For decades now many gags have come and gone, the whoopee cushion, pull my finger, a rubber chicken (I have never understood that one.) But there is one that has withstood the test of time and is funny no matter how, or when it’s used, the pie in the face, or pieing, gag.

Heh Heh you said pie.

I Like Pie

Pieing was made popular almost a century ago by such acts as Laurel & Hardy, and The Three Stooges, who would shove a pie in each others face, and I laughed. To this day I’ve seen pieing in sitcoms, cartoons, as well as sports. Many times during the post game interview with a ball (as was established yesterday, this means baseball) players who has had a great outing get a pie the face from his team mates. And everytime, I laugh.

Like most jokes when you don’t see it coming, it’s funny. But unlike most jokes, even when you do see it coming, it’s still funny. And no matter what, a pie to the face will always be funnier than someone humping a pie.

What I love most about pieing is that the pied is humiliated. But it’s not a humiliation like when you make fun of their hair, or shoes. Nor is it humiliation that comes from a hit to the nards. It’s a more wholesome humiliation. Pieing is one of few comedic instances where the butt of the joke is truly being laughed with and not laughed at.

For a night of wholesome fun remember four simple words…

“Ten Banana Cream Pies!”

If it’s good enough for Lary, Curly, and Moe, it’s good enough for me.