Punch & Judy - do you find them funny?

[marshlellow]

I genuinely, 100% do not understand why Punch and Judy is funny. I would like to understand what people find funny about them. So if you love a Punch and Judy show would you mind letting me know why?

I'm not the target audience, but I love watching children laughing their heads off at it. So I find them amusing, indirectly.

Context behind request - saw people watching one and laughing, tried to watch for a minute or so but just didn't "get" it. Understand it is an old tradition so would like to understand as I felt like I was missing the joke.

I think the kids just like the fact that the puppets are shouting and whacking each other, that's funny when you're five! I don't laugh now.

I didn't find it funny as a kid and I don't find it funny now

I don't find it funny, and I'd be surprised if many adults did, but it dates from a time when there was less in the way of entertainment!

Ahh ok.

Its fun. Silly voices and comical violence appeals to kids. Think Tom and Jerry.

My Dad is a Punch and Judy man.
Its quite outdated (largely Victorian) and I think a lot of the appeal is historical interest rather than genuine amusement.

But the humour comes from slapstick comedy (watching people get hit on the head or bitten by crocodiles).
And from the shock value of watching someone violate social norms (wife beating, throwing the baby down the stairs, hanging the hangman in his own noose, tricking the devil)

In the old days, the Punch and Judy man would also have a performing Jack Russel dog called Toby who would do tricks. Including jumping the height of the booth to nip at the Punch puppet.

There was also an element of social commentary and celebrity culture. IE: Joey the Clown is based on the famous Victorian clown Joey Grimaldi. The hangman is named Jack, after the infamous Jack Ketch.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_and_Judy

This history of it is quite interesting. It's 17th century

Thanks everyone. Off to read up

Same

The last 2 I've seen were ran by 60 odd year old men who were at pains to point out how un-woke it is. Wasnt sure if they did it for the LOLs or whether they secretly enjoyed mimicing smacking the wife over the head.

DD (age 6 at the time) asked me why all of the other children were laughing at it as she didn’t find it entertaining in the slightest. Apple definitely doesn’t fall far from the tree in our case!

Hate hate hate it. Never found it funny, and the Punch figure gives me the heebie jeebies.

I didn't find it funny as a child and don't find it funny now.

Possibly my earliest experience of feminism was being outraged that a man was hitting a woman and it was supposed to be funny.

I thought she hit him!! Don't think I've ever followed the story line 😬

No not at all, creepy as fuck

This is amazing! Thanks for the info.

HtH :)

I don't like Punch and Judy but I do like 'sausages' (said in the "That's Life" voice.)

I used to love Punch and Judy when I was a child. I remember being in heaven when Joy Sarney appeared on TOTP with 'Naughty Naughty Naughty' (we lived miles from the sea or anywhere with a Punch and Judy show).

As an adult, I find the history of Punch and Judy very interesting, and the wider commedia dell'arte.

I'm late 50's and remember P&J from childhood, I've never liked it. I couldn't understand what they were saying and found it all too shouty and loud. Not sure if it's because I'm autistic or that it's just crap. I think the latter.

Where are you watching this?! Haven’t seen it for decades.

The one in Weymouth is brilliant, so many little side jokes for the adults. Both my DD's have loved it. It's sad as a lot of people watch it then scarper and don't pay at the end.

I have never liked it - found Punch creepy - but presumably children from the past did if it has lasted 300 years!