Which is the correct sentence?

[blissful]

Hi

Which is the correct sentence?

1) That was the funniest call I’ve had for a long time.
or 2) That is the funniest call I’ve had for a long time.
or 3) That was the funniest call I’d had for a long time.

[Raymott]

Hi

Which is the correct sentence?

1) That was the funniest call I’ve had for a long time.
or 2) That is the funniest call I’ve had for a long time.
or 3) That was the funniest call I’d had for a long time.

1) and 2) are correct.

[blissful]

Hi Raymott

Thank you for your reply.

Please help to explain why (1) and (2) are correct and (3) is not.

[Raymott]

Hi Raymott

Thank you for your reply.

Please help to explain why (1) and (2) are correct and (3) is not.

You're telling someone about the call. You might have already told them the details. Your friend might agree. "That is a funny call", rather than "That was a funny call".
Even in a few years time, after you've told the story, you can still say, "That is the funniest call I've ever received." The "call" becomes like a "story". Even though the actual call was in the past, it still remains a "call". It is still a call that happened in the past.
The verb form you use depends on how you present the call.
It similar to asking:
"What is the funniest thing that's every happned to you?"
"What was the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?"
They mean the same for most purposes.

As far as using the past perfect tense goes, there's no reason to use it. You'd need something like, "That was the funniest call I’d had for a long time, until I received this one."
I won't bore you with citing the requirements for using the past perfect. You can find them anywhere.

[5jj]

The Past Perfect

Problems with the Past Perfect & Past Simple

[blissful]

Hi

Thank you for your quick reply.

"What is the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?"
"What was the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?"

Under what conditions/situations do we use what is/what was to ask questions?

[shannico]

1) and 2) are correct.

May I say that n.3 could be right provided that you put it into the right context and timeframe.

That was the funniest call I'd ever had until I was told it wasn't a joke...

[Raymott]

May I say that n.3 could be right provided that you put it into the right context and timeframe.

That was the funniest call I'd ever had until I was told it wasn't a joke...

Exactly. That's the point I was making at the end of post #4 with "That was the funniest call I’d had for a long time, until I received this one."
That is, it needs something happening between the call and now to justify referring to the call in the past perfect tense.

[shannico]

Apologies Raymott, I must have skipped the last bit.