Taxidermist traps them all in a room, and reveals that he's an escaped murderer, and the reporters made him look bad in a previous story.
So the guy goes, "Ya'll made me look terrible, like a monster, and now you're gonna redeem yourselves. So tell me what you're gonna do, or die."
First reporter says, "We'll retract the story, and say it was someone else!"
Guy goes, "Great, great, that's what I wanna hear. Now you."
Second reporter goes, "We'll make sure to issue an apology, and we won't cover anymore mur-accidents…"
Guy goes, "Good. Good." He turns to the third reporter, "Now what about you?"
Reporter says, "Nothing."
"Nothing, whaddya mean nothing?"
"You kidding? We're live right now! This is gonna be my best story yet!"
Joke Poo: The Influencer’s Inferno
Three lifestyle influencers from three different social media platforms are invited to a remote cabin in the woods for a sponsored collaboration with a "rustic living" guru.
The guru, a disheveled man with wild eyes, locks them in the cabin and reveals that their carefully curated, unrealistic portrayals of rural life drove his actual rustic lifestyle business into bankruptcy.
"You all made this look like it was some sort of weird fantasy instead of showing what the actual work is and now you’re gonna redeem yourselves. So tell me what you’re gonna do, or I’ll leave you to rot in this cabin for your audience to see," he growls.
The first influencer, a fashion blogger, cries, "We’ll delete all the posts! We’ll say it was all just satire, a commentary on consumerism!"
The guru sneers, "Good, good, delete the lies. Now you."
The second influencer, a vegan food enthusiast, whimpers, "We’ll make sure to issue an apology for the misinformation, and we won’t ever portray nature as a perfect vegan food farm again!"
The guru nods, "Good. Good." He turns to the third influencer, a travel vlogger. "Now what about you?"
The vlogger smiles brightly, adjusts the ring light attached to her phone, and says, "Nothing."
"Nothing? What do you mean, nothing?" the guru bellows.
The vlogger beams, "Are you kidding me? This is going to be the most authentic, unscripted content ever. My views are already skyrocketing with the ‘cabincore terror’ hashtag! Thanks for the collab!"
Okay, let’s break down this joke and then juice it up with some comedic enrichment.
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: Three reporters are trapped by a taxidermist who’s also an escaped murderer seeking revenge for a previous bad story.
- Conflict: The murderer demands they redeem themselves.
- Rising Action: Two reporters offer concessions (retraction, apology).
- Punchline: The third reporter reveals they’re broadcasting the entire ordeal live, turning their impending doom into a career-defining story.
- Humor Source: The humor comes from the unexpected prioritizing of journalistic ambition over personal safety, the dark irony of turning a potential death into a "best story," and the audacity of the reporter in the face of imminent danger. It’s a mix of dark comedy and satire of the media’s relentless pursuit of a good story.
Key Elements:
- Taxidermy: The unexpected occupation of the villain.
- Media/Journalism: The relentless drive for a story, even at personal risk.
- Revenge: The murderer’s motivation.
- Live Broadcasting: The crucial element that flips the situation on its head.
- Contrasting Reactions: Two reporters terrified, one reporter invigorated.
Comedic Enrichment:
Let’s focus on the "live broadcasting" element and the dark humor.
New Joke/Observation:
"I knew journalism was getting competitive, but when I heard about that reality show ‘Taxidermy Survivor,’ I realized things had gone too far. The premise is simple: three reporters are locked in a room with a taxidermist, and only one gets to leave…fully stuffed."
Explanation:
- Plays on the Original: The premise directly references the original joke.
- Exaggeration: It escalates the absurdity to a reality show format, pushing the competitive journalism idea to its extreme.
- Dark Humor: The "fully stuffed" punchline adds a morbid twist.
- Relatability: The joke touches on the public’s perception of the media.
Amusing "Did You Know" Related to Live Reporting:
"Did you know the phrase ‘The Show Must Go On’ isn’t just theatrical bravado? Back in the early days of live news broadcasting, reporters were often instructed to continue reporting even if a technical fault, on-air mishap, or… let’s say… an unexpected taxidermist-related incident occurred. The thinking was, any interruption, no matter how bizarre, would be less compelling than dead air."
Explanation:
- Connects to Key Element: Ties into the idea of live broadcasting and the pressure to keep going.
- Historical Context: Adds a factual basis to the humor.
- Subtle Dark Humor: Hints at the absurdity of prioritizing broadcasting over safety, echoing the original joke.
- Creates an Image: The phrase “unexpected taxidermist-related incident” is inherently amusing and creates a vivid mental picture.