It’s as easy as: c=(m+nO)/p
BRILLIANT! Absoluetly BRILLiant!
The Brits “determined the funniest joke” by polling people on the net:
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other man pulls out his phone and calls emergency services and gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?”
The operator in a calm, soothing voice replies: “Take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard.
Back on the phone, the hunter says, “OK, now what?”
Now the Aussie’s have figured out the formula! Again, brilliant ol’ chaps. Keep it up.
Original Link
Boffins find ‘perfect joke’ formula
June 15, 2004
THE mathematical equation for the perfect joke has been revealed by scientists.
Timandra Harkness and Helen Pilcher’s formula is c=(m+nO)/p.
The scientific pair are also stand-up comedians who make up the Comedy Research Project, which they run with the Science Museum in London.
In the formula, c is the funniness of the joke; m is the comic moment which is arrived at by multiplying the punchline’s funniness rating by the length of the joke’s build-up.
nO is the number of times the subject undergoes a pratfall, multiplied by the ouch factor – the social and physical pain of the indignity involved.
The total is divided by the number of puns, p.
The equation shows that if a joke consists of a long shaggy dog story, it doesn’t require such a funny punchline as a shorter wisecrack.
Puns weaken a joke because they tend to encourage groans rather than laughter.
Herald Sun