He asks ‘do you sell fish cakes’, lady behind counter says ‘no, sorry’.
He says ‘shame, it’s Dave’s birthday today’
Joke Poo: Man Walks Into a Dog Groomers
A woman walks into a fancy dog groomers with a massive, impeccably-groomed Poodle under her arm.
She asks the groomer, “Do you offer ‘Doggy Day Spa’ packages?”
The groomer replies, “No, madam, I’m terribly sorry, we’re fully booked for the next three weeks.”
She sighs, “Oh, bother. It’s Brian’s stag do tonight.”
Alright, let’s break down this fishy tale.
Joke Analysis:
- Setup: Man enters chip shop with a comically large cod. This establishes the absurd premise.
- Punchline Foundation: The question about fish cakes seems reasonable in a chip shop setting, making the rejection a mild surprise.
- Punchline Delivery: The reveal that the cod is named Dave and it’s his birthday subverts expectations completely. It creates a dark/absurdist humor by personifying the cod as a cake substitute and suggesting a cannibalistic celebration.
- Humor Type: Dark Humour and Absurdist. The humour derives from the unexpected & slightly unsettling twist that the man intends to use the fish in this way.
Key Elements:
- Cod: The large, specific type of fish.
- Fish Cake: Common chip shop food item.
- Dave (Name): Humanizing the cod.
- Birthday: Celebrating Dave’s existence (ironically).
- Chip Shop: The expected setting for fish consumption.
Comedic Enrichment:
Option 1: Did You Know? (Darkly Amusing Factoid)
“Did you know that cod have a natural lifespan of up to 25 years? This means Dave probably missed out on a quarter-life crisis and a mid-life crisis. Talk about a short, batter-filled life.”
Option 2: A Related Observation
“It’s funny, isn’t it? We name our pets (or, in this case, potential food) to create a bond, but it usually just makes the betrayal taste that much saltier. I bet Dave would’ve preferred a quiet retirement to being a ‘birthday cake’.”
Option 3: A New Joke (Building on the Absurdity)
A man walks into a chip shop with a salmon under his arm and says, “Do you sell those little salmon eggs?”
The lady behind the counter says, “Yes, we do. Caviar.”
The man looks at the salmon under his arm and sighs. “Well, Brenda’s not gonna like that.”
Explanation of why I think these Options work:
- Option 1 takes the joke further and enhances it by adding more detail. It suggests Dave missed out on a full life. The term batter-filled also helps to cement the cannibalistic elements.
- Option 2 is a witty observation about the absurdity of naming your food, and adds a sense of unease.
- Option 3 uses the same basic structure of the original joke but subverts it with a similar, slightly darker, punchline. It introduces the concept of salmon eggs and then personifies the salmon by giving it a name (Brenda).