It seems like this era of uncertainty and self-isolation is affecting Australians in radically different ways, and for one young man who hasn’t seen the outside world in nine days, it’s meant that his idea of ‘comedy’ has rapidly changed. For Harry Betts (24), ‘Kochie’s Book of Jokes: Volume 4’ has somehow found its way into being the ‘funniest thing’ Harry has ever read.

The miscellaneous collection of one-liners and mildly amusing anecdotes, compiled by Sunrise host and my Dad’s doppelganger, David Koch, has tickled Harry’s funny bone to such a degree that he starts every day with a ten-minute reading session of Kochie’s joke book, before ten minutes of existential despair, and a coffee.

Jumping on his phone to text his friends about his latest discovery, he decided to light up the group chat with the simple, punchy message of ‘bad day to be Kochie’s book of jokes, hey lads!’

Upon receiving no reaction whatsoever, he followed up by meticulously typing out one of ‘Kochie’s favourite rib-ticklers’ about a blonde who goes to the hairdresser.

‘The laughter is infectious!’ he told his friends over their latest Zoom chat, a poor choice of words. It seems that whilst the rest of the world is focusing on self-improvement and making peace with fate, this brilliant young man is hunting Angus & Robertson Online for Volume 5.

‘If Volume 4 was this level of mastery and wit, I can only begin to imagine the brilliance beholden in the pages of Volume 5!’ he yelled to absolutely fucking no-one.

No more to come.