They seem to be together an awful lot lately
Okay, here’s a “Joke Poo” version of the “6 afraid of 7” joke, aiming for a similar structure and twist:
Joke Poo: Is Broccoli Afraid of the Dip?
I don’t know if broccoli is afraid of the dip anymore. They seem to be hanging out in the veggie platter an awful lot lately.
Alright, let’s break down this joke and see what comedic gold we can mine.
Joke Dissection:
- Core Premise: The original joke relies on the well-known “Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine!” pun. The punchline subverts this expectation.
- Humor Mechanism: It plays on the audience’s expectation of the classic punchline and delivers an unexpected, observational one. The humor arises from the contrast between the anticipated violence (“seven ate nine”) and the suggested companionship (“They seem to be together an awful lot lately”). It’s a twist on a familiar pun, creating a comedic “red herring.”
- Key Elements: Numbers (6, 7, 9), Fear, Expected Violence, Unexpected Companionship.
Now, let’s enrich the comedic value with some factual/interesting tidbits related to these elements:
Enrichment Idea 1: The “Number Theory” Rom-Com
We’ll lean into the “unexpected companionship” angle and introduce a romantic subplot:
- Tidbit: Did you know that in number theory, 6 is a perfect number (the sum of its proper divisors equals itself: 1+2+3=6), and 28 is the next perfect number? Maybe 7 is acting as a matchmaker!
- New Joke/Observation: “I overheard 6 and 7 arguing. Apparently, 7 isn’t eight-ing 9 anymore because 6 found out 7 was actually trying to set 9 up with 28, who’s also perfect! Turns out, 7 was just playing the long game of number theory romance.”
Enrichment Idea 2: The “Seven Ate Nine” Conspiracy Theory
Let’s go the opposite way, acknowledge the original joke, and create an absurd conspiracy theory:
- Tidbit: The number 7 is considered lucky in many cultures, including some East Asian countries, while the number 9 is often associated with completion or eternity.
- New Joke/Observation: “Okay, hear me out. What if 6 thinks 7 and 9 are hanging out, but it’s just a really elaborate cover-up? Seven did eat Nine, but he’s trying to deflect suspicion by making it look like they’re friends. It’s all part of a wider conspiracy to control the even numbers! They say 7 always wins, but maybe 9 was the real power.”
Enrichment Idea 3: The Number Line Psychology
Let’s use the number line as a physical representation of their relationship, and tie it into a more meta commentary:
- Tidbit: On the standard number line, numbers increase from left to right. This can be interpreted as a progression, or even a social hierarchy.
- New Joke/Observation: “Honestly, I’m more worried about 8. Stuck between 7 and 9 all day. They’re constantly arguing about whether or not 7 eight 9, and 8’s just standing there like, ‘Am I even real? Does anyone even see me?’ It’s a real Number Line Existential Crisis.”
In essence, the key is to either lean further into the unexpected twist or to build upon the original pun with surprising facts and observations that give the whole scenario a new, funnier spin. The fun comes from the combination of familiar math concepts and human-like drama.


