AWFUL PUN CONTEST GIVES FOLKS THE ‘PUNAROUND’ (MAY 19)

AWFUL PUN CONTEST GIVES FOLKS THE ‘PUNAROUND’ (MAY 19)

AUSTIN, Tex. (Wireless Flash) – The folks in Austin, Texas, will be giving each other the “punaround” tomorrow (May 19) – literally. The city will be holding its 24th Annual O. Henry Pun-Off World Championship and more than 30 punsters from 14 to 70 will compete to see who is the best at “punning off at the mouth.” Festival organizer and pundit Gary Hallock says punsters will face off two at a time and be given five seconds to come up with a pun on a variety of topics including “politics,” “food,” or “body parts.” It’s not as easy as it sounds: Puns can’t be reused and folks get “punished” for hemming and hawing. However, Hallock says some punsters can last 20 minutes before “punning up empty.” The judges rank the punsters based on the rankness of their puns and the worst contestant wins a trophy shaped like the rear of a horse.

Fri 05-18-01