What Tickles Your Funny Bone?
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What the heck is a funny bone?
There are many different uses for the phrase "funny bone". Normally, when someone speaks of the funny bone, we tend to think of the medical aspect of it. The funny bone, medically known as the ulnar nerve, runs down the length of the arm into the palm of the hand along the ulnar bone. It is the largest nerve in the human body that is unprotected by muscle or bone.
Irritation of this nerve is referred to as hitting your funny bone and often causes tingling sensations in the ring and little fingers. These sensations can also be caused by sleeping wrongly on your arm. We also refer to this as your arm falling asleep. Other, more serious injuries to the ulnar nerve can cause moderate to severe pain. In more severe cases, surgery may be required.
A Different Kind of Funny Bone
Funny Bones are also the name of a snak cake distributed by Drake's Cakes of Smithtown, NY. Their Funny Bones are lucious, chocolate cakes filled with a peanut butter cream filling dipped in milk chocolate.
They also have a variety of other scrumptuous looking snack cakes such as Devil Dogs, Ring Dings and Yankee Doodles. Now, that is what I call a great use of the term "funny bone"!
Funny Bones the Movie
Funny Bones is also the name of a 1995 comedy starring Oliver Platt, Jerry Lewis and Lee Evans. It is a wildly eccentric film about a struggling stand-up comedian who must find his own voice outside his famous father's comedic orbit.
Though I haven't seen this film yet, you can bet that I will be hunting it down! Anything with Jerry Lewis in it has GOT to be hilarious!
Funny Bones Comedy Club
The first Funny Bones Comedy Club and Restaurant was opened in 1982 in Pittsburgh, PA by co-founders Mitch Kutash and Gerald Kubach. Today, there are numerous Funny Bones Comedy Clubs in many different cities, including Springfield, MO, Hartford, CT, Columbus, OH, Omaha, NE, Richmond, VA, Dayton, OH and Southbend, IN, to name a few. Below is a video of a performance at South Bend Funny Bones.
Funnebone the Writer
Most of you know our fellow hubber, funnebone. True to his screen name, he has numerous comic hubs that have been known to irritate some funny bones here at Hub Pages.
While some may not appreciate some of the topics he choses to write about, funnebone takes it all in stride with a comedic attitude and continues to do what he does best.....turn every day annoyances into something to laugh about. Not to mention, he has one of the cutest avatars on the HP scene!
Other examples
These are just the tip of the iceburg for the use of the term "funny bone". You can also find other uses for this term such as Funny Bones pet station, Funny Bones halloween glow books, Funny Bones board games, Funny Bones skeletal puzzles or even an episode of The Smurfs titled "Jokey's Funny Bone", of which I happened to have found the video for.
While the term seems to imply to most a painful reaction to hitting a nerve, I prefer to think of all the other uses for the term "funny bone". Which one would you prefer to think about?
Smurfs Jokey's Funny Bone
Steve Burr at South Bend, IN Funny Bones Comedy Club
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Hi, Stooge!
Gee, that was quick! This hub was a topic given to me by SirDent in the Hub Tennis Game that Gamergirl started. You are assigned a topic by the last person to post a hub in the game and you have to write about the topic they choose. I would have never imagined getting that topic but had fun with it! I appreciate you stopping by to read and post! As for the origin of the phrase, never thought about that. May have to look into that this afternoon just out of curiosity now lol.
Bonnie
Ok, just a quick answer. In wiki answers, I found this concerning the origin of the term.
Funny Bone: Human anatomy was largely a mystery in the early days of science. Because skeletons were abundant, bones were the first body parts to be the subject of intense study. Terms were chosen from Latin because it was viewed as the universal language of scholarship. The big bone that runs from the shoulder to the elbow became known as the humerus, Latin for "upper arm." There is no record of the person who called the tip of the humerus the funny bone, but it's believed the name came about in some part because of the distinctively unusual (funny?) sensation a person feels when it's struck against a hard surface. (- from mindlesscrap.com)
Yep, it's a copy and paste but I had to look quick so I can cut grass. ewwww.
Bonnie
Very well done Bonnie. :) I enjoyed reading this especially the part about our fellow hubber Funnebone.
Its ok. In fact, I had myself checked the wiki entry when I posed the question and I would have done the same copy paste if you did not post it here real quick.
By the way, this game sounds interesting. May be, I will participate when I am free enough to write my 2 cents on something. Have fun with mowing. Which brand of lawnmower do you use by the way?
SirDent,
Thanks so much for stopping by. I am glad you enjoyed it! Come to think of it, I forgot to pick the next topic! Better get that done!
Stooge,
This game is interesting and lost of fun. Check out gamergirl's hub called Hub Tennis to see al the topics that have been produced so far. I think she is also planning a part 2 for those who missed the first round! By the way, we have a weedeater brand push mower. Love the mower but opted to let it cool off outside a bit before finishing. LOL
Bonnie
Great Stuff Bonnie! FUNNY is just what the BONE weary me needed just now. (Gardening can be fun but oh so hard on the back, knees & especially "ELBOW")
Super hub regards Zsuzsy
Zsuzsy,
Thanks for stopping by. I know exactly what you mean! I tried to finish mowing the lawn and I just had to come in until late this afternoon when the sun is down. It is too hot to be pushing that mower around in the sun! LOL
Bonnie
I feel I should correct my first comment. It was actually SunSeven that gave me the topic rather than SirDent. Sorry SunSeven! I missed a name in the listing!
Bonnie
"Funny bones" - Funny Bonnie. Nice hub. I must have missed the movie, but it looks interesting, I've always been an Oliver Platt fan, he's quite the character.
Peter,
Thanks for stopping by! I can't wait to find Funny Bones and watch it! Not familiar with Oliver Platt but I do know Jerry Lewis is a nut! LOL
Bonnie
A rather ironic name for such a painful experience.
I didn't know it was the largest unprotected nerve - interesting!
Dean.
I broke my funny bone, once. I laughed 'til I cried!
Pet and rmr,
Thanks for dropping in and posting! I agree with you both about the pain. My Mama always said that she believed they called it a funy bone because when you hit it, you have to laugh to keep from crying LOL. That's also why I like to think of all the other uses for the term. Makes me cringe just to think about it!
Bonnie
Nice Hub, Bonnie! Lucky you! got to play--still waiting for Stage 2 to start--maybe then! (fingers crossed)
Thumbs Up!!
Ruthie,
Thanks for stopping by! Yeah, Gamer is definitely having a round 2 so keep an eye out! I'll be watching to see what the new game turns out! This has been really interesting.
Bonnie
You are not gonna believe this but One of our MANY priorities in my recent trip to NY was to bring back some Funny Bones. They are delicious and I could do an entire hub about em. Love Them. They give you Mouthgasms.
I had 6 while visiting and have eaten 4 more since returning to Florida. MMMmmm
p.s. The only Smurf I ever liked was Jokey.
Hi, DJ!
So you are back from your trip! Hope all went well. These things sure do look good, I know that! Mouthgasms! LMAO!
I want more Funny Bones!!
ps..This topic that was chosen for you could have been much worse! and i like this choice!:)
Compu-smart,
Thanks for stopping by and I couldn't agree more! This was fun to do and it definitely could have been worse! DJ could have chosen my topic and told me to write on mouthgasms or something lmbo!
Bonnie
I know about the humerus during my dental years in school and I can easily imagine funny bones pet store, comedy club and jokes. And I've seen funnebone in HP! :) But I had to smile at the food thingy. I thought the cakes looked like bones too. Well DJ just got me curious how it truly tastes like LOL Fun hub bonnie.
--michelle
Ripplemaker,
Thanks so much for dropping in and commenting! Those things make my mouth water just looking at them lol.
Bonnie
Bonnie I didn't even know I had a cameo appearance here!...Thank you so much. Everytime I am mentioned on Hubpages I print out the post and carry it with me to show potential baby mommas.
The ulnar nerve is often overlooked in medicine and is frequently the cause of arm and hand pain or nerve dysfunction. If symptons in the hand are only in the last two finger , the ulnar nerve most likely is irritated at the elbow. THis condition is often misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel or golfers elbow.
just my 2 cents. Great hub...now I have a better idea of my heritage
Funnebone,
Thanks for stopping by! I couldn't agree more about misdiagnosing ulnar injuries as carpel tunnel. I think that may be true in a lot more cases than people realize. LOL you are so crazy! Potential baby mammas! You crack me up!
Bonnie
Hah, I guess that's what inspired the names for the "Bone" characters (Fone Bone and Phoney Bone)...
Stooge 3 years ago
Was Funnebone the inspiration for this hub?
When I received the email alert, I thought it would be about some of the funny incidences of life. Did not know it would be a well researched hub. By the way, you missed the origin of the phrase "Funny Bone". When did it first came in existence and how?
Overall, some great funny bone food for thought. Good job.