A new survey has found that Britons love sarcastic humour more than traditional slapstick.
London, August 21 : A new survey has found that Britons love sarcastic humour more than traditional slapstick.
The poll, by drinks firm Vimto, suggests that sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit but it's what tickles the nation's fancy.
The survey discovered that seven in ten people found sarcasm funny, while 63 per cent admitted laughing unrestrainedly at "silly" jokes.
But a mere 35 per cent crack up at slapstick humour and only 38 per cent enjoy practical jokes, despite the popularity of TV shows such as MTV's Jackass and the more mainstream You've Been Framed.
The findings provoked little surprise among stand-ups currently appearing in Edinburgh.
"We reserve the right to be miserable, focus on the bad things in life, and deflate all that is good at all times. Sarcasm keeps misery alive while you're having a laugh in the pub," the Scotsman quoted Rob Deering, who is performing at the Underbelly's Smirnoff Baby Belly venue, as saying.
The Australian comic Brendon Burns, appearing at the Pleasance Dome, said the UK's preference for sarcasm was driven by "self-loathing and taking the p*** out of someone else to make them look stupid".
The poll also found that Billy Connolly and Peter Kay are the nation's favourite funnymen, each scooping 30 per cent of the votes.
Ricky Gervais took third spot in the poll with 10 per cent, with wacky Lee Evans and pokerfaced Jack Dee completing the top five.
Frank Skinner, Alan Davies, Ross Noble, Rob Brydon and ex-Young One Ade Edmonson completed the top 10.
Malcolm Hay, a comedy writer and former comedy editor of Time Out magazine, said he preferred sarcasm to so-called "observational" routines.
"I certainly hope that sarcasm is a strong trait because I think it's marvellous. I think observational comedy is the most inferior form of the lot because it is just trotting out truisms that people can immediately recognise," he said.
Findings also suggest that men tend to think of themselves as funny more so than women. 31 per cent of blokes said they made people laugh four times a day or more compared with 18 per cent of women.
ANI