World's oldest joke book hits Internet

LONDON, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A British comedian who helped to bring a Greek joke book from the 4th century to the modern world said many of the jokes concern farts, sex and ugly wives.

Jim Bowen, who was videotaped telling many of the jokes to a modern audience for the "Philogelos: The Laugh Addict" project, said many of the jokes, which were translated from what is believed top be the world's oldest joke book by U.S. researcher William Berg, contain themes that continue to strike chords with modern audiences.

"One or two of them are jokes I've seen in people's' acts nowadays, slightly updated; they put in a motor car instead of a chariot," Bowen said.

The online book also contains a joke that some cited as a precursor to British comedy troupe Monty Python's famous "Dead Parrot" sketch: "A man goes up to a student dunce and says, 'The slave you sold me died.'

'By the gods,' counters the dunce, 'when he was with me, he never did any such thing!'"

"Philogelos: The Laugh Addict," which includes the translation of the joke book as well as video footage of Bowen performing the jokes, is available to view at www.yudu.com/oldestjokebook.