Two good friends, Dave and Brian were talking one evening. Dave mentioned he’s been reading a lot lately. So Brian asked “Oh yeah? What’s your favorite book?”.
“50 Shades of Grey, no question”. Answered Dave.
“What? How can that be your favorite book? I thought that was some trashy Twilight fan fiction or something.” exclaimed Brian.
“I dunno, I’ve never read it” Dave said calmly.
“What?! If you’ve never read it, how can it possibly be your favorite book?!” demanded Brian.
“I never read it, but my girlfriend has.”
Joke Poo: The Chef’s Special
Two aspiring food critics, Agnes and Brenda, were at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Agnes, known for her sophisticated palate, was particularly enthusiastic. Brenda inquired, "So, Agnes, what’s your favorite dish on the tasting menu so far?"
Agnes replied with certainty, "Without a doubt, the Foie Gras Torchon."
Brenda, surprised, responded, "What? How can that be your favorite? It’s got that ethically questionable production, the fatty texture… I thought you were all about sustainable, light cuisine!"
Agnes stated nonchalantly, "I wouldn’t know, I haven’t tasted it."
Brenda, now truly baffled, pressed, "What?! If you haven’t tasted it, how can you possibly declare it your favorite?"
Agnes smiled subtly, "I haven’t, but the chef did."
Alright, let’s analyze this joke.
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: Two friends discussing reading habits.
- Punchline: Dave claims "50 Shades of Grey" is his favorite book, despite never having read it, because his girlfriend does.
- Humor Source: The humor lies in the incongruity and unexpected revelation. The setup leads us to assume Dave has a genuine interest in the book. The punchline subverts this expectation by revealing a completely different, relationship-driven reason for his claim. It’s a humorous play on social dynamics, specifically how romantic relationships can influence personal preferences (or the appearance of personal preferences). It also hits on the somewhat controversial perception of "50 Shades of Grey" as being a guilty pleasure for some, making Dave’s non-reading claim even funnier.
Key Elements:
- "50 Shades of Grey": A culturally recognizable and, for some, controversial book.
- The Boyfriend’s Motivation: Impressing or aligning with his girlfriend, even superficially.
- The Reading/Non-Reading Dichotomy: The disconnect between claiming to enjoy a book and actually having read it.
Humorous Enrichment & New Joke Creation:
Let’s leverage the key elements to create a new humorous bit:
New Joke:
Two economists are arguing about the merits of different schools of thought. "Keynesian economics is clearly the superior model," declares the first economist.
The second economist scoffs, "Oh, really? And when was the last time you even looked at a Phillips curve?"
The first economist admits, "Well, I haven’t read a full economics paper since grad school, but my wife is getting her PhD in macroeconomics, so I hear about it all the time… I think I even dreamt about The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money once or twice."
Humor Analysis of New Joke:
The humor here mirrors the original, replacing "50 Shades of Grey" with Keynesian economics. The joke trades on the following:
- Replacing Object of Fandom: Replaces the book with an esoteric topic (Keynesian Economics). This amplifies the absurdity as one wouldn’t expect someone to claim expertise in a highly complex field based on second-hand information from their partner.
- Adding Intellectual Pretense: The economists’ argument adds a layer of intellectual pretense that makes the reveal even funnier. Claiming to understand complex economic theory based on what your spouse says at dinner is inherently ridiculous.
- "I Heard it on the news": Implies that it’s not uncommon for people to claim to be experts in certain fields based only on hearsay or superficial knowledge.
This new joke takes the core structure of the original and applies it to a different, more academic context.