How Far Will Funny Get A Guy?
Posted by: Wendy Atterberry
Filed in:
guys
10:00AM, Friday August 21st 2009
Show me a person who doesn’t have at least a handful of characteristics she or he is looking for in a mate — or date — and I’ll show you the real-life leprechaun I keep as a mascot on my rooftop garden. Whether it’s brains, a great bod, or a timeshare in Boca Raton, we all have a list — some are even written down somewhere — of the things our significant other must possess. Topping the list for a lot of us is a great sense of humor, but exactly how important is having your funny bone tickled? AskMen.com recently compared “funny” against a host of other “most wanted” characteristics to see how a good sense of humor stacked up when women are doin’ the choosin’. Are those sitcoms that feature a beautiful wife with a pudgy but hilarious husband telling the truth? Find out after the jump.
1. Funny Vs. Looks
In order for this to be a real test, we have to assume the two are mutually exclusive. For these purposes, let’s compare, oh, Chris Rock and Ashton Kutcher. Full disclosure: I ran these names by a friend of mine and she said, “I wouldn’t call Chris Rock ugly. People don’t think of him as ugly.” And while I admit he’s not ugly, he’s not what you’d call good-looking either, right? But here’s the thing, the guy is HILARIOUS. Who cares what he looks like when he could keep you in stitches all night long? It’s his humor that makes him so attractive. And Ashton Kutcher? Well, he’s hot, for sure, but his idea of a “joke” is filling your tube of toothpaste with Elmer’s glue or taking a photo of you bending over in a bikini and posting it on Twitter. Um, ha-ha?
Winner: Funny! Ashton might be fun for a night, but for the long haul, it’s Chris FTW.
2. Funny Vs. Ambition
AskMen says that ambition wins, but who are you gonna choose: Seth Rogen or, I don’t know, Perez Hilton?
We say the winner is clear: Funny, again!
3. Funny Vs. Wealth
Adam Samberg or Donald Trump?
Winner: Funny (we agree with AskMen on this) — Melania can keep The Donald!
4. Funny Vs. Intelligence
Oh, f*** it, just give us George Clooney already so we can have it all.
Winner: Tie. As AskMen says: “For most people, intelligence is very much intertwined with comedy.” We can’t have one without the other!
Now, dear readers, I’m curious: How do you stack “funny” against some of these other “most wanted” characteristics, such as honest, romantic, good in bed, sensitive, um, and hung? Is “funny” still the big winner? Or, does “big wiener” take the prize (sorry, I couldn’t resist a bad pun)?
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maroon
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:16 am: [report]
humor definitely plays in to my attractiveness scale. i could never be with a guy who can’t make me laugh, and likewise i could never be with a guy who I couldn’t make laugh. many of my previous relationships were sparked by humor, and that was the glue that held many of them together as long as they lasted.
ootie
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:26 am: [report]
In a lot of ways I think humor might be the most important thing. That’s because the other things wouldn’t be very enjoyable without it; a super smart guy with no sense of humor would seem pretentious, a rich guy with no sense of humor would seem stuck-up, and a hot guy with no sense of humor would seem dumb and vapid. Humor is what makes the day-to-day things enjoyable. The only thing that I would think might be as important as humor to me (in a theoretical, list-making way) would be kindness.
GreenAura
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:39 am: [report]
I agree with the article: The only thing that can even remotely give funny a run for its money is intelligence. But I think even then, funny would win. I am a goofy gal and I need someone who can appreciate and embrace that. Luckily for me, I married the funniest guy I know!
CaptFamous
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:39 am: [report]
I think this list is a little misleading. There’s a difference between how desirable the presence of something is, and how unforgivable the lack of something is. For the first one, you admittedly chose someone who is not bad looking, and hilarious, to go against someone is is very good looking, and very not-funny.
There’s also the issue of someone being too funny, so much so that you can’t take them seriously because they can’t turn it off.
Riley
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:40 am: [report]
#2 and #3 are like asking, “would you rather be stabbed or get a cookie?”
sadie
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:44 am: [report]
I think Johan Hill vs Ashton Kutcher is a fairer question
sadie
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:45 am: [report]
oops Jonah* Hill I mean
writergirl
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:45 am: [report]
Funny is as funny does. If he is funny but doesn’t have any other attributes you find attractive then he’s just going to be come annoying as hell after a while.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 09:50 am: [report]
Me! Me! Me! Pick me!
*sam*
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 10:44 am: [report]
Funny, all the way. I love my guy TO PIECES, but, he’s not the most classically good looking guy, the most ambitious, or the most scholastically accomplished. BUT, he does know how to make me laugh when I’m upset or having a *terrible* day—and THAT’S what made us best friends for so long, and now it’s what makes me sure he’s the “one.” Because while the other attributes are nice, *nothing* beats being able to make me laugh. and knowing that we’ll still be laughing when we’re 90 and yelling at kids to stay off our grass, is the most comforting thing ever.
that being said, I just want to point out that while my guy’s funny, he’s not completely void of any of the attributes either. He just happens to be funnier than he is ‘good looking’ ambitious, or educated (not smart, just educated). and honestly, the only attribute of his that is larger than his sense of humor, is his kindness. He has the biggest heart than ANYONE I’ve ever (or will ever) meet. <3
Mags
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:05 am: [report]
I got my first hickey from the class clown in high school. So while I’m trying to cover things up, everyone was cracking up about it. I had feelings for him, it was a total Austin Powers thing: goofy and silly and not a knockout looker. I found out quick that though it was a laugh, the funny guy has to have sensitivity and an off switch. We had amazing chemistry and loved spending time together and still talk often years later. BUT, and it is a big but, he couldn’t ever have a real serious convorsation, so it went nowhere in the long run. Guess we could never make the deep connection. :(
GirlvWorld
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 11:37 am: [report]
It depends on the type of funny too… Jim Carrey Funny- No. Seth Rogan Funny- Yes. Both funny in different ways.
I also don’t think the male-comparisons were very adequate for this article… but I get the point. Funny wins, and I agree.
http://www.blog.#&@$%.com
sparklestar
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 12:26 pm: [report]
It depends. I don’t think I would be able to base a relationship around him being funny. I’d want him to be attractive AND funny. Otherwise I’d wonder what he DOES take seriously.
EarthGoddess
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 12:52 pm: [report]
As the fabulous icon Marilyn Monroe once said, “If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything.” That’s so true!
Frederica Bimble
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:18 pm: [report]
I agree with EarthGoddess. I was infatuated with a German yodeller/Comedian with a face like a “smacked arse” but his smile and the way he made jokes and laughed at everything had me hooked. I still think about his smile and laugh.
majicksand
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:19 pm: [report]
Apparently I’m picky. I gotta have the total package. Now I’m not talking billionaire, underwear model, physicist, poet, comedian perfect, but I’m gonna need variety. As Captfamous said in a previous post: There’s a difference between how desirable the presence of something is, and how unforgivable the lack of something is. I completely agree.
Frederica Bimble
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:21 pm: [report]
Also, a sense of humour is greatly linked with intelligence.
Frederica Bimble
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:23 pm: [report]
I find Keanu Reeves hilarious.
sstephs
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:38 pm: [report]
As #&@$% said as long as it isn’t Jim Carrey-esque humor (annoying) funny wins!!
Seth Rogen & Andy Samberg are both at the top of my list!
BTW, It’s *Andy* Samberg. Poor guy… no one gets his name right.
sstephs
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 01:40 pm: [report]
I’m not sure why TheFrisky just censored me. i was just trying to give credit to Girl.v.world.
What the #&@$%
sklut
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 07:57 pm: [report]
Depending on the funny like Seth Rogen or George Lopez even and it’ll get a guy pretty far into my pants. If it’s Will Ferrel kind of funny it’ll get him kicked out of my truck.
LostInStars
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 08:05 pm: [report]
I think it’s the kind of funny. Obviously if we have the same kind of sense of humor that’s important. I have a friend who isn’t the best looker in the world, but he makes me laugh like no one else does, and it adds a certain air of sexiness to him. Now my boyfriend, he’s got a little bit of it all, so I feel like I’m exceptionally lucky. The only thing I would change about him is that he can be a little insensitive sometimes. But if that’s all I can complain about after two years together, I think we’re doing okay.
landesign
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 08:31 pm: [report]
As a man, if you want my opinion, I know that humor is probably the greatest asset a guy can have. When I met my
wife, she was in a LTR with a guy who made ten times the money I made. I made a point of trying to make her laugh
whenever we saw each other, and before long she had dumped
mister moneybags and was mine. Unfortunately, she’s no longer with us, but I’ve been talking with other women now and I still find that they really respond to humor and intelligent conversation, just like my future wife did twenty eight years ago.
EarthGoddess
wrote on August 21 2009 @ 08:55 pm: [report]
@landesign: You are so right. I once left a relationship for a man that made significantly less money. He always made me laugh so much more than the other guy did. I’ll take fun over funds any day!
bjoontheupside
wrote on August 22 2009 @ 11:02 am: [report]
I LOVE to laugh and I do believe that a sense of humor is vital in any relationship. It’s a really horrible feeling when you’re in a relationship with someone that you don’t find funny and rarely can laugh with because neither of you are on that same page.
CrazyCathy
wrote on August 23 2009 @ 07:45 am: [report]
gotta be funny to get into these skivvies
Taurwen
wrote on August 25 2009 @ 07:47 pm: [report]
Ironically I don’t find Chris Rock, Seth Rogen or Adam Samberg all that funny.
Jenn27549
wrote on August 25 2009 @ 08:28 pm: [report]
In my opinion, there’s a difference b/t “has a good sense of humor” and “funny.” Funny is actively funny, like the comedians mentioned above and that can actually be annoying if the guy doesn’t know when to turn it off. But good sense of humor to me means that the two people’s ideas of what is funny jive, and the person doesn’t take themselves too seriously. They can take a joke, roll with the punches. I’ve never said I want a guy with a good sense of humor and meant someone directly funny.
Rolex19542002
wrote on November 13 2009 @ 06:33 am: [report]
yeah i think there is a difference between jus being funny and making a girl smile, enjoying your company.