Brum's funny - and we're not joking!

Aug 24 2007 By Will Oliphant, Birmingham Mail

BIRMINGHAM has come a rib-tickling second in a survey to find Britain's funniest city.

It beat stiff competition from Liverpool which came in third , but was pipped at the post as the most chucklesome city by Bristol.

Not surprising, you might think, as we're in the birthplace of comic legends such as Frank Skinner, Tony Hancock, Lenny Henry, Jasper Carrot, Julie Walters and even Ozzy Osbourne.

Other famous comedians have included former Birmingham student Victoria Wood who must have rubbed off some of her comic charm on residents during her stay here.

Dave Hodgson, marketing director for Marketing Birmingham, said: "I think it's great, but like with all things like this I think Birmingham should have come first.

"Scousers always say they're the funniest people in the world, but frankly they're not. Scousers will tell you they're funny, but a Brummie will just make you laugh.

"This is a fantastic city with a great comedy heritage and we've got plenty of comedy events. But even if you just walk into a pub and start talking to a Brummie, he'll crack you up."

Interviewers stopped 50 passers-by in eight UK cities and challenged them to tell a joke, do a silly dance or anything they could think of to make the interviewers laugh.

Marks were given for whether people agreed to stop and talk to interviewers and then more were added for their ability to raise a belly laugh, giving a total out of 100.

Accents may have played some part in the result, with Birmingham's famous drawl scoring it extra points, but the light-hearted tones of the Welsh accent failed to impress as Cardiff came in last.

One reason for the Welsh capital's failure to tickle the funny bone was because - in the words of one interviewee - "people take life too seriously and they're too insular".

Dave Hodgson, from Marketing Birmingham, gave us his two favourites.

"Where do Brummies go to eat? Spaghetti Junction."

And... a man walks into a pub and there's a donkey behind the bar. The man is surprised, but asks for a lager, and the donkey replies: "Eeyore then!"

Marks for cities were:

1) Bristol 68 per cent

2) Birmingham 59 per cent

3) Liverpool 53 per cent

4) London 52 per cent

5) Glasgow 48 per cent

6) Newcastle 45 per cent

7) Brighton 40 per cent

8) Cardiff 29 per cent