Inherently Funny Words: Buh-, Puh-, Kuh-

This morning on my daily COVID-19 walk I listened to Charles Duhigg's How To! podcast, specifically the episode "How To Be Funny". The episode featured comedian Gary Gulman, who explained to a pastor seeking to liven up his sermons that certain words are just inherently funny - a general rule are words starting with the buh-, puh-, or kuk- sounds ("Chicken is funny while "hen" is not).

I saw Jerry Seinfeld mention the concept of an inherently funny word as well in a New York Times video some time ago, that "pop tart" was just an inherently funny word (notice that puh- sound!). This is also not new nor secret, as I read today on Wikipedia; Neil Simon noted inherently funny words in his 1972 play, Sunshine Boys:

Fifty-seven years in this business, you learn a few things. You know what words are funny and which words are not funny. Alka Seltzer is funny. You say 'Alka Seltzer' you get a laugh ... Words with 'k' in them are funny. Casey Stengel, that's a funny name. Robert Taylor is not funny. Cupcake is funny. Tomato is not funny. Cookie is funny. Cucumber is funny. Car keys. Cleveland ... Cleveland is funny. Maryland is not funny. Then, there's chicken. Chicken is funny. Pickle is funny. Cab is funny. Cockroach is funny – not if you get 'em, only if you say 'em.