Our dates were dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, BATMAN
Joke Poo: Before the Gig
Before I started managing him, I took the aspiring comedian on 8 open mics, and on the 9th, we booked a real show.
Our open mics were: Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, Comedy Store, POETRY NIGHT.
Alright, let’s dive into this Bat-joke!
Joke Dissection:
- Premise: The joke sets up a seemingly normal dating scenario, leading the listener to expect a romantic or pivotal moment on the 9th date.
- Punchline: The abrupt and unexpected insertion of "BATMAN" as the 9th date subverts the romantic expectation and creates humor through absurdity.
- Humor Type: Slapstick/Unexpected. The punchline is funny because it’s so out of place and silly. It creates a mental image of a date being replaced by the superhero Batman.
- Key Elements:
- Dating/Relationship
- Repetition ("dinner, dinner, dinner…")
- BATMAN
Comedic Enrichment & New Humor:
Let’s leverage those elements to create some new Bat-larious content.
1. Witty Observation:
"You know, after eight identical dinner dates, even Batman showing up would be a welcome change. I mean, at least he brings the utility belt, which is more interesting than another bread basket."
2. Did You Know/Fact-Based Humor:
"Did you know that the average dinner date lasts approximately 90 minutes? That’s about the same runtime as Batman Returns. So, technically, eight dinner dates is equivalent to watching the entire Tim Burton Batman trilogy twice. No wonder he needed a caped crusader to spice things up!"
3. New Joke:
"Before I proposed, my girlfriend insisted on a trial period to see if we were compatible. It involved eight identical routines: laundry, dishes, groceries, vacuuming, laundry, dishes, groceries, vacuuming, then on the 9th day, the vacuum cleaner came to life, put on a mask, and declared, ‘I’m… Bane! I’m here to break your monotony…and your dust bunnies!’"
4. Bat-themed alternative:
"I told my therapist I’d been having the same dream every night for a week. It’s me, standing in an alley, then a spotlight shines, and on the 8th night, a bat appears, a voice booms "Alfred will be out sick this week. I need help in the Batcave." On the 9th night, it was me in a bat suit, doing dishes, laundry, and groceries."
Explanation of the New Humor:
- The witty observation takes the core concept of repetitive dates and turns it into a commentary on boredom and the need for novelty, even if that novelty is a costumed vigilante.
- The "Did You Know" uses factual data (movie runtimes) to create an absurd connection, enhancing the humor through unexpected juxtaposition.
- The new joke maintains the repetitive structure and unexpected punchline, but swaps Batman for another comic character Bane.
- The alternative bat-themed joke keeps the element of repetitiveness but brings in the aspect of Batman needing help at home, a situation out of character from his stoic persona, and therefore humorous.
The key is to play on the absurdity of Batman (or a similar character) appearing in a mundane situation, or to highlight the contrast between the expected romantic scenario and the bizarre interjection. These pieces of humorous content build upon the original joke’s foundation, adding layers of wit and relatability (who hasn’t been bored on a date?).