Numbers

A man walks into a bar.

There is a comedy evening going on in the back of the pub, so after getting his drink he goes to listen.

The laughter is loud and he assumes the comedian must be cracking some great gags.

However, as he gets closer he realises that the comedian is just shouting out numbers and the audience are laughing in response. The comic ends the set with "76", the crowd fall about in laughter and he retires from the stage.

A new performer takes the mic and continues calling out numbers and, once again, the audience are in hysterics.

"16! 52! 23!"

He asks a lady nearby what is happening.
"Well," she replies, "we like to have as many jokes as we can, so, to make it quicker, every joke has a number and the comedian just says the number and we all know what the corresponding joke is."

"53" shouts the comic on stage, and the audience gives a hearty laugh. 

"You should give it a go," continues the lady.

"Why not,” he thinks, “how hard can it be to say random numbers?"

So, as the comedian ends, the man makes his way up onto the stage.

He stands at the microphone and says the first number that comes into his head.
"One hundred and sixty eight" he calls. 

The audience erupts, laughing louder than ever. Side splitting laughter ripples though the room.

Deciding to quit while he's ahead the man leaves the stage to rapturous applause and heads back over to the woman he was talking to earlier.

"That was hilarious.” She exclaimed.
"We've not heard that one before."