Boss looks him over and says, "Get the hell out of here. Our axes weigh more than you do." The guy begs and pleads with the boss and says he can show him he's worth hiring. Both men go outside and the boss points to a little one foot around tree and says, "Alright. Lets see you chop that down." The little dude swings the axe twice and down the tree goes. Boss says, "That's ok. Now see that five foot diameter tree? Lets see if you can chop THAT one down. So the little guy picks up the axe and ten chops later the tree falls.
The Boss exclaims, "That's amazing!! Where did you learn to do that"? The little guy replies, "The Sahara Forest." Now the Boss was a bit confused and asked, "Don't you men the Sahara Desert?" Little guy shrugs his shoulders and said, "Sure. It is now".
Joke Poo: The Sculptor’s Secret
A nervous, lanky artist walks into a prestigious marble quarry, hoping to land a commission.
The Foreman, a burly man with arms like granite, scoffs. "Look at you! Our chisels probably weigh more than you do! Get lost."
The artist, near tears, begs for a chance to prove himself. He pleads until the Foreman relents. "Fine! See that small chunk of marble over there? Turn it into something."
The artist picks up his hammer and chisel, taps twice, and a perfect miniature Venus de Milo emerges. The Foreman, impressed, points to a colossal, flawless block of marble. "Alright, hotshot. Let’s see you make that beautiful!"
The artist, sweating, gets to work. Ten days later, after a frenzy of chipping and polishing, he unveils a breathtaking sculpture of David.
The Foreman is speechless. "Incredible! Where on earth did you learn to sculpt like that?"
The artist, exhausted but beaming, replies, "The Dead Sea School."
The Foreman furrows his brow. "Don’t you mean ‘The Red Sea’ School?"
The artist shrugs, wiping marble dust from his brow. "Sure. It is now."
Alright, let’s dissect this joke!
Key Elements:
- Underdog Figure: A physically unimpressive person seeks a physically demanding job.
- Disbelief and Skepticism: The boss doubts the little guy’s capabilities based on his appearance.
- Unexpected Skill: The little guy demonstrates extraordinary lumberjacking skills.
- Twisted Punchline: The source of his skill is a self-deprecating admission of environmental destruction masked as nonchalance. (He chopped down a forest and created a desert.)
- Irony: The lumberjack, the very symbol of resource extraction, accidentally destroyed a forest.
Humor Analysis:
The humor lies in the juxtaposition of the little guy’s appearance and his unbelievable lumberjacking prowess, culminating in a dark, environmental joke. The unexpectedness of the punchline provides the biggest laugh. The initial disbelief of the boss mirrors the audience’s skepticism, making the reveal that much funnier.
Comedic Enrichment: Exploiting the "Sahara Forest" Idea
Let’s play on the environmental twist of the joke to create an amusing "Did You Know" factoid:
New Joke Structure: Comedic "Did You Know?"
Did you know…? The Sahara Desert wasn’t always a desert. Geological evidence suggests that approximately 6,000 years ago, it was a lush, fertile area.
Here’s the Punchline: It just goes to show, you can take the lumberjack out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of…well, now it’s just sand. But still, technically you took it out of something. Give the guy a break!
OR
Did you know…? The leading theory behind the Sahara Desert’s desertification involves shifts in the Earth’s axis and climate patterns. Alternative Theory: One very enthusiastic lumberjack fresh out of training from his local Lumber Liquidators. (He was trying out the discount axe)
Explanation:
- We start with a legitimate "Did you know" about the Sahara. This grounds the humor in reality.
- The punchline subverts the serious tone and injects humor by winking at the original joke’s environmental destruction element.
- The "Discount Axe" line emphasizes the accidental element, and the guy isn’t necessarily good at cutting down trees, but good at the destruction of forests in general.
Why it Works:
- It’s unexpected.
- It draws on the established humor of the original joke.
- It adds a layer of witty commentary on environmental impact.
- It’s short and easily digestible.