Unfortunately, there is an infestation of wild pheasants who are nesting in the sand, and every time the family's teenage daughter tries to get in the water the birds come after her, squawking and pecking at her, to try and keep her away from their eggs.
After a few days of this, the father of the family has had enough, and goes to the resort front desk. "Your beach is terrible," he says. "My daughter can't even swim without being molested by the local wildlife."
The resort manager replies, "Don't hate the playa, hate the game."
Joke Poo: The Dog Park Debacle
A programmer takes his meticulously-groomed poodle, Pixel, to the local dog park for the first time.
Unfortunately, the park is overrun with free-spirited golden retrievers who are rolling in mud and leaving little “gifts” everywhere. Every time Pixel tries to sniff a daisy, the retrievers bombard him with enthusiastic slobber, playfully knocking him into the questionable piles.
After an hour of this, the programmer, covered in mud himself, storms over to the park attendant. “This dog park is a disaster!” he complains. “My dog can’t even enjoy the grass without being assaulted by happy poop machines!”
The park attendant, unfazed, shrugs and says, “Don’t hate the poop, hate the scoop.”
Okay, let’s dissect this joke and then build upon it.
Joke Analysis:
- Setup: The setup establishes a humorous scenario: A family vacation is ruined by aggressive pheasants guarding their nests. The daughter is repeatedly harassed, preventing her from enjoying the beach.
- Punchline: The father’s complaint to the resort is the lead-in. The resort manager’s response, “Don’t hate the playa, hate the game,” is the punchline. It’s funny because:
- It’s a misapplication of a common idiom (“Don’t hate the player, hate the game”). The context of a beach (playa) and the daughter being harassed by pheasants creates a comical incongruity.
- The manager is basically shrugging off a legitimate complaint with a glib, almost dismissive remark. This heightens the absurdity.
- Key Elements:
- Misapplied Idiom: The core of the joke relies on the humorous misapplication of a well-known phrase.
- Pheasant Aggression: The absurdity of wild pheasants aggressively protecting their nests to this degree creates the scenario.
- Beach Vacation Expectations vs. Reality: The contrast between the expected relaxing beach vacation and the chaotic reality.
- Wordplay: ‘Playa’ and ‘Player’
Comedic Enrichment:
Let’s leverage these elements to create some new humor.
Option 1: A “Did You Know?” Fact with a Twist
“Did you know that while pheasants are typically ground-nesting birds, some species have been observed nesting in abandoned golf carts near luxury resorts? This behavior is thought to be a defense mechanism, as the birds assume that any creature willing to risk a slice into a foursome of angry golfers is clearly not to be messed with. Resort managers, however, just shrug and say, ‘Don’t hate the fairway, hate the handicap.'”
Why this works:
- It builds on the pheasant theme.
- It introduces a new absurd image of pheasants nesting in golf carts.
- It keeps the misapplied idiom motif.
- It adds a layer of social commentary about golf etiquette.
Option 2: A New Joke Structure (Similar Setup, Different Punchline)
A man calls the local wildlife control after being chased off a public beach by a flock of territorial geese. “They wouldn’t let anyone near the water! They were hissing, flapping, and even pecking at people who got too close,” he complains.
The wildlife control officer sighs, “Sir, did you try speaking to the geese?”
“Speaking to the geese? Of course not! What would I say?”
The officer replies, “Just tell them, ‘Don’t hate the waddle, hate the pond.'”
Why this works:
- Retains the setup of an animal-related beach disturbance.
- It maintains the misapplied idiom.
- It plays on the silly idea of negotiating with wild animals.
- Uses a “waddle” pun which matches the setup.
Option 3: An Observation about Idioms
“It’s funny how idioms morph. ‘Don’t hate the player, hate the game’ started as a critique of systems, but now it’s being used to justify everything from pheasant attacks on beaches to the exorbitant cost of resort cocktails. Next thing you know, politicians will be saying ‘Don’t hate the filibuster, hate the chamber’ while raising taxes during a recession.”
Why this works:
- Meta-commentary on the original joke’s core comedic element.
- Extends the joke’s theme of misapplication to other areas of life.
- Adds a bit of social satire.
The original joke works by creating an unexpected and incongruous situation. Building on this involves either escalating the absurdity, applying the same logic to different contexts, or commenting on the absurdity itself. I tried to provide options that do just that!