O. Henry Pun-Off
henry punoff world championship yearly spoken word competition take place every may henry museum austin texas started punoff gather fan wordplay celebrate pun english poet literary critic john dryden called lowest groveling kind wit event organized run since austinite gary hallock support group former current contestant formed formalize unwritten rule competition provide guidance support future event umbrella title punster united nearly yearly aka puny collection loosely knit wit continues public face event website social medium gary hallock retired producer replaced emcee punslinger world champion david gugenheim th annual henry punoff world championship staged promoted smithsonian magazine video champion found page former presidential speechwriter john pollack documented experience event book pun also rise humble pun revolutionized language changed history made wordplay antic participant annual event compete one two area punning prowess punniest show feature individual performing second prepared piece filled pun punslingers pit individual punster headtohead bout spontaneous punning randomly selected variation traditional topic theme inception henry punoff world championship used fourperson panel judge offer score – based performance originality wit four score added together combined score – participant score lower raised score higher lowered highestscoring punster win event tie decided audience applause beginning however judge panel expanded six people highest lowest score discarded remaining four score added together form participant combined score – change enacted prevent one judge ability disqualify punster giving much lower score judge separate award also given yearly viable punster title awarded vote year participant given honor late punster george mcclughan rd punoff took place online due ongoing covid pandemic henry punoff world championship inspired writing william sydney porter living austin texas late began using pen name henry time death henry published short story including ransom red chief christmas classic gift magi voracious vocabulary love language endeared broad audience trademark twisted ending always kept curious reader coming back reading henry story participatory experience today punoff keep name alive offering lover wordplay wit platform literary shenanigan front admiring sometimes mocking audience purpose competition judging twofold definition proper pun adopted henry punoff world championship first common form presented wordplay using homonym deliberately exploit ambiguity similarsounding word humorous rhetorical effect second accepted type pun lesser used form euphemism double entendre alternate meaning suggested word comedic effect henry punoff world championship official site national public radio story punoff camelscom article review punsmoke documentary henry punoff world championship henry punoff video covering event article punoff sixtime winner steve brook