There's only one joke worth laughing at and it's the joke of existence.

I know why we laugh. We laugh because it hurts, and it's the only thing to make it stop hurting.

The specific element that occurs in every single successful joke is surprise. Surprise. A line of logic is going one way, and then, it doesn't. I call it "making non-sense". You go "That doesn't make any sense, but I get it." That-- That's the words that people use to describe a joke: "I got it."

He made one laugh sometimes by speaking the truth, but this is a form of humour which gains its force only by its unusualness; it would cease to amuse if it were commonly practised.

Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

A joke is an epigram on the death of a feeling.

A joke is a very serious thing.

The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.

A joke is a miracle.

It does seem to me that the job of comedy is to offend, or have the potential to offend, and it cannot be drained of that potential. Every joke has a victim. That’s the definition of a joke. Someone or something or an idea is made to look ridiculous....In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.

The telling of jokes is an art of its own, and it always rises from some emotional threat. The best jokes are dangerous, and dangerous because they are in some way truthful.

Some one is generally sure to be the sufferer by a joke.

And thank you, also, for the joke."
"The joke?"
"Why truly—the best joke is but a simple statement of truth."…
He mounted, flapped the reins, and, as the gray gelding broke into a trot he said to himself: "A joke indeed, but it is a pity that men do not laugh at it more often.

"I've found out why people laugh. They laugh because it hurts so much... because it's the only thing that'll make it stop hurting"
...
But that's not all people laugh at."
Isn't it? Perhaps I don't grok all its fullness yet. But find me something that really makes you laugh sweetheart... a joke, or anything else- but something that gave you a a real belly laugh, not a smile. Then we'll see if there isn't a wrongness wasn't there." He thought. "I grok when apes learn to laugh, they'll be people."