City of Juneau launches joke hotline so people can start their day with laughter

The city of Juneau, Alaska, hopes its new joke hotline will bring some levity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Every morning by 10 a.m., one of three volunteers — two high school girls and a retired man — records a "good, clean, corny" joke for the hotline, recreation planner Dawn Welch told the Anchorage Daily News. Prior to the pandemic, people could call 907-586-0428 to get an update on the city's hiking program, but with that on hold for now, the line was free. "We thought, 'This is a perfect time to do this,'" Welch said.

The hotline launched on Tuesday, and so many people tried to call on Wednesday that it broke down, but by Thursday it was back up and running. "People just need a laugh," Welch said.

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