Reader's Digest Unravels the Mystery in the September Issue
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to comedy,
sex matters. That's what the editors of Reader's Digest reveal in the
September issue of the magazine, devoted to humor, on newsstands today.
It's no secret that guys get a kick out of physical humor while women
prefer verbal barbs. But it's not because women lack the humor gene.
Scientific studies confirm that men and women process funny things in very
different ways.
Reader's Digest spoke to Regina Barreca, a professor of English
literature and feminist theory at the University of Connecticut, who has
made a career of studying men and women and humor. She describes the
differences in three points:
-- Women don't like crude humor. "We don't do eye-poking, head slamming
humor. No woman has gone up to another woman and said, 'Pull my
finger.'
-- Women don't tell jokes - they tell stories.
-- Women don't enjoy humor that makes fun of others' physical
shortcomings. By contrast, men make fun of just about everyone.
In a recent study conducted by a Stanford University psychiatrist, even
though men and women were shown the same cartoons, the analytical region of
women's brains was more active than the men's, suggesting women studied the
cartoons more. When they found the cartoon amusing, the reward region of
their brains lit up noticeably more than the men's.
Culled from expert interviews and research, Reader's Digest found the
funniest movies for him and her. The top five favorites among men: Blazing
Saddles, Caddyshack, Office Space, Trading Spaces and Meet the Parents. And
for women: When Harry Met Sally..., 9 to 5, Annie Hall, Clueless and
Tootsie.
In conjunction with the September humor issue, a new laugh channel has
just launched on rd.com offering thousands of jokes, cartoons, funny photos
and videos.
Reader's Digest has published more than 100,000 jokes from reader
contributors and has received more than 20,000,000 humor submissions at a
rate of 35,000 per month. "Laughter, the Best Medicine" is now the most
read humor department and today receives more than 10,000 submissions per
month. Reader's Digest has paid out more than $25,000,000 for humor
submissions.
About Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest reaches about 80 million readers worldwide each month.
The magazine celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and
delivers a compelling mix of humor, personal service and other
human-interest stories. Reader's Digest is published in 21 languages and 50
editions worldwide.
SOURCE Reader's Digest
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Related links:
http://www.rd.com
CONTACT:
Scott Gorenstein or Sasa Nikolic, both of
Susan Magrino Agency, +1-212-957-3005, for Reader's Digest
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