He asks the clerk how to use it.
The clerk says, "It's simple, you just put it next to the rat's hole"
The guy says, "Look, buddy, if he had his back to me, I'd just strangle the son of a bitch!"
Okay, here’s my attempt at a “Joke Poo” of the rat poison joke, titled “Tech Support Fury”:
Tech Support Fury
A woman calls tech support to complain about her new smart fridge.
She asks the tech how to set up the automatic grocery ordering feature.
The tech support guy says, “It’s simple, ma’am, just make sure the fridge’s internal camera has a clear view of the food items you want it to track.”
The woman says, “Look, buddy, if I could see what the hell was in the fridge in the first place, I wouldn’t need a smart fridge!”
Okay, let’s break down this rat poison joke:
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: A man seeks advice on using rat poison. This establishes a common, somewhat mundane scenario.
- Misdirection: The clerk offers simple, logical instructions about placement.
- Punchline: The man reveals an unexpectedly violent and personal desire for revenge against the rat, humorously escalating the situation far beyond rodent control.
- Humor Type: Situational irony (expectation vs. reality), character humor (the man is portrayed as irrationally angry), and a touch of dark humor. The contrast between the practical advice and the violent intention creates the comedic effect.
Key Elements:
- Rat Poison: The means of pest control and the catalyst for the joke.
- Rat: The object of the desired violence and the source of the problem.
- Clerk: The source of the practical information.
- Guy (Customer): The deliverer of the punchline and the source of the irrational anger.
- Violence (Strangling): The unexpected action that creates the humor.
Comedic Enrichment:
Now, let’s use some facts and observations about these elements to generate new humor:
Option 1: The “Did You Know” Take
“Did you know that while many rat poisons interfere with blood clotting, leading to internal bleeding, studies have shown that rats, despite being relatively small, can often build a significant tolerance to commonly used rodenticides? This can lead to larger, more determined rats, which might be the reason why that guy in the joke was so ready to strangle the little bastard instead of relying on a flimsy poisoned pellet. He’d probably tried it all before.”
Option 2: The New Joke (Playing on Evolving Rat Control Methods)
A tech entrepreneur walks into a pest control store.
“I need to get rid of some rats in my apartment,” he says.
The clerk points to a shelf, “We have traditional poisons, ultrasonic repellents, even some humane traps.”
The entrepreneur shakes his head, “Nah, I’m looking for something more…disruptive.”
The clerk raises an eyebrow, “Like what?”
The entrepreneur smiles, “I need a subscription service that automatically identifies rats, tracks their movements, and then uses targeted advertising to lower their self-esteem until they leave of their own accord.”
Option 3: Witty Observation:
“That rat poison joke always gets me. It’s like, pest control isn’t just about eliminating the problem, it’s about feeling like you’re in control. You could buy the best poison on the market, but sometimes all you really want is the satisfaction of a good strangle. Human nature, eh? I guess our version of poison is Twitter.”
Why these are humorous:
- Option 1: Builds on the original joke by adding a layer of absurdity, connecting the joke to real-world issues with rat control. The escalation of the problem parallels the escalation in the original joke.
- Option 2: Uses a contemporary concept (subscription services, disruptive technology) to create a modern twist on the same theme of pest control, highlighting the absurdity of modern solutions.
- Option 3: Plays on a philosophical level, poking fun at human nature with a modern relatable social media analogy.
The key is to leverage the existing framework of the original joke (the elements and the setup/punchline structure) and inject new, often unexpected, elements for a comedic effect.