Wordplay might be the lowest form of comedy to some, but to others it is simply a play on brilliance.
A new poll on puns shows the country is pretty divided on whether clever wordplay is witty or just a bit pun-derwhelming.
(Sorry. I do appreciate the polite eye roll.)
The survey asked a simple question: how do you feel about other people making puns?
14% of people say they love when others drop a clever play on words. Another 27% say they like it. That means about four in ten people are at least pun-positive. Meanwhile, 37% feel neutral, which is basically the human equivalent of “meh.” On the more pun-ishing end of the spectrum, 5% say they dislike puns and 3% flat-out hate them. Another 15% are not sure how they feel, which suggests they are still processing a dad joke from 2007.
The poll also flipped the question around and asked how people feel about making puns themselves.
16% say they love crafting a good groaner.
Another 23% like it. 36% are neutral, 4% dislike doing it, and 2% hate it. So yes, there is a small but mighty group who would rather face a tongue twister than attempt a pun.
When it comes to skill level, most people admit they are just average in the wordplay department. However, 6% boldly claim they are outstanding at coming up with puns. That is some serious confidence. On the flip side, 9% say they are horrible at it, which might explain why some jokes never quite land and instead just plane crash.
The demographic breakdown is not shocking. Men are more into puns than women, which tracks with the long-standing tradition of dad jokes being both relentless and unrequested.
Younger adults also tend to appreciate puns more than older folks, proving that wordplay is still very much in its prime.
Puns may not always be well-received, but for a dedicated slice of the population, they are the highest form of humor.