Funny Business - Brief Article

American Demographics, April 1, 2001

Lore tells us that April Fools' Day is a hangover from the New Year's celebrations of 16th century France; in 1562, a new Christian calendar was introduced and the beginning of the new year shifted from April 1 to January 1. In medieval times, however, word didn't travel very quickly, so those who hadn't heard of the change continued celebrating the April holiday, much to the amusement of those in the know. Today, the first day of April continues to provide a chance to have fun at someone else's expense. But for some, the laughter continues year-round. And purveyors of comedy are laughing all the way to the bank.

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People who watch comedy and variety shows on television are 93 percent more likely to attend a rodeo than those who don't tune in to sitcoms.

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Thirty-two percent of Americans read the comic strip section of the newspaper. Comic-heads are also characterized as people who...

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Comedy Central fans* are less likely to be happy with their lives, but feel more empowered that they can do something about it.

*The national average is 100. For instance, people who watch comedy or variety shows on television are 54 percent more likely to order Avon.