Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions

A “relentlessly hilarious, mercilessly self-aware, and consistently compassionate” journey into the Punderdome and other fields of competitive wordplay (Josh Gondelman, Emmy Award–winning comedy writer).

When Joe Berkowitz witnessed his first Punderdome 3000 competition in Brooklyn, it felt wrong in the best way. Something impossible seemed to be happening. The kinds of jokes we learn to repress through social conditioning were not only being aired out in public—they were being applauded. As it turned out, this monthly show was part of a subculture that’s been around in one form or another since at least the late 1970s. As someone who is terminally self-conscious, Joe was both awed and jealous of these people who confidently killed with the most maligned form of humor.

In this immersive ride into the subversive world of pun competitions, Berkowitz introduces us to punsters weird and wonderful. Puns may show up in life in subtle ways sometimes, but once you start thinking in puns you discover they’re everywhere. Berkowitz’s search to discover who makes them the most, and why, leads him to the professional comedian competitors on @Midnight, a TV show with a pun competition built into it, the writing staff of Bob’s Burgers, the punniest show on TV, and even a humor research conference. With his new unlikely band of punster brothers, he finally heads to Austin to compete in the annual O. Henry Pun Off World Championship. Of course, in befriending these comic misfits he also comes to embrace his authentic self—and learns that even if you don’t win the trophy, punning is its own reword.

“[A] merry look at competitive wordplay.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[Away with Words] is low wit in its highest form.” —The Wall Street Journal

“This funny little book results from Berkowitz’s yearlong dive into the subculture of pun competitions. Of most fun is Berkowitz sharing in detail his own nerve-wracking performance at the World Championships, as well those of his competitors.” —Library Journal

© 2023 Harper Perennial (Ebook): 9780062495624

Release date

Ebook: 21 November 2023