Two Irish lads are strolling down a street in Liverpool, England, when they spot a shop window that reads:
Suits £10, Jackets £7.50, Trousers and Dresses £5.00.
One turns to the other and says, "Would ya look at those feckin' prices? We could buy a boatload, haul it back to Ireland, and make a fortune — double, maybe even treble the money!"
The other lad says, "That’s a grand idea, but d’ya think they’ll sell to us if they know we’re Irish?"
The first lad grins and says, "Don’t worry, I’ve got this," and walks in, putting on his finest English accent:
"Good afternoon! I'd like twenty suits, thirty jackets, fifty pairs of trousers, and twenty-five dresses, please."
The shop assistant squints and says, "You’re Irish, aren’t you?"
The lad replies, "Ah feck, how’d ya guess?"
The assistant smiles and says, "This is a dry cleaners."
Joke Poo: Mistaken Identity at the Zoo
Two American tourists, Bubba and Earl, are wandering through the San Diego Zoo. They come across an enclosure with a sign that reads:
“Monkeys: Bananas $1, Coconuts $2, Mangoes $3”
Bubba nudges Earl and says, “Lookit them prices! We could buy a whole truckload, ship ’em back home to Florida, and make a killin’ – double, maybe even triple the money!”
Earl scratches his head and says, “That’s a mighty fine idea, Bubba, but you reckon they’ll sell to us if they know we’re from Florida?”
Bubba winks and says, “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, Earl. I got this.” He straightens his baseball cap and walks up to the ticket booth, putting on his best Californian drawl:
“Hey there, dude! I’d like, like, a hundred bananas, fifty coconuts, and seventy-five mangoes, you know, for… uh… a party.”
The woman behind the glass squints at him and says, “You’re from Florida, aren’t you?”
Bubba sighs and says, “Dang it, how’d you know?”
The woman smiles sweetly and says, “This is the Reptile House.”
Alright, let’s break down this joke like a perfectly pulled pint of Guinness.
Joke Dissection:
- Setup: Two Irishmen in Liverpool, observing incredibly cheap clothing prices.
- Premise: They plan to buy in bulk and resell in Ireland for a profit, highlighting a potential economic advantage.
- Conflict: Worry arises about potential discrimination based on their Irish identity.
- Attempt at Resolution: One Irishman attempts a (poorly executed) English accent to deceive the shopkeeper.
- Punchline: The shopkeeper immediately identifies him as Irish, and the reason for the low prices is revealed, undercutting the entire plan. It’s a dry cleaners, not a clothing retailer. The humor stems from the Irishman’s hubris and the absurd misinterpretation of the shop.
Key Elements:
- Irish Stereotypes: The accents, the eagerness for a bargain, and a certain naiveté.
- Anglo-Irish Relations: A subtle nod to the historical and sometimes fraught relationship between Ireland and England.
- Misinterpretation: The core of the joke. The assumption that the low prices represent a retail opportunity.
- Dry Cleaners: The unexpected and absurd reality.
Comedic Enrichment:
Okay, let’s use this analysis to create something new. How about an amusing “Did You Know” that plays off the joke’s elements?
Did you know?
Liverpool, the setting of the joke, has a significant Irish population. In fact, it’s sometimes called “the second capital of Ireland.” So, the joke’s premise hinges on Irishmen traveling from Ireland to exploit a cheap goods market in England, but historically, many Irish families emigrated to Liverpool seeking opportunity. Ironically, those ancestors probably needed dry cleaning too, although possibly not twenty-five dresses’ worth. Perhaps the Irish lads in the joke were simply very particular about their tweed. And maybe that’s why the shop assistant knew they were Irish – impeccable but slightly rumpled traditional attire.