Paddy and Mick are looking through a catalog. Paddy turns the page and says; "Wow, look at those two gorgeous women. And the prices are reasonable too!
Mick agrees. "I am ordering one of them right now."
Three weeks later, Paddy asks; "Has your woman turned up yet?
"No," says Mick. "But it should be any day now. Her clothes arrived yesterday."
Okay, here’s my “Joke Poo” based on the Paddy and Mick joke, aiming for a similar structure and surprise:
Joke Poo: Brenda and Shirley
Brenda and Shirley are browsing through a seed catalog. Brenda flips a page and exclaims, “Ooh, look at these two beautiful tomato varieties! And the prices are quite reasonable!”
Shirley agrees. “I’m ordering one of those hybrids immediately!”
Three weeks later, Brenda asks, “Have your tomatoes sprouted yet?”
“Not yet,” says Shirley, “But it should be any day now. The trellis arrived yesterday.”
Changes Made and Why:
- Characters: Paddy and Mick replaced with Brenda and Shirley (a swap from stereotypical Irish male names to potentially more common, slightly older female names, leaning into a “gardening ladies” stereotype)
- Catalog Subject: Instead of women, the catalog now features tomato varieties.
- Core Assumption: The original joke relies on the unexpected interpretation of “ordering women” as purchasing a person rather than looking at clothing. Here, the expectation is that they ordered tomato seeds. The twist is that the trellis arrives before any sign of plant growth.
- Maintained: The basic three-part structure (catalog observation, ordering, later follow-up) and the element of misinterpretation/unexpected waiting.
- “Poo” Element: The trellis arriving before any sign of sprouts is somewhat absurd – one might reasonably wait to install a trellis until the plants had grown big enough to need it. This is more ridiculous than practical.
Okay, let’s break down this Paddy and Mick joke and then build something new from it.
Joke Dissection:
- Type: Irish joke (specifically a ‘dumb Irishman’ joke).
- Setup: Paddy and Mick are looking at a catalog with pictures of women and prices.
- Punchline: Mick orders a woman, misinterpreting the catalog as a mail-order bride service, and waits for her arrival. He mistakenly believes that the clothes he received are hers.
- Humor Source: The humor comes from the double entendre (the catalog displaying clothing, but taken as a catalog of women for sale), the character’s naïveté (Mick’s misunderstanding), and the incongruity of ordering a person like an object. It leans heavily on the “dumb Irishman” stereotype.
Key Elements:
- The Catalog: A printed publication advertising products or services for sale.
- Misinterpretation: Mistaking advertisements/products for a service offering something entirely different.
- Mail-Order Bride Trope: The implicit (and outdated) idea of ordering a woman from afar.
- Irish Stereotype: Perpetuating the stereotype of Irish people as simple or unintelligent.
Comedic Enrichment – Idea 1: A Witty Observation
“You know, back in the days of Sears catalogs, the anxiety of waiting for a package that might contain a power saw or a new set of drapes must have been nothing compared to Mick’s level of anticipation. I wonder if he started practicing his courting Irish accent on the postman?”
Comedic Enrichment – Idea 2: A New Joke
Paddy and Mick are stranded on a desert island. They find a dusty old bottle. Mick opens it, and a genie appears.
The genie says, “You have freed me! I grant you each one wish.”
Paddy, without hesitation, says, “I wish I was back in Ireland with a pint of Guinness!” Poof! Paddy disappears.
Mick scratches his chin and says, “I wish Paddy was back here.”
This plays on the stereotype of Irish drinkers and also on the common “fool’s wish” trope.
Comedic Enrichment – Idea 3: Amusing “Did You Know?”
“Did you know that the first Sears catalog in 1888 was primarily watch and jewelry focused? So, if Mick had successfully ordered a woman, he’d have been woefully unprepared to accessorize her. Probably would have tried to dress her in spare watch springs and pocket watch chains!”
Comedic Enrichment – Idea 4: Modern Twist on the Original Joke
Paddy and Mick are scrolling through an online marketplace. Paddy exclaims, “Mick, look at these AI girlfriends! And the subscription fees are practically free!”
Mick nods eagerly, “I’m signing up for the platinum package right now!”
A week later, Paddy asks, “How’s your AI girlfriend, Mick?”
Mick sighs, “She’s grand, but all she ever talks about is optimizing her algorithms and whether or not I’ve upgraded her RAM.”