“Do you always give guys such a hard time? I mean, have you ever slept with anyone before?”
“That's my business!” she snapped back at me.
“Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realise,” I responded. “How much?”
Okay, here’s my attempt at a “Joke Poo” inspired by your joke:
Joke Poo: The Art Appraisal
I was showing my paintings to this incredibly snooty art critic, trying to get her opinion. After a while of awkward silence, I blurted out, “Do you always give artists such a hard time? I mean, have you ever actually liked a painting before?”
She sniffed disdainfully and replied, “That’s my professional opinion!”
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize,” I responded. “How much to change it?”
Alright, let’s break down this joke and then build on it.
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: A man is unsuccessfully flirting with an attractive woman. He expresses frustration with her coldness.
- Turning Point/Twist 1: He crassly asks if she’s ever slept with anyone.
- Punchline 1: Her indignant response “That’s my business!”
- Turning Point/Twist 2: He misinterprets “That’s my business!” to mean she’s a sex worker.
- Punchline: He asks “How much?” converting the implied “private” nature of her sex life into a business transaction.
Key Elements:
- Misunderstanding/Assumption: The core of the joke relies on the man’s deliberate or accidental misunderstanding of the woman’s retort.
- Inference: The woman’s answer infers that her previous sexual activity is private and has nothing to do with him.
- Social Taboo/Inappropriateness: Questioning a woman about her sexual history is generally considered rude, but the assumption of prostitution amplifies the offense.
- Class/Attraction: The woman is presented as high class so the presumption of being a sex worker makes this all the more unexpected.
- Objectification: The joke objectifies the woman.
Comedic Enrichment/New Joke:
Option 1: Playing with the “Business” Angle
“I tried a similar line on my accountant the other day. I was looking over my tax return, getting increasingly flustered. I said, ‘Look, have you EVER done this before? These numbers just don’t add up!’ He shot back, ‘That’s my business!’ I said, ‘Alright, alright, no need to get defensive. Is there, like, a bulk discount if I refer friends?’ Turns out ‘business’ just meant he was really stressed. Should’ve seen his face when I asked for the ‘family and friends’ rate!”
- Why it works: Replaces the sex worker scenario with a professional one (accountant). The unexpected follow-up (asking for a discount) mirrors the original joke’s shift in tone, creating humor.
Option 2: A “Did You Know” Playing on Misunderstandings and Etymology
“Did you know the phrase ‘That’s my business’ used to be a much gentler rebuke? Back in the 17th century, it was often followed by a polite cough and an explanation like, ‘That’s my business…to knit socks for the poor.’ Now, thanks to overzealous entrepreneurs and regrettable chat-up lines, it’s code for ‘You’re about to be slapped.'”
- Why it works: This combines a historical tidbit with the modern, more aggressive interpretation of the phrase. The contrast is inherently funny.
Option 3: Satirical Take
“So, I tried that ‘How much?’ line once after a woman said ‘That’s my business!’ Turns out, she was a lawyer. I was promptly served a cease-and-desist order for violating her intellectual property rights… Apparently, my opening line was strikingly similar to one used in a popular romantic comedy she wrote. The damages? Let’s just say, I should have offered her a ‘family and friends’ rate.”
- Why it works: Inverts the assumption from sex work to professional work, but twists it into an intellectual property right infringement. The unexpected legal angle subverts expectations.
The key to successful comedic enrichment is to maintain the original’s core elements (misunderstanding, surprise, social commentary) while finding new, unexpected, and ideally less-offensive ways to apply them.