They're all dead.
Okay, here’s my attempt at a "Joke Poo" of that joke, titled "Joke Poo" (as requested) and modifying the original to create a similar, but different, laugh:
Joke Poo
What do every single contestant who’s ever won a lifetime supply of lottery tickets, from the very first winner to the most recent, have in common?
… They’re completely broke within five years.
Okay, let’s dissect this joke and see what comedic gems we can unearth!
Analysis of the Original Joke:
- Setup: "What is true about every great leader, from Julius Caesar to Abraham Lincoln, that sets them apart from you or me?" This creates an expectation of a profound or aspirational quality, like vision, charisma, or strategic thinking.
- Punchline: "They’re all dead." The joke relies on a subversion of expectation. Instead of a noble trait, it’s a blunt, morbidly humorous observation about mortality.
- Humor Type: Dark humor, situational irony, and surprise. The humor comes from the stark contrast between the grandeur of the setup and the grim reality of the answer.
Key Elements:
- Great Leaders: Evokes images of historical figures known for power, influence, and impact.
- Mortality: The universal human condition of eventually dying.
- Juxtaposition: The core of the joke is placing these two elements (greatness and death) side-by-side in an unexpected way.
Now, let’s use these elements to create new humor:
Option 1: A "Did You Know?" Style Observation:
"Did you know that despite their apparent immortality in history textbooks, every single ‘Great Leader’ had a surprisingly average lifespan? Julius Caesar, for example, was only 55 when he was assassinated. That’s younger than some CEOs today! Makes you wonder if a longer life actually hinders achieving ‘Great Leader’ status…too much time to make mistakes, perhaps?"
Explanation: This builds on the original joke’s premise by adding a somewhat ironic tidbit (the relatively short lifespans of some famous leaders) and then presenting a humorous, slightly cynical explanation.
Option 2: A Related Joke:
"Why did they stop having ‘Great Leader of the Year’ awards? Because the winner always ended up being a terrible role model for career longevity."
Explanation: This is a shorter, pun-based joke that uses the same subversion-of-expectations strategy. The "career longevity" is, of course, a euphemism for being dead.
Option 3: Witty Observation on Historical Narrative:
"History books have a remarkable way of sanitizing death. We learn about the great battles led by Alexander the Great, but rarely about his bout with some mysterious fever at the age of 32. It’s as if acknowledging mortality somehow diminishes the narrative of ‘greatness’."
Explanation: This is a bit more of a dry, observational humor. It points out the selective way history often ignores the messy reality of death when portraying historical figures.
Option 4: A Morbidly Funny Real Fact:
"Speaking of Great Leaders and their eventual demise, here’s a fun fact: when Abraham Lincoln was shot, the theater production he was watching was ‘Our American Cousin’. A comedy. So, in a darkly ironic twist, arguably the greatest American leader died watching something designed to make him laugh. Talk about final curtain call!"
Explanation: The humor stems from the irony and timing of Lincoln’s assassination, using a morbid fact to provide a darkly comedic conclusion.
These options all expand upon the original joke’s theme of the contrast between perceived greatness and the inevitable reality of death. They use factual or plausible elements to add another layer of humor and observation. I chose a variety of styles to illustrate the range of possibilities within the comedic space defined by the original joke.