Each novice stands naked in a line with a small bell tied to his penis. A beautiful naked woman walks slowly past them. If anyone loses control and the bell rings — they fail.
She walks past the first monk. Silence.
Second monk. Silence.
Third, fourth, fifth — not a sound.
But when she gets to the last monk — DING! And the bell falls to the floor.
Ashamed, the disciple bends down to pick up his bell….
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!
Joke Poo: The Squirrel Convention
A tree full of squirrels is hosting an annual nut-hiding competition. Each squirrel must hold a particularly delicious acorn, while a tempting trail of peanut butter leads through the branches. Any squirrel that drops their acorn during the trial is disqualified.
First squirrel: rock solid. Holds tight.
Second squirrel: unwavering focus. No drop.
Third, fourth, fifth: nothing hits the ground. Acorns are glued in place.
But when the peanut butter scent hits the last squirrel – thunk! The acorn plummets.
Dejected, the squirrel goes to retrieve his acorn…
thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk!
Alright, let’s analyze this bell-ringing monastic joke and see what comedic treasures we can unearth!
Joke Dissection:
- Premise: Monks undergoing a self-control test, with a humorous, physical element (the bell).
- Setup: Establishes the scene, the rules, and the initial expectation of success (monks seemingly maintaining control).
- Punchline: The initial “DING!” breaks the expectation. The final “DING DING DING…” is the real punchline, a surprise escalation of the initial failure that leverages the ambiguity of why the bell originally rang and the reason for the monk’s bending down to pick it up. It’s unexpected, absurd, and visually comedic.
- Key Elements:
- Monastic Setting: Conveys restraint, discipline, and detachment.
- Physical Comedy: The bell attached to… that is inherently funny. The bending over amplifies this.
- Sexual Suggestion: The core of the humor. The joke plays on the tension between monastic vows and natural desires.
- Unexpected Escalation: The repeated dings.
Comedic Enrichment: A Witty Observation & a “Did You Know” Fact
Witty Observation:
“That monk wasn’t just breaking his vows; he was composing a symphony of self-incrimination. Imagine the look on the Mother Superior’s face…it’d be a masterpiece of monastic dismay.”
“Did You Know” Fact & Joke Mashup:
“Did you know that studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can actually decrease sexual desire in some individuals? Apparently, those monks in the joke were either terrible at meditating or really, really dedicated to anatomical bell ringing. Maybe they should try playing the gong next time. It’s much bigger and harder to… uh… accidentally jostle.”
New Joke Variation:
A Zen master is teaching his students about the concept of “emptiness.” He holds up a teacup. “This teacup,” he says, “is empty. To fill it, one must first empty it.”
A student raises his hand. “Master,” he asks, “but what if the teacup already has a tiny bell attached to it, and I need to pick it up after accidentally ringing it? Is it still about emptiness then?”
The Zen master sighed. “Enlightenment,” he said, “is clearly a lot harder when physics are involved.”
Explanation of the New Material:
The “witty observation” expands the punchline with added imagery. The “Did You Know” fact adds a bit of “intellectual” humor, and the new joke variation takes the same concept, throws in some Zen philosophical humor, and turns the monks’ problem into a metaphor for the difficulties of enlightenment when our bodies insist on being bodies. The key is using the original elements (monks, restraint, physical comedy) and applying related, sometimes contradictory, information to create new funny situations.