I'm not crazy about "formal" jokes. I spend a good deal of time teasing and joking with people but it's all pretty spontaneous. When I was a platform speaker I occasionally told a joke or funny story that illustrated a point but I worked hard at rehearsing so that the words, timing, etc. were right.
Most people, including me, are not good at spontaneously telling a joke.
Yesterday I read an article on the healing powers of laughter. Of course, like other things, it's been studied to death. Some professor has done a global study on jokes and discovered that countries differ in what they think is funny.
The article listed the one joke that those in each country in the study thought was the funniest.
Here are the only two that made me laugh.
BELGIANS - "Well, you see, there are basically three kinds of people in the world. Those who can count, and those that can't."
FRENCHMEN - "You're a high priced lawyer! If I give you $500, will you answer two questions for me?"
"Absolutely! What's the second question?"
But the number one funniest joke in the world - I did not find to be very funny. And it was predicitable. So I'm going to repeat it here - minus the punch line. I'll bet you can figure it out.
THE OFFICIAL WORLD'S FUNNIEST JOKE - "Two hunters are in the woods. One collapes - with his gun at his side. The other guy dials 911. He gasps, 'My friend just died! What can I do?' The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, make sure he's dead."
(You fill in the rest.)
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