He was a young looking man, dressed in business casual attire and shaking a bit. Still, the woman smiled at him. "Hey baby," she said as he approached her, "you look a bit tense. Looking to relax a bit?"
"A-actually yes, I am," he responded. "I have a big meeting tomorrow at my company and I am completely unprepared. What ever you're offering, I'll take. Money is no object."
"Well that sounds good to me!" She took him by the hand, "You got a place for us?"
"Yes, there's a motel not too far from us." He took her to his car and got a room for the two of them. For the next few hours, they had multiple sessions with a short break in between. During these short breaks, he got out a portfolio and whispered to himself, writing down a few things as he worked. The woman found it a bit odd that he was working while with her, but still it was his bill and the longer he went, the more money she would earn.
After what seemed like the tenth session, he decided to call it a night. The woman, secretly glad that it was over as she was about to run out of stamina, got dressed as the man was once again writing down a few things in his portfolio.
"Not that it's any of my business," she said, "but what kind of meeting do you have that's got you so worked up?"
"Well, I can't go into too much detail," the man responded, looking up from his work. "But basically I work for a major latex company. There's still some research and testing to be done but thanks to you, I can tell the board that our new brand of condoms work 7 out 10 times."
Joke Poo: The Focus Group
A marketing executive was desperately trying to understand the younger generation’s preferences, so he decided to hire a group of college students for a focus group that same night.
He was a middle-aged man, dressed in a suit and tie and sweating a bit. Still, he greeted the students with enthusiasm. "Hey everyone," he said as they settled in, "I really need some insight. I have a big pitch tomorrow and I’m completely lost on what ‘the kids’ want these days. Whatever it takes, I need your help!"
"Sounds good to us!" One student replied, "Pizza and gift cards, right?"
"Absolutely, and anything else that will get you guys to open up." He led them to a room filled with various product samples and prototypes. For the next few hours, they critiqued everything from logos to jingles, taking short breaks in between. During these breaks, the executive meticulously recorded their reactions and suggestions. The students found it a bit odd that he was taking such detailed notes, but hey, it was free pizza and gift cards.
After what seemed like the twentieth opinion, he decided to wrap things up. The students, stuffed with pizza and pockets full of gift cards, started gathering their things as the man was once again scribbling in his notebook.
"Not that it’s any of our business," one student said, "but what’s this big pitch you’re working on?"
"Well, I can’t go into too much detail," the man responded, looking up from his work. "But basically, I work for a major pharmaceutical company. There’s still some research and testing to be done, but thanks to you all, I can tell the board that our new stool softener is ‘totally fire’ and ‘slaps harder than Aunt Carol’s mashed potatoes.’"
Alright, let’s break down this joke.
Core Elements:
- Setup: Prostitute, nervous businessman, offer/transaction. Establishes expectations of a sexual encounter.
- Misdirection: Focus on the man’s stress, the "sessions," and his constant note-taking, leading the audience to assume a typical encounter is happening, albeit with a bizarre element.
- Punchline: Reveals the encounter was a field test for condoms. This subverts the expected narrative, creating humor through incongruity and surprise. The punchline derives its humor from the man’s exploitation of the prostitute for an unexpected "professional" purpose.
- Implied element: The failure rate of condoms, adding a touch of dark humor.
Fact-Based Expansion and Enrichment:
Let’s leverage some related facts to create a new bit.
- Fact: Latex, the primary material in many condoms, is derived from rubber trees. The cultivation and tapping of rubber trees have a long and complex history, including instances of exploitation and environmental concerns.
- Fact: The phrase "7 out of 10" is often used in marketing to denote quality or consumer preference.
- Fact: The role of product testers is very real, but the methodology the man uses in the joke is extremely unorthodox, and could potentially lead to unreliable data.
New Humor Bit (A Witty Observation):
You know, that joke about the condom tester? It highlights a fundamental tension in product development. On one hand, you need robust testing to ensure efficacy – like, a really robust testing, apparently. But on the other hand, if your testing relies too heavily on "organic" methods, your sample size might suffer…or the ethical review board will. Plus, I’m pretty sure if the latex started leaking the tester is going to have a much bigger problem than the board of directors.
Another Humorous Take (Did You Know?):
Did you know that in the early days of condom development, some manufacturers would test their product’s durability by inflating them and then dropping weights on them? It’s a good thing modern technology has evolved. We’ve gone from dropping weights on inflated rubber to, well, let’s just say some research and testing methods are best left to the imagination. It may not be good for the person, but it’s probably a much more accurate way to simulate real-life conditions.
Or a brand new joke:
Two condom testers were comparing notes. "I tested a new brand of extra-durable condoms," one said proudly. "I jumped off a building onto a trampoline made of razor blades and it didn’t break!" The other tester smiled smugly. "That’s nothing. I tested a new brand of extra-thin condoms. I didn’t even know they were there!"
The goal is to riff off the existing joke by injecting factual tidbits, witty observations, or alternative scenarios, maintaining the core comedic themes of the original while adding a fresh layer of humor.