A much-needed collection of laughs in dark times delivered by a couple of radio comedians.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
When the world seemingly appears to be falling apart, humour seems to thrive as a perfect escape mechanism. While the internet has certainly allowed people to read jokes of all types for free, there is clearly a market for the humble joke book — something that many people would have consigned to the memory of a bygone era.
Smith and Roye have been entertaining audiences around Australia through their daily radio show and their social media accounts for over a decade and one of their prominent segments has been the Dad Joke segment, where callers air their favourite dad joke. This is where the bulk of the material in this book has been derived from.
Whether the jokes are funny are not is ultimately up to the individual reading, and indeed this reviewer found many of them quite funny, but there are many jokes over the book’s 300 pages so there is bound to be something in there to tickle a funny bone on most people.
The jokes are nicely placed into categories such as “Wordplay Wonders,” “Insults,” and “Muppet Jokes” to name but three. Some segments are clearly meant for older readers, so discretion is certainly advised. The authors have also credited the people who submitted the original jokes, understandably, but their own contribution is also worth mentioning. The faux-accolades at the front of the book are very funny in their own right and one wonders why these two clearly funny gentlemen could not have done more of this sort of humour in some way instead of leaning on material that has been handed on.
Indeed, when one reaches the end of the book, there is a sense that while it was amusing while you were in it, you are kind of glad it is over — similar to the feeling one gets from listening to Nickelback or watching MAFS.
This book would be an excellent present for an older person who enjoys not only a good joke but also despises having to search for everything on Google. It will also be a great book to share around a barbeque over the summer (when the kids are out of earshot).
Reviewed by Rodney Hrvatin
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Published by: Allen & Unwin
Released: October 2024
RRP: $24.99
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