Editing Pun (section)

===Comedy and jokes===
Puns are a common source of humour in jokes and [[Stand-up comedy|comedy shows]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2008/may/15/gluttonsforpunishment|title= Gluttons for pun-ishment|first=Dan|last=Worth|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=15 May 2008}}</ref> They are often used in the [[punch line]] of a joke, where they typically give a humorous meaning to a rather perplexing story. These are also known as [[feghoot]]s. The following example comes from the movie ''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World]]'', though the punchline stems from far older [[Vaudeville]] roots.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BoT1Cc1Ecb8C&q=lesser%20of%20two%20weevils%20joke&pg=PA20 | title=Vaudeville Humor: The Collected Jokes, Routines, and Skits of Ed Lowry | author=Levitt, Paul M. | year=2002 | publisher=Southern Illinois University Press | isbn=978-0-8093-2720-1}}</ref> The final line puns on the stock phrase "[[lesser of two evils principle|the lesser of two evils]]". After Aubrey offers his pun (to the enjoyment of many), Dr. Maturin shows a disdain for the craft with his reply, "One who would pun would pick-a-pocket."

{{Blockquote|
Captain Aubrey: "Do you see those two [[weevil]]s, Doctor?...Which would you choose?"
Dr. Maturin: "Neither. There's not a scrap of difference between them. They're the same species of ''[[Curculio]]''."
Captain Aubrey: "If you had to choose. If you were forced to make a choice. If there were no other option."
Dr. Maturin: "Well, then, if you're going to push me. I would choose the right-hand weevil. It has significant advantage in both length and breadth."
Captain Aubrey: "There, I have you!...Do you not know that in [[Royal Navy|the Service]], one must always choose ''the lesser of the two weevils.''"
}}

Not infrequently, puns are used in the titles of comedic [[Parody|parodies]]{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}. A parody of a popular song, movie, etc., may be given a title that hints at the title of the work being parodied, replacing some of the words with ones that sound or look similar. For example, [[collegiate a cappella]] groups are often named after musical puns to attract fans through attempts at humor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Many A Cappella Group Names are Puns? {{!}} The A Cappella Blog|url=http://acappellablog.com/statistical-findings/how-many-a-cappella-group-names-are-puns/|first=Mike|last= Chin|date=18 May 2011|access-date=5 January 2022|website=acappellablog.com}}</ref> Such a title can immediately communicate both that what follows is a parody and also that work is about to be parodied, making any further "setup" (introductory explanation) unnecessary.

====Books never written====
{{See also|Aptronym}}
Sometimes called "books never written" or "world's greatest books", these are jokes that consist of fictitious book titles with authors' names that contain a pun relating to the title.<ref name ="Partington2006">{{cite book |last=Partington |first=Alan |date=2006 |title=The Linguistics of Laughter: A Corpus-Assisted Study of Laughter-Talk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kpz5OjqpwYUC&q=book+puns+eileen+dover&pg=PA127 |publisher=Routledge |page=127 |isbn=978-0-41538166-6 }}</ref> Perhaps the best-known example is: "''Tragedy on the Cliff'' by Eileen Dover", which according to one source was devised by humourist [[Peter De Vries]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Booth |first=David |date=1990 |title=Writers on Writing: Guide to Writing and Illustrating Children's Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L8gJTvJMbYQC&q=%22Peter+DeVries%22+%22Eileen+Dover%22 |publisher=Grolier Limited |page=83 |isbn=978-0717223930 }}</ref> It is common for these puns to refer to taboo subject matter, such as "''What Boys Love'' by E. Norma Stitts".<ref name ="Partington2006"/>

'''Pun competitions'''

2014 saw the inaugural [[United Kingdom|UK]] Pun Championships, at the [[Leicester Comedy Festival]], hosted by [[Simon Brodkin|Lee Nelson]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Gemma |date=14 February 2014 |title=Comedy Festival Review: The UK Pun Championships at Just The Tonic |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Comedy-Festival-Review-UK-Pun-Championships-Just/story-20629488-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829022032/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Comedy-Festival-Review-UK-Pun-Championships-Just/story-20629488-detail/story.html |archive-date=29 August 2015 |access-date=1 June 2015 |newspaper=Leicester Mercury}}</ref> The winner was Darren Walsh. Walsh went on to take part in the [[O. Henry Pun-Off|O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships]] in [[Austin, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web |date=9 January 2015 |title=Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival |url=http://www.comedy-festival.co.uk/newact/index.phpnewact.php?nav_id=96&level=1 |access-date=1 June 2015 |website=Comedy-festival.co.uk}}</ref> In 2015 the UK Pun Champion was Leo Kearse.<ref>{{cite web |title=Leo Kearse: Comedian and Writer |url=http://www.leokearse.co.uk/ |access-date=1 June 2015 |website=leokearse.co.uk |publisher=Leo Kearse}}</ref>  Other pun competitions include Minnesota’s Pundamonium, Orlando Punslingers, the Almost Annual Pun-Off in Eureka, and Brooklyn’s Punderdome,<ref name="s730">{{cite web |date=2011-10-27 |title=Welcome to the Punderdome |url=https://www.columbiaspectator.com/eye/2011/10/27/welcome-punderdome/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Columbia Daily Spectator}}</ref><ref name="b516">{{cite web |last=Cutler |first=Sarah |date=2023-06-08 |title=Brooklyn's Pun Contest is Known for Silliness. But Competition Prep is No Joke. |url=https://columbianewsservice.com/2023/06/08/dispatch-from-the-punderdome-brooklyns-pun-contest-is-known-for-silliness-but-competition-prep-is-no-joke/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Columbia News Service}}</ref><ref name="r336">{{cite magazine |last=Reynolds |first=Eileen |date=2011-05-11 |title=Battle of Wits: A Report From the Punderdome |url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/battle-of-wits-a-report-from-the-punderdome |access-date=2024-11-15 |magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref> led by [[Jo Firestone]] and her father, Fred Firestone.<ref name="Away with Words">{{cite book |last=Berkowitz |first=Joe |title=Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions |date=2017-06-13 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-249562-4 |page=}}</ref><ref name="WSJ">{{cite news |last1=Akst |first1=Daniel |title=Low Wit in Its Highest Form |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/low-wit-in-its-highest-form-1498171136 |access-date=15 November 2024 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=June 22, 2017}}</ref> In ''Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions,''<ref name="Away with Words" /> Joe Berkowitz deems Austin's [[O. Henry Pun-Off]] the "Olympics" of pun competitions, and Brooklyn's Punderdome the "X Games".<ref name="WSJ" /> [[GQ]] described the crowd at Brooklyn's Punderdome as "passionate, to a level that feels dangerous".<ref name="b963">{{cite web |last=Campion |first=Freddie |date=2015-07-23 |title=The 5 Funniest Comedy Nights in America |url=https://www.gq.com/story/funniest-comedy-nights-in-america |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=GQ}}</ref>