")
Just a guess, but it probably has something to do with what is normally a very private bodily function being shared (purposely or not) with other people (usually your friends). Do people laugh at their own farts when alone at home? I doubt it. If you’re on an elevator full of strangers and someone lets one go, do you laugh or think “Gross!” and try to hold your breath? But if you’re on your way to (insert location here: ballgame, lake, movie, etc) with your good friends and someone lets loose, hilarity ensues. Just my perspective. It’s probably a guy thing to. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/3 "2003-02-13T02:52:13Z")
yeah… But usually the response is “open a window” with a good percentage of the people. But some people just crack up if _anyone_ else is near when they let one go. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_Sandwhich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_Sandwhich)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/4 "2003-02-13T02:56:32Z")
The social station of those inolved may affect the reaction, too. If it’s the Queen of England, for example, in front of a bunch of commoners. They might not laugh directly in front of her, as that would be bad form, but I’ll bet they’d be amused. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/5 "2003-02-13T03:28:58Z")
Hello! Brash sound Weird smell Comes from your _butt_! What’s not to get? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/6 "2003-02-13T03:33:53Z")
In some situations a really hearty fart would be hilarious - such as at a quiet, serious, emotional moment in a film at the cinema. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/7 "2003-02-13T03:50:20Z")
I think clayton is talking about people who laugh wildly at all and any farts. I think the hysteria is mostly some sort of byproduct of toilet training. Some people develop some kind of defensive response to bathroom functions that makes them laugh wildly at farts and fartlike sounds. They are more to be pitied than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![elgar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@elgar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elgar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/8 "2003-02-13T03:59:19Z")
What about women’s farts? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/9 "2003-02-13T04:38:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elgar \* > \*\*What about women’s farts? \*\* What about them? ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/10 "2003-02-13T05:07:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elgar \* > \*\*What about women’s farts? \*\* They can be funny, too! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/11 "2003-02-13T06:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elgar \* > \*\*What about women’s farts? \*\* I sat next to a very pretty girl at work, very well-spoken and dignified. She frequently cut really loud (though odorless) farts. They were loud enough the first few times I thought she had just made an embarassing noise by sliding across her seat wrong or something like that, but their regularity and their coinciding with her shifting her butt in her seat eventually convinced me otherwise. It was hard not to chuckle sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/12 "2003-02-13T06:15:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elgar \* > \*\*What about women’s farts? \*\* They’re the funniest of all! ---
**Author:** ![Keith\_Berry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@Keith\_Berry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keith_Berry)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/13 "2003-02-13T07:53:02Z")
My cousin, when going to the movies, is prone to making loud, wet farting noises by fluttering his lips, particulary during quiet romantic scenes. I’m generally murderous when it comes to people talking or making noises at the theatre, but when me and him saw “Unfaithful” and he proceeded to let loose with extremely LOUD farting noises (that sounded like diaherra ripping from a sore ass) during every one of the sex scenes, I started laughing so helplessly that I had to get up and hang out in the hallway for a few minutes to get it out of my system. When I returned, he was still doing it. ---
**Author:** ![domesticatedjunglefowl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@domesticatedjunglefowl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/domesticatedjunglefowl)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/14 "2003-02-13T17:22:13Z")
By the way, If you wish to have the loudest, longest, and liveliest farts, try roasted soy nuts. If my experience with soy nuts were made into a movie it would be called ‘Eight Seconds.’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/15 "2003-02-13T18:48:36Z")
I once had a roommate who was a really hot woman, and she could fart intentionally: loud, long and odorless. Which she would do when she saw men checking her out on the street, just to see what their reaction was. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/16 "2003-02-13T19:09:51Z")
I’m lauging just reading about it. Although they are funnier when shared with others (particularly in public in the presence of Mom), I also laugh when I am alone. Why is it funny? **pizzabrat** said it best. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/17 "2003-02-13T19:13:09Z")
Now that I think about it, it’s like I have been laughing at the same joke for over 30 years, and I still think it’s funny. I guess farts qualify as the best damn joke in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/18 "2003-02-13T19:21:51Z")
I’m thinking of the bit in _Bill Cosby: Himself_ now where he describes his father’s chair lifting off the ground from his farts. God that’s funny. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/19 "2003-02-13T19:26:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pilot141 \* > \*\* > Do people laugh at their own farts when alone at home? I doubt it. > \*\* While I don’t find all farts funny, I do occasionally laugh at my own even when I’m alone. What tickles me is when the fart resembles a word. My butt apparently needing to make a statement, “kitty!” will make me laugh every time. **lieu** started a hilarious thread about this experience. ---
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736/20 "2003-02-13T19:51:02Z")
Even my 3 year old son knows that farts are funny. We call them “pant pops” and this happened the other night just as he was about to step into his bath. He: \<\\> Grinning - “I just did a pant pop!” Me: “But you’re not wearing pants!?!?!?” He: A pensive look, then a broad smile “I just did a bottom pop!!!” Father and son break out laughing. (End of scene) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-people-think-a-fart-is-so-funny/154736.md?page=2)