Press: The rules of sarcasm - BBC News

BBC NEWS | Magazine | The rules of sarcasm: "And the king of sarcasm, Basil Fawlty, when Mrs Richards complains about the view of Torquay: 'What did you expect to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically...?'

So there is no reason why sarcasm has to be dumb. Just as there are corny puns and inspired ones, and funny and feeble versions of three men going into a pub, so the glories of sarcasm are only limited by your wit. Learn from the examples above: apply a flair for words, wit, a pinch of attitude, and maybe a toilet reference, and the world will marvel. How hard can it be?"