Humor

An open source philosophy experiment:

Why are things funny?

Like, say, the following two conversations:

- How's our mutual friend X?
- He's fine... NO I'M JUST KIDDING, HE'S DEAD! HA HA HA HA.

Or

- How's our mutual friend Y?
- He's dead.
- Oh, God, really??!
- NO, I'M JUST KIDDING! HA HA HA HA.

If they actually happened, they wouldn't be funny, except for the amusing gentleman who is the jokee. The joked, however, is not amused. Wherein lies the quintessential fun-ness of jokes?