The oldest joke found so far dates from 1900 BC Sumeria (Iraq).
Talk about ancient, right? And when we think of old jokes, we think of philosophical quips. You know, the kind of stuff you read from Shakespeare in literature class, and the teacher has to inform you that what you just read was a joke. And then, when the joke was explained to you, you didn't laugh because an explained joke isn't nearly as funny, especially when it went over your head in the first place.
1900 BC is WAY more ancient than Shakespeare, so, logically, the humor in that kind of culture should be so archaic even Shakespeare would be left scratching his literate head.
Noop. Even a contemporary six-year-old would giggle at this. Contemporary grown-ups, however, would probably shake their heads in disgust.
"Oo!" you say, wriggling in anticipation. "What's the joke? How does it go? Tell me! Tell me!"
Here you go:
Something that has not happened since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap.
Hee hee! Funny, right?
-crickets chirping-
I have a hunch ancient Sumerian comedians hired writers to cook up their jokes, sorta like David Letterman does.
This sounds like something out of a Top Ten List.
"Top Ten Things That Haven't Happened Since Time Immemorial!"
(ding!)
"Number Ten! A woman farting in her husband's lap!"
One problem -- they didn't have canned laughter to fill in the bored silence in 1900 BC. Dave wouldn't have made it back in the day.
