Monty Python once wrote a sketch about "the funniest joke in the world," in which an accomplished comedian wrote a joke so funny that he died of laughter while writing it, and anyone who heard the joke suffered the same fate. The rest of the skit is all about how society would handle the joke, and it's all funny and worth watching. But, the idea of such a joke got me thinking about whether or not such a thing could exist. Not only that, but is there anything that is considered funny by anyone who hears it?

And what makes something funny in the first place? is there a predictable way to make people laugh? Can you take a paper and pen and map out a path to someone's funny bone? Without even knowing the person? Comedies are getting less funny to me as I get older. Or maybe, is it because they're aimed to please more people? Generic humor is always the more popular, but any real funny person I've ever known has never been concerned with being popular (in fact I will violently confront the next person who makes a chuck norris joke or claims to be Rick James!).

The funniest guy I know was a shy kid who I befriended through middle school, and in high school became a complete eccentric who eventually became accepted as the funniest kid on earth. As much as he is liked, however, he is also hated by anyone who can't take a joke or is easily offended. I like talking to him because he's kind of a philosopher. He knows a lot about how people think and how to make them angry or happy just by talking to them. He still doesn't know the funniest joke in the world, though, in fact he rarely prepares any jokes at all. he says The good ones just kind of come straight out of you, they seem like the one possible thing to say at the time, and I'm inclined to agree.

Just look at comic strips: a funny guy sits around all day trying to think up a joke that will be laughed at by all who read it, and the result is "Peanuts," "Garfield," "Family Circus," "Adam@home," "Born Loser," etc etc, all over my funnies page! Where, I ask you, is the funny?