“Why does my hearing loss make it so hard
to get the punch line in jokes ”? This is a common question that I have heard
quite often from my patients. Well there is a reasonable explanation that is
related to the hearing loss. You see there are several factors that affect how
we understand involved in the telling of a joke. Now I am no expert on
comedy but there are a few things that I think we can all see readily that
affect whether we think something strikes us as funny or not. So the main body
or the set up of the joke may be easy enough to follow as it seems to make
sense and the words connect almost in story telling fashion however the punch
line is meant to take us by surprise, it is supposed to be unexpected and not
easily predicted. Some comics would deliver the punch line in a quieter voice
or almost under their breath perhaps a mumble. This delivery style is with
purpose and adds to the humor. Sometimes it is not only delivered more softly
than normal conversation but also a little bit quicker in order to keep the
listener off balance. The point is that all of these elements of joke telling
can make it very difficult for the listener that has a hearing loss to follow
and hear/understand the punch line. The hearing impaired listener may just
laugh along whether they get the joke or not and hope that they are laughing in
the right place.
For those that do not have a hearing loss
but do spend time with those that do perhaps this is something that was not
understood. The hearing impaired often feel less than fully capable in certain
situations and may prefer not to be in that position where they struggle. No
one wants to be viewed as someone that doesn’t “get it”. So the next time you
want to go out with your significant other , family member, friend, or coworker etc. that has a hearing loss perhaps it may be best to avoid the comedy clubs.
