Flatulence joke is world's oldest (filed under breaking "wind "news)

BBC online ^ | Aug,1 2008

[Kimmers]

Breaking news about breaking wind: the world's oldest joke is a one-liner about flatulence, researchers say. Academics have compiled a list of the most ancient gags and the oldest, harking back to 1900BC, is a Sumerian proverb from what is now southern Iraq. "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap," goes the joke. Randy pharaohs, thirsty ox-drivers and barbers also feature in the list. The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century, and uses the traditional question and answer format to suggestively poke fun at Anglo-Saxon men. "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? A key."

[reagan_fanatic]

[ken21]

when i was in high school

my english teacher was taken with

episode of the young man under a window

and a pretty young woman sitting in the window sill...

[lexington minuteman 1775]

1900 BC? That really is an old fart...

[ken21]

not awake yet!

in chaucer.

[ctdonath2]

Aristophanies is included among the greatest of ancient writers. Having studied his plays, I conclude the only reason his prolonged slapstick comedies featuring fart, homo & scat jokes are considered “great” is because they survived that long, not for any literary value.

[kidd]

Euripides?

Yes. You fix a dese?

[SolidWood]

We invaded Iraq for WMD’s, and all we found was an old fart joke (no not Saddam).

[NonValueAdded]

Eumenides?

[Sgt_Schultze]

Blazing Saddles

[BallyBill]

I always thought Abbott and Costello were the first people to steal jokes. I'd say it impossible to write a new joke, you just tell them different.

It would be a hoot to see a caveman version of the "Dead Parrot" sketch though.

[SpinnerWebb]

It would be a hoot to see a caveman version of the "Dead Parrot" sketch though.

ugg... Zog not dead... him dinosaur bait.

[andy58-in-nh]

So, these two Babylonians walk into a bazaar....

[TomGuy]

Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400) wrote some interesting (and funny) stories.

Several of them were described as ribald: humorously vulgar.

[Yo-Yo]

The oldest British joke dates back to the 10th Century, and uses the traditional question and answer format to suggestively poke fun at Anglo-Saxon men. "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? A key."

Are you a Turtle?

[ErnBatavia]

Pfffft Ping...

[ErnBatavia]

Euripides? Yes. You fix a dese?

The way my old high skoo history teacher would say that was: Euripedes? Eumenides.

[hoagy62]

You bet your sweet A$$ I am!

[Adder]

Sumerian proverb from what is now southern Iraq. “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap,” goes the joke.

I always thought proverbs were somewhat loftier...

[Liberty2007]

loftiness