A Woman Grants Her Mother's Unusual Dying Wish.

She specifically requested pictures of her right foot be sent to an address in Rhode Island.

A couple of days later, she realizes that pictures of her mother's left foot, taken in a mirror, were sent instead. Unsure of the importance but determined to fulfill her wishes, the woman travels to Rhode Island to inform the facility of the mistake.

After a long, arduous search, she finds an unmarked building in the middle of a thick forest. She rings the doorbell and, after a moment, a pleasant-looking man answers.

"Hello. I'm sorry to bother you, but my recently-deceased mother donated–"

"AH! You're Mary's daughter?" the man says, blocking the door slightly. "Yes, yes, she was a magnificent woman!"

"Yeah, well, in her will it said that you requested pictures of her right foot," she says, pulling out a photo packet. "We sent you photos of her left. These are the correct ones. "

"Oh!" the man says, carefully taking them. "Thank you so, so much. She was a long-time dear friend of the academy, and we are so grateful to honor her memory–"

The woman puts her hand up. "What's that sound…?"

Before he can stop her, the woman pushes past him and rushes into an adjacent room. There, projected on the wall, is the picture of her mother's foot…and a room full of people masturbating.

Enraged, she storms back to find the man sitting in the living room, waiting for her.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON IN THERE?!"

"Look," he says. "I think we got off on the wrong foot here…."

Joke Poo: The Art Critic’s Estate

A renowned art critic dictates a bizarre clause in his will: upon his death, all of his collection must be arranged in a specific order in his mansion’s west wing, and photographs taken from a precise angle. The task falls to his exasperated nephew.

Days later, the nephew realizes he’s made a crucial error. He reversed the placement of a lesser-known Renaissance portrait with a particularly grotesque modern sculpture. Panicked, yet determined to honor his uncle’s wishes (and the inheritance), he travels to the address specified in the will, a remote art institute.

After a winding, unmarked road, he reaches a small, unassuming gallery nestled in the countryside. He rings the bell, and a nervous-looking curator answers.

“Hello, I’m… the nephew of the recently deceased Arthur Finch,” he stammers.

“AH! Arthur! A pillar of the artistic community!” the curator exclaims, ushering him in. “Yes, yes, we were eagerly awaiting the photos…”

“There’s been a slight mistake,” the nephew says, pulling out a fresh set of photos. “I sent pictures with the Renaissance painting out of order. These are the correct ones.”

“Oh! Good heavens!” the curator says, carefully taking the photos. “Thank you, so much. The Finch Collection is invaluable, and our interpretation hinges on this detail.”

The nephew furrows his brow. “What’s that rhythmic… chanting sound…?”

Before the curator can react, the nephew bursts into the main exhibit hall. There, meticulously arranged, are all of his uncle’s paintings… and a room full of art students, each performing interpretive dances based on the order he’d messed up.

Furious, he confronts the curator, who is nervously adjusting his glasses.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!”

“Well, you see,” the curator says, wringing his hands. “It’s a matter of perspective, really. We interpreted the instructions as…” a different movement. “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot…” err, “wrong pose.”

Okay, let’s dissect this gloriously awkward joke.

Key Elements:

The Setup: An unusual dying wish involving foot pictures sent to a mysterious location. This builds intrigue and absurdity.
The Mistake: The left foot/mirror image mix-up. This increases the tension and hints that there’s more to this than meets the eye.
The Location: An unmarked building in a forest. This amps up the creepiness and adds to the sense of secrecy.
The Red Herring: The pleasant-looking man and his talk of honoring the deceased woman’s memory. This further misdirects the audience.
The Punchline: The shocking reveal of a room full of people using the foot picture for… ahem… personal enjoyment.
The Wordplay: The final line, “I think we got off on the wrong foot here,” is a classic pun that lands perfectly given the preceding events.

Humor Analysis:

The joke relies heavily on:

Unexpected Twist: The audience is led to believe something academic or respectful is happening. The reality is the polar opposite.
Awkwardness and Taboo: The subject matter is inherently uncomfortable, amplifying the comedic effect.
Understatement: The man’s nonchalant explanation juxtaposed with the outrageous scene creates a contrast that heightens the humor.
Puns: A well-placed pun to wrap it up.

Now, let’s use some factual tidbits related to feet and unusual obsessions to create a new joke/observation:

Factual Foot Note: Did You Know?

The term for sexual attraction to feet is podophilia (or foot fetishism). Interestingly, studies suggest that a significant percentage of people have some degree of foot-related attraction or interest. Some neurologists believe this is because the regions of the brain that process touch from the feet and genitals are located close to each other.

New Joke/Observation:

I knew my grandfather had a strange hobby. He always said his goal was to be remembered by his loved ones. After he died, we realized he made good on that ambition when we found his will requested pictures of his feet be used for the family holiday cards. Turns out he had a sole purpose in life: to ensure everyone remembered the footage.

Before you judge that Rhode Island foot picture academy, consider that the brain area for foot touch is right next to the genital sensation area. Makes you think twice about reflexology, doesn’t it? Are we just one toe-touch away from a very happy accident? I mean, “heel” no! (pun intended!)

Explanation of the New Humor:

Plays on Foot Fetishism: The original joke involves a fetishistic element. The “Did You Know?” reinforces this, and the new joke leans into it.
Wordplay: Foot puns are woven into the jokes to create a light-hearted effect.
Awkwardness: The family holiday card scenario is inherently awkward and funny.

By combining the elements of the original joke with factual information and a touch of absurdity, we can create new avenues for humor that tap into the same core comedic principles.