When I was a kid, my next door neighbor who was a mobster would pay me $20 to start his car every morning.
Okay, here’s my “Joke Poo” version:
Joke Poo: The Compost King
I don’t know why everyone thinks of competitive gardeners as overly-serious.
When I was a kid, the guy who lived down the street and won “Best Compost” every year would pay me $20 to sing to his worms every morning.
Alright, let’s dissect this joke and then cook up some new humor based on it.
Joke Breakdown:
- Setup: “I don’t know why everyone thinks of mobsters as bad guys.” This establishes an ironic perspective. We’re immediately primed to expect something that contradicts the typical negative stereotype.
- Punchline: “When I was a kid, my next door neighbor who was a mobster would pay me $20 to start his car every morning.” This subverts expectations. Instead of revealing some nefarious activity, it presents a seemingly harmless (and even beneficial) interaction. The implication is that the mobster was a “good” neighbor, at least in this one very specific and self-serving instance.
- Humor Derives From:
- Ironic Contrast: The disparity between the mobster stereotype (violence, crime) and the anecdote (hiring a kid for a simple task).
- Unexpected Twist: The listener anticipates a reason to see mobsters positively, but the reason given is trivial and self-serving.
- Innocence of the Narrator: The narrator seems oblivious to the deeper implications of having a mobster neighbor, further amplifying the absurdity.
Key Elements for Enrichment:
- Mobsters/Organized Crime: Facts about their history, specific figures, code of conduct (or lack thereof), common activities, nicknames, etc.
- Cars/Starting Cars: The mechanics of old cars, why they might be hard to start, the significance of car culture, etc.
- Childhood/Neighborhood: The innocence of youth, the dynamics of neighborhood relationships, common childhood chores, etc.
- Money/Paying People: The value of $20 in different eras, the economics of hiring people for odd jobs, etc.
New Humor Attempts:
1. Observational Joke:
“You know, everyone complains about the environment, but my mobster neighbor in the ’80s was way ahead of the curve. Paid me to get that carburetor-choked beast started every morning. He was basically outsourcing his emissions to a child laborer. Green before it was cool.”
- Humor: Adds a layer of contemporary social commentary (environmentalism, child labor) to the original scenario.
- Element Added: Environmental Awareness
2. “Did You Know?” Style:
“Did you know that during the height of Prohibition, some mobsters actually ran car dealerships as fronts? They figured, who would suspect a guy selling reliable transportation of being involved in…transporting unreliable beverages?”
- Humor: Plays on the double meaning of “transportation” and the inherent irony of criminals operating under the guise of legitimate business.
- Element Added: Historical fact about Prohibition.
3. Re-worked Joke:
“I always wondered why my dad never complained about Mr. “Fingers” living next door. Turns out, the guy would pay him $50 a week to keep the sidewalk shoveled. Apparently, a good first impression with the authorities was worth more than good moral standing.”
- Humor: Changes the relationship (son to father instead of the narrator) and adds a wry observation about the mobster’s calculated benevolence.
- Element Added: Calculated ‘Good Deeds’
4. Darkly Humorous Twist:
“People always criticize mobsters. But, when I was a kid, my neighbor, Vinny “The Knuckles” paid me $20 every morning to start his car. Of course, it was after he made sure the last guy who borrowed it was still in the trunk.”
- Humor: Takes a dark and unexpected turn, referencing a darker side of mobster life.
- Element Added: Threat, Implications.
These are just a few examples. The key is to identify the core elements of the original joke and then use factual information or creative embellishments to build upon them in a humorous way. The best humor will likely subvert expectations, play on irony, or create a sense of absurdity.