A Contest Worth a Really Good Laugh

Giggle fact: The Pillsbury Doughboy has giggled 99,000 times since he first sprung out of a tube of refrigerated dinner rolls in 1965, with a poppin’ fresh kind of laughter, a nothin’-says-lovin’-like-something-from-the-oven hi-larity.

And now he wants to share.

Today, the Pillsbury Co. kicks off its second annual Doughboy Giggle-Off Contest, with expert gigglers, including Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley, former stars of “The Jeffersons” television series. The contest, a Pillsbury spokesperson says, is designed to salute the Dough boy as “America’s most famous giggler” and celebrate the importance of laughter in people’s lives.

Last year, more than 100,000 people called the toll-free number to enter their best giggle by phone ([888] WE-GIGGLE). But gigglers should not imitate the Doughboy’s giggle, Pillsbury warns. Judges are looking for unique, outrageous and contagious giggles.

After the contest ends on May 31, judges will select 10 finalists for a three-day trip to Los Angeles. In October, finalists will compete in a giggle competition for the top prize of $50,000.