Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: March 21, 2008. 7:45 PM.

Where collected: Alaska Airlines flight 1481 from San Jose, CA to Portland, OR

Who told the joke: The pilot

Who he told the joke to: The passengers

The joke:

The plane had just touched down in Portland. As it was speeding down the runway and the pilot began the braking procedure, he addressed the passengers over the aircraft’s public address system.

Pilot: (as if riding a bucking bronco) “Whoa, there, big fella!”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): 5

Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: March 4, 2008. 10:45 AM.

Where collected: Medical building elevator, Beverly Hills, CA.

Who told the joke: A pregnant woman.

Who she told the joke to: A woman with a baby, her husband.

The joke:

Woman: (indicating baby) “I guess you’re about to have one of these.”

Pregnant Woman: “Two! I’ve already got one.”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): 2

Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: January 16, 2008, 10 AM

Where collected: Liquor store parking lot, White Lake, NY

Who told the joke: A man driving by in a car

Who he told the joke to: The liquor store owner who was shoveling snow off his stoop

The joke:

Driver: “Hey, when you’re done with that, can you come and do mine?”

Owner (mustering faint smile): “Um-hmmm”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): 2

Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: June 2005

Where collected: Dentist’s office, 62nd and Park, New York City

Who told the joke: A dentist

Who he told the joke to: A patient

Additional audience: man and woman in waiting room

The joke:

Dentist: “So your wife said you do a lot of apartment renovations.”

Patient: “Mmmm…”

Dentist: “I guess we’re sort of in the same business….I just do renovations of the mouth.”

Patient: “Mmmm…”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): 1*

*patient might possibly have chuckled if he had been able

Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: December 10, 2007

Where collected: Shell gas station, Bethel, New York

Who told the joke: A middle-aged man in a late model American four-door sedan

Who he told the joke to: A gas station attendant

What was the joke: In response to the attendant’s asking “Can I check your oil, sir?,” the middle-aged man replied, “I’m Brian. My father was ‘sir.'” The attendant, looking bewildered, then responded, “So, no?”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): ndr*

*no discernable response

Humor in the Wild

Actual jokes told by real people overheard in a natural setting

When collected: December 23, 2007

Where collected: Aboard Delta Airlines flight 1222 from Los Angeles to Cincinnati

Who told the joke: A man in seat 4-A

Who he told the joke to: A flight attendant

Additional audience: A man in seat 4-B

What was the joke: (re: flight attendant gathering meal trays) “Guess you don’t have three arms, huh?”

Laugh response on a scale from 1 (no laughter) to 10 (uproar): 3

Note: a large percentage of the laughter was generated by the man telling the joke