The History of the Joke

Most actors will tell you that drama is easy - that the hardest thing to do well is comedy.

Humor lives in the moment and the more you take it apart, the less humorous it becomes. But despite the fact that jokes have been around for thousands of years, there has never really been a scholarly understanding of this art form. In his new book, "Stop Me If You've Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes," author Jim Holt examines the origins of this art form and how it has evolved over the centuries.

Jim is a contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and a collector of jokes. He joins Word of Mouth with more on the history and evolution of the joke.

(Photo by berlintapes)