h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

An excellent question, Christopher.

Wrath, Christopher? I always find a witty pun rather cleverer than the average joke.

MrsZ I love that hairdresser and want to go there.

Hairdresser around the corner from me is called 'Do or Dye'

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=edmonton&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=Edmonton,+Division+No.+11,+Alberta&ll=53.518114,-113.486645&spn=0.004542,0.013937&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.518113,-113.486793&panoid=reIXCLDs2M2Z7kQcV3upEw&cbp=12,15.53,,0,5.76

>> why do puns incur such wrath and incitement to violence compared to other forms of humour?

There was an SF short story on the subject which hypothesised that puns are our "natural" form of playfulness and yer actual joke was a psychological experiment being done on us by god-like aliens. I cannot remember who wrote it, but I bet SoRB knows.

Ben

Two hairdressers in Sydney

Curl Up and Dye

Head Office

I love a good pun

Anyone who listens to the Dave Gorman podcast from Absolute Radio will know of the Pun Street planning committee, a little post-podcast segment in which they consider applications from punning businesses.

The all time favourite has to be the Muslim butchers somewhere in east London:

Halal: is it meat you're looking for?

Others include the laundrette Wish You Wash Here, a florist called Back to the Fuschia, a joiners called Chisel Me Timbers, and rather a corker a window cleaners called Mr. Bit.

Oh, and one other: if you wanted to go on a tour around a city with lots of other people, on a bus, say, going to all the best known haunted locations...

...

... who ya gonna call?

...

Ghost Bus Tours.

>>a window cleaners called Mr. Bit.<<



What's the film that has a hairdresser in it called Curl Up and Dye?

When I lived on the north side of Birmingham, I occasionally saw buses with the name Buster Werkenbak on the side.

Don't know if they are still going.


Geggs

"There was an SF short story on the subject which hypothesised that puns are our "natural" form of playfulness and yer actual joke was a psychological experiment being done on us by god-like aliens. I cannot remember who wrote it, but I bet SoRB knows."

Asimov wrote a story along those lines. A man asked where jokes, as opposed to puns, came from. Nobody could remember 'creating' a joke, just repeating jokes that they had been told. Somebody suggested that jokes are implanted in our minds by some outside force. At that point nobody could remember any jokes as the 'aliens' had decided the experiment had been invalidated. Or something. It's a while since I read it.

used to see them 2yrs ago geggs - but on t'toher side down by the airport and business park.

That's the one, Cheerful Dragon, and I certainly read enough Asimov to have read that one.

Ben