…with large social groups, shared knowledge and general harmony.
That is except for one whale named Tay. Tay is a dick. He is rude, bullies the other males for access to females, belittles and demeans the females, and hoards the best hunting grounds, making him fat and surly to all the rest of the whales.
He is generally unpleasant to be around and is known far and wide in whale society as being a jerk to be avoided at all costs.
One day a little whale named Sean was travelling on a long trip with his mother to new hunting grounds when he looks over and sees a bounty of nice juicy krill just waiting to be gobbled up and only one fat, grumpy looking whale there eating them.
The tired young whale complains to his mother, "Why do we have to travel so far when ther are so many krill right over there?"
The mother replies, "See Tay, Sean?"
Joke Poo: The Hive Mind
Ants have a marvelously efficient society…with highly structured roles, unwavering dedication to the colony, and generally selfless behavior.
That is, except for one ant named Agnes. Agnes is a slacker. She avoids foraging, leaves crumbs everywhere in the nest, spends all day grooming herself, and constantly complains about her antennae being too long, making her a drag on the entire colony.
She is generally unpleasant to be around and is known far and wide in the anthill as a loafer to be given all the tedious tasks and ignored at all costs.
One day, a young ant named Barry was on a forced march with his squad to a newly discovered aphid farm when he spies a small, untouched patch of honeydew, guarded only by a single, meticulously groomed ant.
The exhausted young ant whines to his commanding officer, “Why are we marching so far when there’s honeydew right over there?”
The officer replies, “See Agnes, Barry? Those drops are hers. They are ‘Agnes’ Honeydew’.”
Alright, let’s dive into this whale of a tale (pun intended!).
Deconstruction of the Joke:
- Premise: Whales have complex and harmonious societies.
- Twist/Subversion: Except for Tay, a complete jerk whale who breaks the expected harmony.
- Humor Source:
- Anthropomorphism: Giving whales human-like qualities (social structures, rudeness, bullying, etc.).
- Incongruity: The stark contrast between the idealized whale society and Tay’s behavior.
- Relatability: We all know a “Tay” – a selfish, unpleasant person who disrupts the group dynamic.
- Punchline: The setup leads the reader to believe there is a logical reason for going far and the the only reason is Tay.
Key Elements:
- Whale Society: The assumed harmonious and cooperative nature of whale groups.
- “Tay”: The disruptive, archetypal jerk figure.
- Krill: The food source, representing resources being hoarded.
- Mother-Son Dynamic: Creates a teaching moment.
Comedic Enrichment – New Joke Based on Interesting Whale Facts:
New Joke:
Why did the Humpback whale start a podcast?
Because he kept hearing stories about “The Lonely Whale” and thought, “Someone needs to get the full story out there. Plus, maybe Tay needs a platform to explain himself; I mean, a whale’s song has to be heard!” Turns out, the lonely whale was just a juvenile blue whale with a weird call that got a LOT of media attention. Tay, however, was available for comment. He went on a 20 minute rant about krill supply chain issues and the liberal agenda. The Podcast had to be scrapped.
Analysis of New Joke:
- Whale Song/Communication: Humpback whale songs are complex and can travel vast distances. Scientists believe they serve multiple purposes, including attracting mates and communicating social information.
- The Lonely Whale: A real-life situation where a whale was observed alone for years, its unique call becoming a subject of media fascination and research.
- Relatability/Modern twist: Plays on the popularity of podcasts and the desire to “get the full story.”
- Tay’s Incorporation: Reintroduces Tay as an even bigger problem, now embracing the chance to complain and engage in political rants. The podcast’s failure due to Tay’s behavior is a humorous consequence.
- Fact-Based Humor: Uses elements of real whale behavior and a specific real-world whale event (The Lonely Whale) to enhance the humor.
I feel the original joke hits harder for the simple fact that it allows the listener to infer the reason and draw their own conclusions based on their own experiences. The new joke isn’t bad but the original is simple, relatable and funny.