Ask any woman what she looks for in a man and invariably she will answer “humour”.

Women love dating funny men. The way to man’s heart might be through his stomach, but the way to a woman’s is definitely via her funny bone.

I became distinctly aware of this last year, when Melbourne comedian Andy Lee was voted Cleo Bachelor of the Year. Yep, that’s right: the punters chose Lee over heartthrobs like surfing bad boy Koby Abberton.

My surprise turned to shock when Lee began dating supermodel Megan Gale, whose exotic looks and killer style have earned her kudos in the Australian fashion industry. Lee (who, at 25, is six years her junior) has consequently become a hero for every pimply, 15-year-old class clown.

I decided to put my curiosity to rest until I discovered that US comedian David Spade is currently dating blonde bombshell Heather Locklear. Uh-huh. Short, weedy Spade (best known for playing sleazy Dennis Finch on TV’s Just Shoot Me) landed newly-divorced Locklear, the early nineties pin-up girl for every hen-pecked 30-year-old. Before this, Spade was dating Lara Flynn Boyle and Kristy Swanson.

Intrigued, I continued my research. David Walliams, of Little Britain fame, has also left a bevy of beautiful women in his hilarious wake. Walliams has snared the likes of Aussie bikini babe Emily Scott, British actress Patsy Kensit, and supermodel Lisa Snowdon. Not bad for the only gay in the village.

And there and more odd celebrity couplings: Hank Azaria and ex-wife Helen Hunt. Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor. Barry Humphries and Lizzy Spender. Sacha Baron Cohen dating Isla Fisher. Woody Allen (who began his career as a stand-up comedian) with both Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton. Peter Sellers and Britt Ekland. And Jim Carrey, who hit the motherlode with exes Lauren Holly and Renee Zellweger, dating current flame (and former Playmate of the Year) Jenny McCarthy.

Women have it easy. All it takes to drive men crazy is some peekaboo lingerie and thigh-high boots. Men have to work much harder for their cut of charisma pie. In a battle of wits, if you’re an unarmed man you won’t get any of the dating spoils.

It’s easy to see why funny men are so successful at dating: they’re captivating, good conversationalists and they don’t take life (or themselves) too seriously. They’re usually confident and sociable.

And best of all, they’re good at expressing themselves, very useful indeed with Online Dating. How could any woman resist?