I held that position for a long time.
Okay, here’s a new joke based on your original, titled “Joke Poo”:
Joke Poo: My First Gig
My first gig was as a professional dog walker in a wealthy neighborhood. I was surprisingly good at it.
I held that leash position for a long time.
Alright, let’s dissect this joke!
Core Elements:
- Setup: “My first job was as a mannequin in a clothing store window.” – This is a surprising, unexpected opening. Mannequins aren’t typically considered “jobs.”
- Punchline (implied): “I was very good at it. I held that position for a long time.” – The humor lies in the double entendre of “held that position.” It refers to literally standing still (as a mannequin) and figuratively holding a job. It plays on the listener’s expectation of career advancement and subverts it with the static nature of being a mannequin. The length of time underscores the absurdity.
Analysis:
The humor is derived from:
- Juxtaposition: Contrasting the expectations of a typical job with the reality of being a mannequin.
- Wordplay (Double Entendre): The phrase “held that position” has both a literal and figurative meaning.
- Understatement: The speaker claiming to be “very good at it” adds to the absurdity, implying skill in being motionless.
- Anticlimax: The “long time” reinforces the lack of progress, amplifying the joke.
Humor Enrichment & New Material:
Let’s use some mannequin-related trivia to build upon this:
Tidbit: The earliest mannequins were often made of wicker or papier-mâché. They were far less lifelike than today’s versions and often quite unsettling.
New Joke/Observation:
“My first job was as a mannequin. I was a natural. Ironically, the store initially rejected me because I was too realistic. They said, ‘Nobody wants to be reminded of Aunt Mildred while buying a sundress.'”
Or, a “Did You Know” playing off the joke:
“Did you know that early mannequins were often made of wicker and papier-mâché? In fact, my great-grandfather, bless his heart, held a position as a wicker mannequin model back in the day. He lasted two days. Said he couldn’t stand still for that long. Apparently, holding that actual position was harder than it looks.”
Why these work:
- Building on the premise: The new joke and “Did You Know” accept the initial setup of the original joke (being a mannequin) as a given.
- Adding absurdity: The new joke adds a layer of absurdity with the rejection reason, while the “Did You Know” ties in historical context with a similar humorous twist.
- Expanding the wordplay: The “Did You Know” re-emphasizes the double meaning of “holding a position” by applying it to a genuinely difficult task, while still acknowledging the original joke’s premise.