National Tell An Old Joke Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about National Old Joke Day

National Tell an Old Joke Day, observed annually on July 24, has arrived! This day is dedicated to keeping ancient jokes alive and well! As with all endangered species, ancient jokes require periodic revitalization. Spread joy, encourage laughter, and reminisce about those beloved old stories.

The background of National Tell An Old Joke Day

Some claim that the jest originated in Greece. Others believe that it originated from a mythological figure named Palamedes. Since he is also credited with the invention of numbers, the alphabet, lighthouses, dice, and the practise of consuming meals at regular intervals, we will not hesitate to accept this theory as true. The facts demonstrate that the Greeks were indeed a comical people. In Demosthenes’ Athens, there was a comedy club known as the Group of Sixty. They met at the Heracles Temple and exchanged witticisms. Alexander the Great’s father, Philip II of Macedon, appears to have commissioned a collection of their quips. The first humour book ever discovered was also discovered in Greece. It is titled “Philogelos,” or “Laughter-Lover,” and contains 264 quips, several of which are repeated in slightly different forms. Given that it is attributed to two authors, Hierocles and Philagrius, historians believe this implies the book is actually a combination of two joke books. This book is renowned for its sparse humour, which includes jewels such as “How shall I cut your hair?” a chatty barber asked a wag. “In silence!” the fool replied.

Even the Ancient Romans had ‘jestbooks.’ Titus Maccius Plautus frequently referred to these in his plays, and the Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus mentions a professor of the emperor Augustus who compiled more than 150 collections of quips.

“Philogelos” was displaced during the Middle Ages, and only the Arab world kept humour alive. As they spread throughout the globe, their satirical folktales and humour also spread. As these folktales made their way to Europe, they divided in two: the novel and a shorter, more humorous tale.

With the aid of one man, the early Renaissance revived the joke: Poggio Bracciolini. This Italian humanist served as secretary to eight popes and was an avid bibliophile who travelled throughout Europe in quest of lost works. This influenced his satirical writing, which was published as “Facetiae.” This book, which contains 273 jokes, bons mots, puns, and humorous anecdotes, was significantly influenced by another club called the Bugiale, which served as a sort of jokes club. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find copies of “Facetiae” today.

Poggio’s quips were included in the first English jestbook, and by the time Shakespeare came along, jestbooks were extremely popular. The world only required one more prod to transform humorous tales into jokes. It took the form of 28 quips from “Philogelos” that were published inadvertently in an edition of “Commentary on the Golden Words of Pythagoras.” Due to this error, the quips quickly spread throughout Europe. Due to their prevalence, jokes have become shorter and more concise.

The Georgian period produced masterpieces such as “Joe Miller’s Jests,” which was based on a notoriously morose London theatre actor. By the nineteenth century, joke publications had been cleaned up and obscene language removed. They were used as filler in older printed books and were a source of entertainment for anyone who read them.

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5 Interesting Facts About National Old Joke Day

The ancient Sumerian proverb that is widely regarded as the first jest ever written is actually a reference to bathroom humour.

The second earliest recorded joke involves lustful pharaohs on the Nile and dates back to 1600 B.C. in ancient Egypt.

Scientists believe that mirth was the primary means of communication between humans prior to the development of the lungs required for speech.

Oxford University researchers examined the responses of 55 undergraduates from the London School of Economics to 65 distinct jokes; shorter jokes were more popular.

People who make jokes in any situation, including job interviews, are perceived as more confident than those who remain solemn, according to the data.

NATIONAL TELL AN OLD JOKE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	July 24	Monday
2024	July 24	Wednesday
2025	July 24	Thursday
2026	July 24	Friday
2027	July 24	Saturday