2009 Cost of Laughing Index Down 1.3%
Santa Cruz, CA, March 19, 2009 --(PR.com)-- 2009 Cost Of Laughing Index Down 1.3%
First Decrease in Index History.
Has Deflation Hit Whoopee Cushions?
There's some good economic news and some better economic news. The wholesale price of rubber chickens held steady while dancing chicken telegrams plunged $100 according to the 2009 Cost of Laughing Index.
The Index -- a compilation of 16 leading humor indicators -- decreased by 1.3% during the past twelve months its first decrease since it began in 1987.
The Index measures the annual price change in:
- admission to comedy clubs in 10 U.S. cities
- wholesale prices of rubber chickens, Groucho glasses, and whoopee cushions
- an issue of Mad Magazine
- funny singing telegrams
- the fee for writing a TV sitcom
Experts celebrate this bright spot in a dark economy but disagree on its cause. "They attribute the decrease to competing theories," notes Malcolm Kushner, compiler of the Index. "Some say it's the dribble glass theory of economics where laughter trickles down from the top. Others say it's due to a massive stimulus of government funny money." Like $100 bill toilet paper made out of the real thing?
Whatever the cause, the decrease couldn't have come at a better time. "The current financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression," says Kushner. "We need something to laugh at -- besides politicians. During the Depression we had screwball comedies." Well, now we have screwball bankers.
"We're finally getting bigger yucks for smaller bucks," says Kushner about the Index's historic decrease. "It's the first time in over 20 years." Additional 2009 Cost of Laughing Index statistics include:
- a $100 decrease in the cost of a pink gorilla telegram
- no increase in the wholesale price of whoopee cushions
- no increase in the fee for writing a half-hour TV sit-com
Kushner, an attorney-turned-humor consultant, developed the Index to track how the punch line affects the bottom line. His latest work is an e-book Don't Worry, Be Funny: Web Sites That Can Automatically Generate Humorous Material For Your Next Presentation And How To Use Them -- Even If You Can't Tell A Joke. You can learn more and download it at the Museum of Humor.com It's also available on a CD-ROM from Toastmasters International.
As Curator of the Museum of Humor.com, Kushner gives speeches and workshops at corporate and association meetings on how to use humor to command attention, create rapport, defuse conflict and motivate people -- even if you can't tell a joke. His clients include IBM, Aetna, SONY, AT&T, Texas Medical Association, and the IRS.
When not traveling the corporate lecture circuit, Kushner is based in Santa Cruz, California. "Whether or not you think the world needs a humor consultant, it can definitely use one less attorney," he notes. And that's no joke.
[Ed Note: The Cost of Laughing Index may be useful for April 1st humor features.]
2009 Cost Of Laughing Index Data
2008 2009
Rubber Chickens* $51.00 (dozen) $51.00 (dozen)
Groucho Glasses* $15.00 (dozen) $15.00 (dozen)
Whoopee Cushion* $ 5.40 (dozen) $ 5.40 (dozen)
MAD Magazine $ 4.99 $ 4.99
Singing Telegrams**
o pink gorilla $250.00 $150.00
o dancing chicken $250.00 $150.00
Teleplay for half hour TV sitcom ***
$15482.00 $15482.00
* Wholesale prices from Franco-American Novelty Co., Long Island City, New York
** Available from Bellygrams, Manhattan, New York.
*** Minimum fee under Writers Guild of America Basic Agreement.
Comedy Clubs
Admission on Saturday night
2008 2009
Atlanta
The Punch Line $23.00 $20.00
Chicago
Second City $25.00 $25.00
Houston
Laff Stop $25.00 $20.00
Denver
Comedy Works $25.00 $28.00
Indianapolis
Crackers Comedy Club $13.00 $15.00
Los Angeles
Laugh Factory $20.00 $20.00
New York
Comic Strip $22.00 $25.00
Pittsburgh
The Funny Bone $15.00 $15.00
San Francisco
Punch Line Comedy Club $25.00 $21.00
Seattle
Comedy Underground $15.00 $15.00
###
First Decrease in Index History.
Has Deflation Hit Whoopee Cushions?
There's some good economic news and some better economic news. The wholesale price of rubber chickens held steady while dancing chicken telegrams plunged $100 according to the 2009 Cost of Laughing Index.
The Index -- a compilation of 16 leading humor indicators -- decreased by 1.3% during the past twelve months its first decrease since it began in 1987.
The Index measures the annual price change in:
- admission to comedy clubs in 10 U.S. cities
- wholesale prices of rubber chickens, Groucho glasses, and whoopee cushions
- an issue of Mad Magazine
- funny singing telegrams
- the fee for writing a TV sitcom
Experts celebrate this bright spot in a dark economy but disagree on its cause. "They attribute the decrease to competing theories," notes Malcolm Kushner, compiler of the Index. "Some say it's the dribble glass theory of economics where laughter trickles down from the top. Others say it's due to a massive stimulus of government funny money." Like $100 bill toilet paper made out of the real thing?
Whatever the cause, the decrease couldn't have come at a better time. "The current financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression," says Kushner. "We need something to laugh at -- besides politicians. During the Depression we had screwball comedies." Well, now we have screwball bankers.
"We're finally getting bigger yucks for smaller bucks," says Kushner about the Index's historic decrease. "It's the first time in over 20 years." Additional 2009 Cost of Laughing Index statistics include:
- a $100 decrease in the cost of a pink gorilla telegram
- no increase in the wholesale price of whoopee cushions
- no increase in the fee for writing a half-hour TV sit-com
Kushner, an attorney-turned-humor consultant, developed the Index to track how the punch line affects the bottom line. His latest work is an e-book Don't Worry, Be Funny: Web Sites That Can Automatically Generate Humorous Material For Your Next Presentation And How To Use Them -- Even If You Can't Tell A Joke. You can learn more and download it at the Museum of Humor.com It's also available on a CD-ROM from Toastmasters International.
As Curator of the Museum of Humor.com, Kushner gives speeches and workshops at corporate and association meetings on how to use humor to command attention, create rapport, defuse conflict and motivate people -- even if you can't tell a joke. His clients include IBM, Aetna, SONY, AT&T, Texas Medical Association, and the IRS.
When not traveling the corporate lecture circuit, Kushner is based in Santa Cruz, California. "Whether or not you think the world needs a humor consultant, it can definitely use one less attorney," he notes. And that's no joke.
[Ed Note: The Cost of Laughing Index may be useful for April 1st humor features.]
2009 Cost Of Laughing Index Data
2008 2009
Rubber Chickens* $51.00 (dozen) $51.00 (dozen)
Groucho Glasses* $15.00 (dozen) $15.00 (dozen)
Whoopee Cushion* $ 5.40 (dozen) $ 5.40 (dozen)
MAD Magazine $ 4.99 $ 4.99
Singing Telegrams**
o pink gorilla $250.00 $150.00
o dancing chicken $250.00 $150.00
Teleplay for half hour TV sitcom ***
$15482.00 $15482.00
* Wholesale prices from Franco-American Novelty Co., Long Island City, New York
** Available from Bellygrams, Manhattan, New York.
*** Minimum fee under Writers Guild of America Basic Agreement.
Comedy Clubs
Admission on Saturday night
2008 2009
Atlanta
The Punch Line $23.00 $20.00
Chicago
Second City $25.00 $25.00
Houston
Laff Stop $25.00 $20.00
Denver
Comedy Works $25.00 $28.00
Indianapolis
Crackers Comedy Club $13.00 $15.00
Los Angeles
Laugh Factory $20.00 $20.00
New York
Comic Strip $22.00 $25.00
Pittsburgh
The Funny Bone $15.00 $15.00
San Francisco
Punch Line Comedy Club $25.00 $21.00
Seattle
Comedy Underground $15.00 $15.00
###
Contact
Malcolm Kushner
831-425-4839
www.kushnergroup.com
831-425-4839
www.kushnergroup.com
Contact
Categories