Salesperson: "Sorry, we don't barter."
Joke Poo:
A snail slithers into a used car dealership and asks, “Can I get some racing stripes on this clunker, please?”
Salesperson: “Sorry, we don’t cater to escargot.”
Alright, let’s break down this “watch” joke:
Deconstruction:
- Setup: The setup establishes a straightforward scenario – a woman entering a store to purchase a watch for her husband. It sets the expectation of a normal retail transaction.
- Punchline: The salesperson’s response, “Sorry, we don’t barter,” is the punchline. It’s unexpected and creates humor through a misunderstanding or wordplay. The double meaning of “watch” (a timepiece vs. to observe) is the root cause of the confusion. The salesperson incorrectly assumes she wants to ‘watch’ her husband.
- Humor Type: The humor is derived from a pun/wordplay and a misunderstanding/misinterpretation. It relies on the audience recognizing both meanings of “watch” and appreciating the absurdity of the salesperson’s assumption.
Enrichment & New Humor:
Here’s how we can build on this:
1. Witty Observation (playing off the misunderstanding):
“You know, that salesperson probably thought the husband was some kind of performance artist. Like, ‘I’m installing him in the window for eight hours. All he’ll be doing is staring at a cactus. Do you do that sort of thing?'”
2. Amusing “Did You Know” (connected to timekeeping):
Did you know that the phrase “to keep watch” originally referred to naval duty? Sailors would be assigned specific hours to observe the horizon for danger. So, in a way, the salesperson’s response isn’t completely random. They’re just really invested in historical maritime practices! Maybe they also offer complimentary semaphore lessons with every purchase.
3. New Joke (playing on the double meaning and raising the stakes):
A woman walks into a pawn shop and says, “Can I have someone watch my husband for a week?”
The pawnbroker leans in conspiratorially, “Lady, we don’t offer that service. And even if we did, you’d have to tell me what he did first. This ain’t Maury Povich’s paternity court.”
4. Further Joke Exploration using “Watch” phrases and sayings :
A woman walks into a Swiss watch shop and asks for a complicated, expensive automatic timepiece.
The clerk brings out a Patek Philippe.
The woman examines it closely then says “Oh no no no! I can’t watch this one. The anticipation would kill me.”
Explanation of Choices:
- The “Witty Observation” leans into the silliness of the salesperson’s interpretation and amplifies the absurdity.
- The “Did You Know” uses factual information (about the origin of “keeping watch”) to unexpectedly justify the salesperson’s response, creating a humorous connection. It’s unexpected and uses trivia to generate a chuckle.
- The “New Joke” expands the scenario to a pawn shop, which opens opportunities for a joke about infidelity and also allows the pun to become more scandalous.
- The “Watch Anticipation” continues the double meaning jokes, playing on the phrase “watch this” and the nervousness related to an impending disaster.
The key is to leverage the established elements of the original joke—the double meaning of “watch” and the resulting misunderstanding—and explore related concepts for added humor.