The First Ever Pun

Wow... I am, absolutely, gobsmacked to have discovered this... As anyone who knows me is aware, I love the art, yes art, of paronomasia... Punning, a play on words using words of similar sound...

Well imagine how over the moon I was to discover the first ever recorded version of a pun... Please see the example below for the reason of my being over the moon...

Stephen Fry - Pans

I searched on youtube, for Stephen fry and Puns, hearing that he did a radio episode on the Subject. Having an unhealthy obsession with the groan-worthy word-play and also having admiration for the man himself, I thought I'd like to hear it... I hoped some kind soul had put it up for people to listen to... Unfortunately they hadn't.

Although on searching for, 'Stephen Fry Puns' youtube enquired if I had actually meant, 'Stephen Fry Pans'.

I was intrigued... Did Stephen Fry have an interest in Cooking utensils and had he done a programme on them? Did he ever do a Comedy sketch ala Vic and Bob where Hugh and Stephen batter themselves with frying pans?

Allowing a cople of seconds for these questions to be asked, I decided I will answer them by telling youtube that I had indeed meant, 'Stephen Fry Pans'. I was then informed that there were no videos containing, 'Stephen Fry Pans'. I'll never get that time back again.

Tim Vine - Edinburgh's Funniest Joke

In the current comedic age where it is more important for a comedian to appear cool or edgy than funny, Tim Vine is a breath of fresh air. He is known by such soubriquets as the Pun-Slinger or The Machine-Pun but I like to think of him as simply a true comic genius

His puns, one-liners and silly songs are hilariously funny and well worth watching again and again…

Therefore I am so pleased that he has won the award for best joke of the Edinburgh fringe festival. Although I agree with him, he has better jokes than the one that one (See below)

Well done Tim, and I can’t wait for your Joke book to be released in September.

See below for a hilarious interview with Tim about the Joke.

Eurovision Pun Detest...

Oh how sad was Dustin's exit from a competition so po-faced and devoid of intentional-humour… And not for the reasons you would expect…

Dustin's exit from Europe has been a bad thing for Puns… Ever since it has been announced that Dustin was applying to take part in the Eurovision, the Pun-Writers of the Irish press have been going overboard... There has been an explosion of puns... Unfortunately they have not changed.

Yesterday morning's Headline's have been worryingly predictable, with 'Dustin Stuffed', 'Dustin Plucked', 'Dustin Fails to Ruffle feathers', 'Ireland in a flap over Eurovision. etc...

Now these puns are not bad as puns, but they were all expected, they had been used before and they were predicted.

I'm sorry but these newspapers have had a while to come up with decent original puns… It could have only gone two ways since Dustin was chosen and therefore some thought should have been put into it. What were the Pun departments of the newspapers doing?

As a huge Pun fan, I'd like to think I can come up with some.

For instance, why has no one used Sandie Shaw's Eurovision hit as a source of punning?

'Hike A Puppet, Con a Win' This would be an excellent headline the way that Dustin has been hyped making people think he is a shoo-in to win leaving the Bookies the only winners here.

The following are ten puns that would have showed more originality than the puns the press have used:

1) Yeah, Like a Puppet's Gonna Win. (Another obscure Sandie Shaw reference.)
2) Europe tells Dustin to Beak Wyatt.
3) No Turkey-ish delight as Dustin doesn't show Eastern (European) Promise.
4) Dustin's Daily Boos. (Reference to Dustin's show, Dustin's Daily News and the fact he gets booed everywhere.)
5) D'end of Eurovision for Dustin. (Reference to the Den)
6) Eurovision Poultry-mendous news for Dustin Dissenters. (Eurovision Poll Tremendous news etc.)
7) No Hen Party for the Irish in Belgrade. (This is where I start scraping the bottom of the barrel)
8) Dustin fails to make the (Bel)Grade. (Told you)
9) Irlande 'Boos' Points (Ouch surely I can get no lower.)
10) Dustin given free-range in Belgrade. (OK that is it… It is getting silly… Surely I have something better to do.)

I hope these amused you, but I'm assuming that no pun in ten did...