I call it shipping and handling.
Okay, here’s my attempt at a "Joke Poo" based on the original, titled "Joke Poo":
Joke Poo: Competitive Gardening
Sometimes I like to aggressively fertilize my neighbor’s prize-winning roses with… unconventional materials from my dog.
I call it "Raising the Stakes."
Alright, let’s break down this "shipping and handling" joke.
Joke Dissection:
- Premise: The joke relies on a double entendre. It starts with a confession that the speaker engages in masturbation with a specific fantasy: imagining fictional characters coupling.
- Punchline: The "shipping and handling" reinterprets the slang term "shipping" (supporting a fictional relationship) and adds the word "handling" (referring to the act of masturbation). The humor comes from the unexpected, slightly crude, yet clever combination and recontextualization.
- Key Elements:
- Shipping: Online fan culture, specifically the act of pairing fictional characters.
- Masturbation: A taboo subject made humorous through euphemism.
- Double Entendre: The core mechanic of the joke.
Humorous Enrichment:
Okay, let’s leverage some facts and observations about these elements to create some enhanced humor:
1. Witty Observation based on the history of Shipping:
"Did you know the term ‘shipping’ actually predates the internet as we know it? Back in the 70s, Star Trek fans were already writing stories and drawings where Kirk and Spock were intimate. The earliest examples of "shipping" were actual hand-drawn artwork being transported around – in a box – that actually were subject to handling. So, in a way, shipping and handling has always been part of the equation for this particular fandom activity."
2. A new, related joke:
"I tried to explain ‘shipping’ to my grandma. She thought I was talking about boats. I said, ‘No, Grandma, it’s when fans really, really want two fictional characters to be together.’ She blinked and said, ‘Oh, so it’s like a romance novel… but with extra enthusiasm?’ I said, ‘Exactly! But with more… hands-on involvement!’ I’ve been grounded ever since."
3. A humorous "Did You Know?" style factoid about the psychological aspect of ‘Shipping’:
"Did you know that psychologists suggest ‘shipping’ can be a healthy way to explore your own desires and relationship ideals…as long as you don’t start throwing hands at people who disagree with your One True Pairing? (Especially if you’re already handling yourself enough)."
Explanation of comedic effect:
- The historical observation plays on the literal origin of the shipping and its physical distribution by fans, and its connection to handling.
- The new joke uses the generational misunderstanding trope, and then amplifies it with a call back to the original joke’s crude premise.
- The "Did You Know?" bit connects the joke to potential legitimate psychological interpretations of shipping. This enhances the humour by giving a pseudo-intellectual framing.
By dissecting the joke and then introducing external knowledge related to the elements, we can create a more layered and sophisticated comedic experience. The original joke is crude, but the elaboration adds a layer of self-awareness and ironic distance.