I've laughed so hard I had to pause so I could breathe again while reading the bricklayer's lament. But not the first time hearing it, nor subsequent times. I had it the first time I read Terry Pratchett about B. S. Johnson's ornamental trout lake and ornate fountain, but not on later readings. I got my sister laughing like that once when I was little when I said "applesauce", but it only worked for about five minutes, it didn't work after that. It's never been repeatable afterwards. It's fairly easy to keep it going for a few minutes once it starts. Tim Conway's Siamese elephants seemed to be that. I think I have to be primed somehow beforehand to get that reaction. Perhaps thinking "ok this is really stupid" and shaking my head before I get to the really bad part.