"Shhh!”
“Ssshh…”
“Shhh!”
“Ssshh…”
Okay, here’s my attempt at a “Joke Poo” version of the librarian and cobra joke, titled “Potty Training Blues”:
Potty Training Blues
A frustrated dad is trying to potty train his toddler.
“Pee!”
“Pffft…” (The toddler makes a raspberry sound with his lips)
“Pee! C’mon, just pee!”
“Pffft…”
Alright, let’s get down to the funny bones of this one.
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: The setup establishes a classic conflict: a librarian, whose job is to maintain silence, and a cobra, an inherently noisy creature due to its characteristic “hiss.”
- Punchline: The humor lies in the repetitive exchange of “Shhh!” and “Ssshh…”, highlighting the inherent nature of both characters. It’s funny because it’s an unproductive stalemate – the librarian can’t get the cobra to not hiss, and the cobra is essentially just existing. The escalation and repetition make it funnier. The similarity in sounds makes it subtly absurd.
Key Elements:
- Librarian: Symbol of silence, order, and quiet contemplation.
- Cobra: A snake known for its hiss and intimidating presence, naturally opposed to silence.
- Sound Imitation: The similarity of “shhh” and “ssshh” is the crux of the joke.
Comedic Enrichment & New Humor:
Let’s leverage a librarian fact to create a new joke:
Factual Tidbit: The Library of Alexandria, one of the most significant libraries of the ancient world, was said to have contained papyrus scrolls documenting almost everything known at the time.
New Joke:
Why did the cobra get kicked out of the Library of Alexandria?
Because after the librarian shushed him for his hissing, he defensively replied, “I’m just trying to add to the scrolls! My ‘hiss’story is very important!”
Explanation of the New Joke’s Mechanics:
- It builds on the established concept of a librarian and a hissing snake.
- It incorporates the Library of Alexandria fact, elevating the punchline with a historical element.
- The punchline plays on the double meaning of “history” and the cobra’s “hiss,” creating wordplay humor. It also introduces the slightly arrogant/defensive persona of the cobra.
Alternative witty observation:
Did you know that the call and response between librarian and cobra is considered the ‘Original ASMR’?