Two guys ring the bell of the brothel

Joke Poo: The Haunted Hotel

Two ghosts float up to the front desk of the haunted hotel. The spectral concierge materializes.

— What do you want?

— What kind of haunting can we do for five ectoplasm credits?

— For five ectoplasm credits, you can each rattle a chain in the supply closet down the hall.

The concierge vanishes.

A few minutes later, the ghosts float back to the desk. The concierge reappears.

— Where do we sign in for haunting?

Okay, let’s break down this joke:

Joke Dissection:

• Setup: Establishes a brothel setting, two customers with limited funds.
• Punchline: The delayed realization that even the absurdly cheap “service” requires payment, highlighting the transactional nature of the business and the men’s cluelessness.
• Humor Type: Dry wit, situational irony, and a touch of the absurd. The humor comes from the unexpected adherence to the brothel’s business model despite the low price.

Key Elements:

1. Brothel: A place of commercial sexual services.
2. Cheapness: The extremely low amount of $5.
3. Transaction: The fundamental nature of the business exchange.
4. Cluelessness: The men’s lack of understanding about how things work, even at the lowest end.

Comedic Enrichment:

Let’s use these elements to craft a “Did You Know?” style observation:

Did you know:

In Nevada, the only U.S. state where prostitution is legal in licensed brothels, a “house fee” still applies even if you’re just using the bathroom. It’s like paying an admission fee to a theme park for just riding one really, really short rollercoaster. So, those two guys at the brothel ringing the bell again to ask “Who do we pay?” were actually more astute than they appeared. They understood the fundamental principle of monetization in the sex work industry — you never escape it, no matter how… economical you try to be. They were just preplexed by the novel service offering.

Explanation of how the enrichment connects to the original joke:

• Builds on the “transaction” element: The “house fee” tidbit reinforces the inescapable business aspect of brothels, mirroring the joke’s punchline.
• Plays on “cheapness”: The comparison to a “short rollercoaster” connects to the cheapness of the “service”.
• Adds context to the cluelessness: The men’s actions become more understandable within the setting. They’re not so stupid as to think it’s free, but are clueless about the service and its price.
• Absurdist twist: The connection to the theme park and its analogies pushes it further into absurdity.

This enhances the original joke by providing a factual, yet amusing, piece of information that underscores its core comedic point.