My experience growing up in London and growing up in a working class background, is that when people are down and out, that's when they're probably the funniest. They have to be. That's what they do to cope, to find joy, cause they don't feel the joy inside. Or they use humor to keep people out.
Father says hot water can be as stimulating as an alcoholic drink and though I never come by one. . . I can well believe it.