Thoughts on humor

[xiphias]

According to a recent wide-ranging survey of humor, the funniest animal is the duck.

However, there is a minority opinion that states that the platypus is the funniest animal.

So, I'd like people's opinions:

If I were a paid user, I'd probably do this with an lj-poll or something like that, but, as I'm not, I suppose we'll just have to discuss:

Which is funnier:

1a: A duck walks into a pharmacy, says, "Gimmie some chapstick, and put it on my bill!"
1b: A platypus walks into a pharmacy, says, "Gimmie some chapstick, and put it on my bill!"

2a: Why do platypuses have webbed feet? To stamp out forest fires! Why do elephants have flat feet? To stamp out burning platypuses!
2b: Why do ducks have webbed feet? To stamp out forest fires! Why do elephants have flat feet? To stamp out burning ducks!

Discuss.

Comments

[mittelbar.livejournal.com]

Platypuses are not funny. They are entirely serious. So are ducks. The difference is, they can carry it off, and ducks just can't.

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

This is a very good point. Plus poison spines detract from humor.

[elynne.livejournal.com]

Wheras the idea of a poisonous duck is just freaking hilarious.

[mittelbar.livejournal.com]

Damn! You are right.

In fact...

a poisonous duck...with fur...and milk glands.

That's so over-the-top it just might be genius.

[rosefox]

Bahahahaha! Yes! Platypi will take over the world!

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

I rarely type "LOL" And even when I do, I rarely mean it. But that genuinely made me laugh out loud.

[elynne.livejournal.com]

The defense rests. ;)

Re:

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

Wait, I thought we were both in favor of the duck?

[elynne.livejournal.com]

... you know, I'm very tempted to come up with a joke to which that is the punchline. :)

Re:

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

I'd like to hear it.

[angelovernh.livejournal.com]

Ok, here's the thing. BY ITSELF, the platypus is funnier. IT doesn't need a joke to make it funny. It's just a strange looking mammal.

In a joke, the duck is funnier because you just don't expect it to do silly things. A platypus (funny) doing odd things isn't funny, it's normal.

Patrick adds that the other reason "duck" is considered funnier in those jokes has to do with the hard K sound at the end of the word. (Perhaps also the similarity to the work 'f*ck' makes it seem humorous.

Here's a good link about platypuses (playtpi?)

http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/fauna/platypus.php

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

Also, porcupines are highly amusing animals. Probably not on the Duck level though.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Platypus, definitely. Although I also boobies and loons are pretty funny.

[elynne.livejournal.com]

BOOBIEZ!!!!!!1!!!!111!!!!!

[linenoise.livejournal.com]

One of my roommates used that as his $NAME on Unreal Tournament for a couple weeks. It was good for a laugh to see: "Ugly rode BOOBIEZ!!!!! rocket into oblivion."

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Platypuses are inherently funnier, if you know biology.

However, ducks are more common. People laugh at what they know. All you have to do to make some people bust a gut is shout "AFLAC!" in a crowded room.

[rosefox]

Platypi (such as yours truly) r00l. For the record.

[greenlily.livejournal.com]

Well, according to Dave Barry, the funniest animal is actually the weasel. Not in and of itself, but that inserting the word 'weasel' into any sentence makes it funnier. Does that help at all? If not, I'd have to go with the duck.