Fishbrain (www.fishbrain.com), the world’s most popular app and social network for anglers, has analysed Twitter to reveal that fish-themed wordplays are the third-most popular type of pun ever on the platform (behind #foodpun and #catpun).
To mark this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s biggest arts festival, Fishbrain asked professional comedians performing at the Festival to share their best jokes involving fish-themed wordplay and puns. These were then presented to Fishbrain’s six million US, UK, and international users who were asked to vote on their favourite in order to find the angling community’s favourite fish-themed joke.
The winning joke was submitted by Harriet Cartledge (pictured), of the comedy improv group Hivemind, whose effort received 25% of votes cast by the international fishing community:
“Why can’t fish have casual flings? Hook-ups don’t end well for them.”
On the news of her victory, Harriet Cartledge of Hivemind comments: “Thank you Fishbrain! This was a tough challenge to tackle, and never in our wildest breams did we think we would win. Our happiness is off the scales!”
Over 30 piscine jokes were submitted by Fringe comics, and then voted on by Fishbrain users. The top seven jokes, as selected by Fishbrain’s users, are as follows:
1. “Why can’t fish have casual flings? Hook-ups don’t end well for them.”
Harriet Cartledge, Hivemind Improv: Lord of the Game of the Ring of Thrones, La Belle Angele
2. “I bought a catfish for my aquarium, but it turned out to be an old Japanese woman.”
Andy Field: Andy Field the Love Tonight, The Caves
3. “My dad caught me curing a piece of salmon – to teach me a lesson he made me smoke the whole packet.”
Olaf Falafel: There's no i in idiot, The Pear Tree
4. “What do you call a communist fish? A Red Herring.”
Chris Turner: We're Where We Were, Pleasance Courtyard
5. “I am selling my fishing equipment, but I can't work out the net worth.”
Samantha Baines: 2 Girls, 1 Cup... of Comedy, The Mash House
6. “What’s a fisherman’s favourite musical instrument? Castanets.”
Harry & Chris: Harry and Chris Save the World, The Mash House
7. “What did Barbie wear when she went swimming? A doll-fin.”
Al Samuels: Baby Wants Candy, Assembly George Square Studios
Johan Attby, CEO of Fishbrain, comments: “From catching your line in an overhead tree, or struggling to reel in some disregarded trash, anglers have to be equipped with a keen sense of humour when out on the water. This makes them the perfect audience for comedians looking to show off their aquatic wordplay skills. Fishbrain hopes that, by encouraging and highlighting the continuing popularity of jokes about the fishing world, some punners may be compelled to pick up a rod and hook in their first catch.”
