South Africa is officially one of the world's funniest countries
Take lockdown, for example. When Cabinet Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma defended the tobacco ban with her now-infamous line – "When people zol, they put saliva on the paper, and then they share that zol" – the internet did what it does best. Within days, Capetonian music producer Max Hurrell had turned the moment into the viral hit 'Zol', which quickly became a national lockdown anthem.
Fast forward to the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the peak of loadshedding, and Mgarimbe gave 'Sister Bethina', affectionately called South Africa's unofficial second national anthem, a fresh spin with 'Amabokoboko (Sister Bokkina)', featuring the memorable line: "We're taking the loadshedding to France, boys."
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Now, science has caught up with what we've always known. A global study by Remitly using the Humour Styles Questionnaire, involving 6,000 participants across 30 countries, set out to identify the World's Funniest Nations – and South Africa made the list, ranking 19th with an average humour score of 69.26.
The study assessed four types of humour:
Affiliative humour: The social glue – friendly, inclusive, and uplifting.
Self-enhancing humour: Optimistic and resilient – helping people cope through tough times.
Aggressive humour: Sarcastic, teasing, and sometimes at others' expense.
Self-defeating humour: Self-deprecating and used to deflect or gain approval.
While we didn't crack the top 10 overall, South Africa did claim the number one spot for both affiliative and self-enhancing humour.
The 10 Funniest Nations:
Czech Republic
Portugal
Ireland
Belgium
Chile
Greece
Australia
Poland
Denmark
Hungary
So no, we might not be the absolute funniest, but when it comes to laughter that brings people together and keeps spirits high, South Africa leads the pack.
As if our sense of humour isn't enough (we're looking at you Trevor Noah), we've were also recently named one of the Best Countries on Earth!
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
The eight English cities hosting the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 – and what to do in each place
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No visit to Brighton is complete without a trip to the iconic Palace Pier with its exhilarating roller coaster rides and views of the English Channel. Top Tip: The Red Roses take on Australia on September 6 whilst New Zealand go head-to-head with Ireland on 7 September. Head to the fan zone in Victoria Gardens between September 4 and 7 for a free, family-friendly, female-focused festival including local music and rugby taster sessions. Bristol The city's engineering legacy is front and centre at the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Brunel's SS Great Britain. Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium, home to Bristol Bears and Bristol City FC, is set to host both semi-finals and two quarter finals – and has already made history with England's highest attended women's rugby game outside of London. Ellie Kildunne: Defying Odds and Inspiring a Generation For a creative fix, dive into the immersive world of Wake The Tiger or create your own masterpiece with Graft's graffiti workshops – a must-do in Banksy's hometown. Top Tip: A dedicated Rugby World Cup walking route will link the two fan zones at Ashton Gate and Bristol Amphitheatre to allow visitors to take in the sites en route. Quarter finals will take place on the weekend of September 13 and semi-finals on the weekend of September 19. Exeter The tournament's most south-westerly venue, Sandy Park in Exeter has been home to the Exeter Chiefs for the past 18 years and will host seven matches this year, including two quarter-final fixtures The Devonshire city offers a culture-packed break with riverside walks, Gothic architecture and top-notch local food. Start with the awe-inspiring Exeter Cathedral, boasting the world's longest uninterrupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling, before heading beneath the city's surface on a tour of the Exeter Underground Passages. Back above ground, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum offers a rich collection of art, archaeology and natural history. If the sun's out wander down to the scenic quayside, home to indie shops, artist studios and riverside pubs. Top Tip: Exeter's free and accessible Princesshay fan zone will show all matches on a big outdoor screen for the duration of the tournament with plenty of seating options, a pop-up bar and nearby street food vendors. 8 Twickenham, London The legendary Twickenham Stadium will host both the Women's Rugby World Cup final and bronze final on September 27. In nearby Richmond, discover natural beauty and regal heritage with walks and wild deer spotting in Richmond Park, explore the UNESCO-listed Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew or step into history at Hampton Court Palace. For a tranquil meal in a secret garden setting, enjoy lunch or afternoon tea at the charming Petersham Nurseries hidden away along the River Thames. Top Tip: Organisers are anticipating that the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 final could sell out Twickenham Stadium and surpass England's record for the highest attended women's rugby game. If you do miss out on a ticket, you can still soak up the sporting atmosphere at one of Twickenham's rugby pubs, such as The Barmy Arms or The Cabbage Patch, which always come alive with fans on match days. 8 Salford, Greater Manchester Manchester is no stranger to ball sports, but it's rugby that's set to shine in the city this summer with the Salford Community Stadium hosting four Women's Rugby World Cup fixtures. 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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Vogue Williams: ‘Spenny will have the odd drink, but I'd rather have a Coke Zero'
Vogue Williams logs into our scheduled Zoom chat from a sunbed under a straw beach umbrella in Spain. It is for a moment, slightly sickening. Even more so when there are zero Wi-Fi issues, sure to happen if a normal, non-celeb human attempted something so riskily glamorous as 'Working From Beach'. Williams wears oversized aviators and a relaxed co-ord emblazoned with words like gelato and limoncello. I half wonder why the working holiday isn't a statutory right for everyone – but then, Williams doesn't have a typical nine-to-five. Part of a generation that has fashioned multi-hyphenate careers out of the entertainment industry, Williams – if you were wondering – is mostly famous for being her very genial self. There are the three podcasts: My Therapist Ghosted Me with comedian Joanne McNally; Never Live It Down with various comedians; and Vogue & Amber with her sister, who replaced her husband, reality TV star Spencer Matthews, when he departed their previous podcast, Spencer & Vogue. And then there are her other ventures: Bare By Vogue, a self-tanning line, and Gen Kids Clothes, a range available at M&S and Next. In May she released her autobiography, Big Mouth, a romp through the years leading up to now. It's a comedic take on her childhood in Ireland, her parents' divorce, her wayward teens and the change in family fortunes when her stepfather made a bit of money and they moved to a bigger house with two swimming pools and a tennis court. It was he who insisted she go to university – something Williams heartily approves of, even if she did end up dropping out to pursue modelling (more Dublin street promotion than Paris catwalk, by her own admission) before getting her start in Irish reality TV on a programme called Fade Street. On the night it premiered, her father died. Williams has previously said: 'So the joke in my family is that he died because he was so embarrassed for me.' 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Matthews has previously spoken about his problems with alcohol, setting up Clean Co in 2019 to offer non-alcoholic alternatives. 'He'll have the odd drink sometimes,' says Williams, who isn't particularly fussed herself. 'I'd rather have a Coke Zero,' she adds. On holiday, they're much the same as they are at home. 'It's a very active holiday. I wouldn't like to feel sluggish. That's why I've always kept up my fitness whenever I go away – because I actually genuinely enjoy it as well.' Back home in London, their social lives aren't what they once were; it isn't an unfilmed episode of Made in Chelsea every day. Firmly in their family phase, life is now a whirl of tennis lessons, gymnastics, swimming and children's parties. 'They have a better social life than we do,' says Williams. When she and Spencer do get a date night, they love going out for dinner – but invariably eat so quickly they're done and home within an hour and fifteen minutes. 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Matthews' older brother James – heir to the Scottish feudal title of Laird of Glen Affric, currently held by their father – is married to Pippa Middleton. Whether they have any relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales, aka Kate and Wills, Williams won't say. 'You just have to respect other people's privacy in that way,' she states. There's an obvious tightrope Williams walks when it comes to how much of her life to share. 'We are open. We talk about a lot on our podcasts, but that's just part of our job,' she says. So where do the boundaries lie? Anyone can follow her on Instagram and get a snapshot of her holiday right now; 1.1 million already do. There are sweaty runs with Matthews – 'He takes me on his recovery runs, which are my fast runs,' she deadpans – family jumps into the pool Marvel superhero style, and celebrations like Gigi's birthday the day before. 'To be honest, we keep a lot of stuff private. We're open enough online,' says Williams. 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The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Millions of Sky Sports fans warned over huge change to their TV subscription starting today
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