Where he meets a woman in the hotel bar. "Where'd y'all go to college?" he asks.
She replies, "Yale"
Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouts, "I SAID, WHERE'D Y'ALL GO TO COLLEGE?"
Joke Poo: A Software Engineer in Amish Country
A Silicon Valley software engineer is visiting Amish country in Pennsylvania, where he strikes up a conversation with a young Amish woman churning butter at a farmer’s market.
“So,” he asks, adjusting his glasses, “what kind of bandwidth are you guys getting out here?”
She politely answers, “Butter.”
Cupping his hands around his ears, he shouts, “I SAID, WHAT KIND OF BANDWIDTH ARE YOU GUYS GETTING OUT HERE?“
Alright, let’s break down this joke like a geologist cracks open a geode!
Joke Dissection:
- Core Concept: The humor derives from the clash of cultures and assumptions between a Texan and a woman from Boston (presumably a New England accent). The Texan misunderstands the woman’s pronunciation of “Yale” as a mumbled response due to his own strong accent and expectation of different speech patterns.
- Key Elements:
- Texan Stereotype: Loud, possibly a bit slow on the uptake, used to Southern drawl.
- Boston Accent/Pretentiousness (Implied): Known for being distinct and, stereotypically, associated with wealth and education. The joke relies on the audience knowing the common Boston pronunciation drops the “r.”
- Misunderstanding/Communication Breakdown: The central comedic device. One person literally can’t hear what the other is saying.
- Exaggeration: The Texan’s escalating volume amplifies the misunderstanding.
Comedic Enrichment:
Now, let’s take these elements and spin them into something new…
New Joke (Did you know style):
“Did you know that the Yale University motto is ‘Lux et Veritas,’ which means ‘Light and Truth’? It’s fitting, because after a Texan visits, they’ll shed a lot more light on whether or not anyone can actually understand a Bostonian saying ‘Yale’ after three margaritas. Truth? Probably not.”
Explanation:
- It takes the element of Yale.
- It brings in the Boston accent again (the implied joke of dropping the “r”).
- It still has the Texan encountering and not understand this person.
- It still has exaggeration by saying that not even after margaritas would the Texan understand.
Why this works (hopefully):
This new joke combines the original’s core concept with a factual element (the Yale motto) and a playful jab at both Bostonians and the stereotype of the inebriated Texan. It enhances the joke by layering information and a subtle dig. It leans into the “Did you know?” format to add a mock-educational tone, making the punchline more unexpected and amusing.