The funniest people in the world, and what to take from them
Each page answers one question, like who was the funniest US president, using published rankings and sources rather than our own opinion. Then it breaks down how that person was funny into techniques you can use in a video or a set, each with an original example line and a way to try it.
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The series
19 pages
- Politics & public lifeOct 26, 2026NewWho was the funniest Supreme Court justice?Pick: Antonin ScaliaScalia, Breyer and the laugh tallies typed into every argument transcript.
- Science & spaceOct 25, 2026Who was the funniest astronaut?Pick: Pete ConradPete Conrad, the Apollo 12 commander who answered history with a height joke.
- Screen, stage & musicOct 24, 2026Who was the funniest chef?Pick: Julia ChildJulia Child, Anthony Bourdain, and the trick of narrating a kitchen disaster like it was the plan.
- Screen, stage & musicOct 23, 2026Who is the funniest musician?Pick: "Weird Al" YankovicWeird Al, Tom Lehrer, Victor Borge, and how a tune can carry a joke.
- Writers & thinkersOct 22, 2026Who is the funniest poet?Pick: Spike MilliganSpike Milligan, Ogden Nash, and the art of the invented noise.
- Writers & thinkersOct 21, 2026Who was the funniest philosopher?Pick: Søren KierkegaardKierkegaard, the clown in the burning theater, and the comedy of a fake byline.
- Politics & public lifeOct 20, 2026Who was the funniest British prime minister?Pick: Winston ChurchillChurchill, understatement under fire, and the trick of agreeing you're a worm.
- BusinessOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest CEO?Pick: Herb KelleherHerb Kelleher, an arm-wrestling match over a slogan, and the trick of turning a fight into a show.
- SportsOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest athlete?Pick: Charles BarkleyBarkley, Shaq, Yogi, and the trick of saying what everyone else is too careful to say.
- Politics & public lifeOct 20, 2026Who was the funniest US president?Pick: Abraham LincolnLincoln, Reagan, and the trick of answering an attack with a joke.
- Writers & thinkersOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest author?Pick: P.G. WodehouseWodehouse, Twain, and the trick of bending one word until it breaks.
- BusinessOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest billionaire?Pick: Warren BuffettWarren Buffett, Charlie Munger, and the trick of making a balance sheet funny.
- Writers & thinkersOct 20, 2026Who was the funniest Chinese philosopher?Pick: Zhuangzi (Zhuang Zhou)Zhuangzi, Confucius, and the trick of winning an argument on a technicality.
- Screen, stage & musicOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest Hollywood actress?Pick: Carol BurnettCarol Burnett, Lucille Ball, and the trick of committing to the bit past the point of reason.
- Writers & thinkersOct 20, 2026Who was the funniest Indian court wit?Pick: BirbalBirbal, Tenali Raman, and the trick of acting out the boss's bad logic.
- Science & spaceOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest scientist?Pick: Richard FeynmanFeynman, Gamow, Bohr, and the trick of putting a joke inside the paperwork.
- BusinessOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest Silicon Valley billionaire?Pick: Elon MuskMusk, Huang, Zuckerberg, and the joke you can carry through a door.
- Screen, stage & musicOct 20, 2026Who is the funniest US actor?Pick: Robin WilliamsRobin Williams, Bill Murray, and the trick of using whatever is in the room.
- Writers & thinkersOct 20, 2026Who was the funniest Zen monk?Pick: Ikkyū SōjunIkkyū, Sengai, Ryōkan, and the trick of letting a prop make the argument.
Try a technique on your own story →
Turn your own story into a bit
Write what happened. Get a bit: hook, setup, tags and button.
