The shopkeeper replies, "That one used to live in a brothel." Amused, she decides to buy it for $15.
When she brings the parrot home, it immediately says,
"Well, I'll be damned, a new brothel!" The woman can't help but laugh.
Later, when her daughters arrive home, the parrot chirps, "Well, look at that, two new ladies of the night!" The girls burst into laughter too.
But when the dad walks in, the parrot exclaims, "Well, I'll be damned, Pete! Long time no see!"
Joke Poo: The Used Car Salesman
A young man goes to a used car lot and notices the cars are priced at $5,000, $10,000, and a suspiciously low $500. Intrigued, he asks the salesman why that beat-up sedan is practically free.
The salesman replies, "That one used to belong to a politician." Amused, figuring he can’t go wrong for that price, the young man buys it.
He drives it home, and the moment he parks, the car announces in a booming voice, "Folks, I promise to address the critical infrastructure needs of this neighborhood! We need paved roads, better schools, and…"
Later that evening, when his parents come to visit, the car booms again, "And let me assure you, senior citizens, your benefits are SAFE! I will fight tooth and nail to protect your entitlements!" His parents chuckle, impressed.
But when his uncle walks out of the house, the car screeches to a halt, the engine revs wildly, and it shouts, "Well, I’ll be damned, Uncle Jerry! Where’s my cut?"
Okay, let’s dissect this joke and then build something new from it.
Joke Breakdown:
- Setup: A woman buys a cheap parrot with a suggestive past. The price is explained by the parrot’s history.
- Premise: The parrot’s learned behavior is contextually inappropriate for a normal home. The humor comes from the parrot’s blunt, profession-based remarks.
- Punchline: The final punchline provides an unexpected connection of the father to the parrot’s brothel past, making the humor arise from the unexpected connection/reveal. This is more than just learned behavior; it suggests a history.
- Key Elements:
- Parrot: Symbolic of mimicry and learned behavior.
- Brothel: Represents a place of specific language, interactions, and (implied) promiscuity.
- Juxtaposition: The contrast between the "wholesome" home environment and the parrot’s "unwholesome" vocabulary.
- Surprise: The escalating and increasingly personal revelations the parrot delivers.
- Chekhov’s Gun: The unusually low price of the bird in the beginning is explained later.
Interesting Tidbits & Factual Connections:
- Parrots and Mimicry: Parrots are renowned for their mimicry skills, but research shows they don’t just copy sounds. They can learn to associate words with meanings and use them in appropriate contexts. In fact, some parrots (like Alex the African Grey) have even displayed problem-solving skills.
- Brothel History: Brothels have existed throughout history in various forms and cultures. In some ancient societies, they were even considered temples or places of religious significance (although I’m not suggesting this parrot’s brothel was a temple!).
- Language and Environment: Language acquisition is heavily influenced by the environment. Children exposed to diverse vocabulary tend to develop richer language skills. Similarly, a parrot exposed to a limited, specialized vocabulary (like the one used in a brothel) would naturally adopt it.
- The cost of parrots: Parrot’s can be expensive because of their care and intelligence. The more intelligent the parrot, the more it needs to be entertained. Some owners will even teach their parrots how to do certain household chores.
New Humor: A Witty Observation
"Buying a parrot that used to live in a brothel is like adopting a dog from the DMV. You know it’s seen some things, but you’re just hoping it doesn’t start barking out ticket numbers every time the doorbell rings."
New Humor: A "Did You Know?" (Playing Off the Original Joke)
"Did you know that parrots are such good mimics that if one grew up in a call center, it would not only know all the scripts but also be able to sigh convincingly after every ‘customer service’ interaction? And if that call center happened to specialize in adult services, you’d REALLY be in trouble."
New Humor: A Revised Punchline
(Same setup as the original joke).
…But when the dad walks in, the parrot squawks, "Another one! And they said this place was closed down!"