I went to a science school a while back. You were rewarded for late submissions.
They'd give you a tardigrade.
Joke Poo: Office Supplies
I used to work in an office where they really valued recycling.
If you brought in empty paper towel rolls, they’d give you a stapler.
Alright, let’s dissect this joke!
Elements of the Joke:
- Setup: "I went to a science school a while back. You were rewarded for late submissions." This sets a slightly odd premise: rewarding lateness, which is usually punished.
- Punchline: "They’d give you a tardigrade." This is the comedic payoff. It relies on:
- Wordplay/Pun: "Tardigrade" sounds like "tardy grade."
- Misdirection: The setup leads you to expect some kind of academic reward, not a microscopic animal.
- Nerdy Appeal: The humor resonates especially well with people who know what a tardigrade is (and appreciates their coolness).
Analysis:
The joke is funny because it combines a common school experience (late submissions) with a scientific term in a pun. The unexpectedness of the reward being a living organism adds to the humor. The implied absurdity of receiving a tardigrade highlights the strangeness of rewarding lateness.
Comedic Enrichment:
Now, let’s build on this! I’ll go with a new joke format, inspired by the original’s absurdity, and a "Did You Know" factoid.
New Joke:
I tried to explain the concept of negative reinforcement to my pet tardigrade.
It just stared at me blankly. Guess it’s not aversive to anything. Probably because it’s ALREADY had to survive space.
Explanation of New Joke:
- This new joke uses the tardigrade’s extreme resilience (being able to survive space) as part of the punchline.
- It hints at the absurdity of training a tardigrade.
"Did You Know" Factoid for Enhanced Humor:
Did you know? Tardigrades can enter a state called cryptobiosis, where they essentially shut down their metabolism and can survive extreme conditions like radiation, dehydration, even the vacuum of space! Some scientists even hypothesize that their ability to withstand cosmic radiation means that the seeds of life across the universe might have first begun with the humble Tardigrade. So, next time you’re late handing something in, just say you were preserving it in cryptobiosis for optimal quality.