Humor Study: A bad joke might actually endanger the teller

By: AP | WSLS 10
Published: August 22, 2008

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(AP) - The next time your favorite joke lays an egg, you might want to quit while you're ahead.

Research by a Washington State University linguist found that people who tell bad jokes often endure an astonishing outpouring of hostility from those who have to put up with those jokes, including profanity, a nasty glare or even a solid punch to the arm.

First, jokes often disrupt the natural flow of conversation. And a stupid joke insults the listener by suggesting that he or she might actually find it funny.

The closer you are in age to the joke-teller, the more likely you are to object. And the toughest responses come from people who know the joke teller well. That's why children are especially hostile to failed humor by their parents.

And that's no joke.