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“Two hunters are in the woods when suddenly, one of them collapses. He seems motionless, his eyes rolled back. His companion takes out his phone and frantically dials emergency services: ‘My friend is dead! What should I do?’ The operator calmly replies: ‘Remain calm. I will guide you. First, let’s verify if he is truly deceased.’ After a silence, a gunshot rings out. The hunter picks up the phone again and asks: ‘And now?’”
Laughter isn’t guaranteed, but this hunter’s joke seems to be universally appreciated. According to a study, this joke transcends cultural boundaries and appeals to a wide audience, regardless of age or gender. Richard Wiseman, the researcher behind this unusual observation, explains that the joke works because it allows us to feel superior to the clumsy hunter. An insight already explored by the French comedy group Les Inconnus in 1991 in their iconic sketch about hunters.
