Kurt Vonnegut, Ah, Kurt (R.I.P.) ... a quote from his new book "A Man Without a Country":
Even the simplest jokes are based on tiny twinges of fear, such as the question, "What is the white stuff in bird poop?" The auditor, as though called upon to recite in school, is momentarily afraid of saying something stupid. When the auditor hears the answer, which is, "That's bird poop, too," he or she dispels the automatic fear with laughter. He or she has not been tested after all.
Yes, I would like to meet with and maybe have a smoke or two with Kurt Vonnegut