The driver started to head to the location requested by the passenger. 10 whole minutes had passed with complete silence. The radio wasn't even turned on. A fitting comedown from the hectic workday the passenger had.
He then notices a Denver Bronchos bobble head toy on the drivers dashboard, and is inclined to tell him they were his mother's favourite team.
''Hey ma-''
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!" The driver shouts in a terrified, screechy fashion. He loses control of the wheel, swerves left, crashes into a fruit stall, swerves right and then collides with a lamppost. Bringing the sudden chaoticness to an end.
A moment passes.
"Dude, WTF!" The passenger complained. The driver then apologised. "Sorry, man. It's my first time on the job and I haven't adjusted from my previous job yet."
"What did you do before this?"
''I drove a hearse.''
Okay, here’s my "Joke Poo" take on the taxi driver joke:
Joke Poo: Librarian’s First Checkout
A newly minted librarian, fresh out of library school, steps behind the circulation desk for her very first shift. A patron approaches with a stack of books.
The patron places the books on the counter. Ten full seconds of silent anticipation hang in the air. No noise, no radio, a stark contrast to the librarian’s over-caffeinated state.
She notices a tiny, antique Gutenberg Bible bookmark sticking out of one of the books and feels the urge to comment on its beauty.
"Oh, thi-"
"AAARRGGGHHH!" the librarian shrieked, leaping backwards with a startled jerk. She knocked over the computer, scattering pens everywhere, and tripping over a book cart behind her. The cart rattled and books tumbled across the floor.
A moment passes in stunned silence.
"Um, are you okay?" asked the bewildered patron. The librarian blushed crimson. "I’m so sorry! It’s my first day, and I haven’t adjusted from my previous job yet."
"What did you do before this?"
"I was a trauma surgeon."
Okay, let’s dissect this joke and then add some comedic seasoning.
Joke Breakdown:
- Setup: A new taxi driver picks up his first passenger. A key detail is the passenger starting to mention his mother.
- Punchline: The driver freaks out and crashes because his previous job was driving a hearse.
- Humor Type: Dark humor, situational irony, and a bit of a "gotcha" moment. The humor comes from the unexpected reaction and the absurd contrast between the driver’s expectation (silence) and the passenger’s innocent opening line, which triggers a morbid association.
Key Elements:
- The "First Passenger" Trope: Establishes inexperience and sets the stage for something going wrong.
- The Denver Broncos Bobblehead: A seemingly innocuous detail that serves as the catalyst for the passenger’s opening line.
- The Motherhood Association: the passenger’s initial "Hey ma-" is key
- The Hearse Driver Revelation: The core of the punchline, revealing the dark reason for the driver’s overreaction.
- The Overreaction: Crucial to the joke’s impact; the driver’s violent, uncontrolled reaction to a simple greeting.
Comedic Enrichment & New Joke Idea:
Let’s focus on the Denver Broncos bobblehead and the "first passenger" aspect.
Did You Know?
Denver Broncos fans are known for their unwavering loyalty. A 2017 study actually ranked them among the most "passionate" fan bases in the NFL, citing their consistent attendance and social media engagement. This passion is so intense that in 1998, after the Broncos won Super Bowl XXXII, the city of Denver held a victory parade that drew an estimated one million people! Maybe, that taxi driver wasn’t so new, maybe the hearse driving traumatized him as that was his way to victory?
New Joke Idea:
A nervous new taxi driver is driving his first passenger, also a very nervous man on the way to his first date. The radio is off. The passenger notices a Denver Broncos bobblehead on the dash and, trying to break the ice, says: "Hey, I’m a huge Broncos fan! Did you see that game last…"
The driver slams on the brakes, sending the passenger lunging forward.
"Woah! What was that for?" the passenger asks.
The driver replies, "Sorry, force of habit. I used to drive ambulances, and anything involving the Broncos automatically triggered a code red. Too many heart attacks during close games."