Nudge

Prof Wiseman: “My (Failed) Search for the World's Funniest Joke”

Nudge

Show Notes

Professor Richard Wiseman searched for the world’s funniest joke.

He found it.

But it wasn’t what he expected.

---

Richard’s book Quirkology: https://amzn.to/4shYOJ6

Richard’s book 59 Seconds: https://amzn.to/3Pf9pWI

Richard’s SubStack: https://richardwiseman.substack.com/

Join 11,934 readers of the Nudge Newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list

Unlock the Nudge Vaults: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/vaults

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew/

---

Today’s sources:

Asch, S. E. (1955). Opinions and social pressure. Scientific American, 193(5), 31–35.

Crum, A. J., & Langer, E. J. (2007). Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science, 18, 165–171.

Wiseman, R. (2009). 59 seconds: Think a little, change a lot. Knopf.

Wolff, H. A., Smith, C. E., & Murray, H. A. (1934). The psychology of humor: I. A study of responses to race-disparagement jokes. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 28, 345–365.

More from Nudge

Oct 19, 2026

When Greece beat France in Euro 2004, the stock market shifted. When Allbirds rebranded as an AI company, its stock rose 600%. When British radio plays happy music, the FTSE improves.

Oct 12, 2026

I think Sam Altman of OpenAI has deliberately tried to build his fame.

Oct 5, 2026

Wiebe Wakker spent three years driving from the Netherlands to Australia.

Sep 28, 2026

Are men who are insecure about their manhood more likely to buy sports cars?

Sep 21, 2026

Every weekend, thousands of Brits order takeaways from independent restaurants.

See all episodes →