Dear Derek

I have read children laugh on average 300 - 600 times a day and adults laugh as little as 10 times per day. Is this based on any research?

Signed Not getting enough

Dear Not

The "children laughing" bit to me is an Urban Legend. It does pop up in articles from time to time and has some supposed basis of research behind the claims. I have never seen the paper.

That said, I think it is important to note that even observationally children laugh a lot more than we adults do. They are in a time of play and discovery, and to be frank, most of the time they are laughing at us.

Dear Derek

Is it true children are funnier than adults?

Signed The child within

Dear child

No, children are not funnier than adults. They are more gullible in what they think is possible, will do insanely dumb stunts for a laugh and… as Art Linkletter said…"they say the darndest things." But they are not "funny"…

Being funny requires a degree of language skills, life experience and frame of reference that children just don't have. Pun, irony, wit, call back and the other skills of comedy are not a regular part of their language arts. Funny is an old person's bag… if you don't believe me, ask a senior about their most memorable time in an outhouse.

Dear Derek

Is it true that you need to have a thick skin to be a comic? Don't you at some point become comfortable with your ability?

Signed Saw you

Dear Saw

Where did you see me? What was I wearing? I've been having a bit of water weight lately and hope it wasn't that show.

Dear Derek

If humour (or humor or humeur or whatever you want to call it) is so good for us, why is it not valued like a real profession?

Signed The Bottom Line

Dear Bottom

There is a very famous quote that goes "most people would rather be known as a serial killer, than a person without a sense of humour." This pretty well sums it up. Why would you pay to learn something that you obviously have in abundance?

Dear Derek

I am strangely drawn to people who make me laugh. It is like a magnet and I have noticed myself doing this in gatherings of people. It's not a physical thing; some of them even repulse me… in general. Is there any research which shows an outcome of this effect?

Signed Looking for Laughs

Dear Looking

Yes of course there is research (go to the web) and many case studies that document the bonding effect of laughter. Even more telling is when you see an older, crazy, poor, man with a beautiful, intelligent, successful partner. Right my love?

By Derek Wilken

- 18 - Edition 14, August 2003