Issued by the Department of Laughs on Friday, the criteria aims to make the U.S. less reliant on knock-knock jokes and comedic punchlines shipped from China.
According to spokesperson Chuckles McLaughlin, “We can’t rely on China to be the sole provider of hilarious content. It’s time for America to step up and create our own funny material.”
The new criteria require all comedians to source their jokes and punchlines domestically, with a focus on materials like puns, witty one-liners, and observational humor.
“It’s time for us to tap into our own resources instead of outsourcing our laughter needs,” said McLaughlin. “We have plenty of talented comedians and funny people right here in America. It’s time to give them a chance.”
The move has already been met with criticism from some in the industry, with well-known comedian Kevin Guffaw stating, “This is outrageous! I’ve been using Chinese jokes for years, and they always get a laugh. What’s next? Are we going to ban knock-knock jokes from Canada?”
Despite the pushback, the Department of Laughs is standing firm in its decision, stating that it’s time for America to take comedy seriously.
“Our goal is to make America the funniest country in the world,” said McLaughlin. “And we believe that with the right funding and resources, we can achieve that goal. Who knows, maybe we’ll even start exporting our jokes to China!”
