Ha ha. That's a good one.

What's with the pressure to be funny on Twitter?

I thought it was just me. And then I Googled it just in case (as you do). And I found I'm not the only one .. it's a big topic out there.

Apparently those 140 characters aren't simply about being clear and succinct. They need to be funny, pithy, whimsical ... or at the very least, sarcastic. If you don't get a few LOLs, LMFAO or Hee Hees a day, you're #failing.

This applies to tweets from journalists, social media commentators, web developers, retailers, the ordinary Joe in the street.

I once saw this tweet posted: "I'm not following X Company any more. They're just not funny". What the?

Sure, there's plenty of other themes on Twitter. Many of them far from funny.

There's the soapbox brigade lobbying for something or railing against something. There's earnest awareness raising, fundraising and cause-promoting tweets. But hotdamn, those funny Twitterers are the best aren't they? Even better: the fake accounts that tweet in character.

Sure, fake Twitter accounts are 'naughty' but hell they're creative. (But can be so disappointing when they stop tweeting. I enjoyed JackFknBauer while it lasted. And BrosLife just doesn't tweet enough!)

If you want to succumb and sign up to more 'funny tweets', see Mashable's recommendations, this Twibe's list, and this one from PC World.