U2 was playing a show in Glasgow…

Joke Poo: Code Review

A team of programmers was conducting a code review…

…at the end of a particularly long function, the lead programmer shushes everyone and starts hitting the backspace key repeatedly: "delete….delete…..delete…."

The team quiets,

"….delete…..delete…"

The lead programmer speaks, keeping the deletion steady:

"Every time I hit backspace…delete… another bug appears…delete…"

Immediately from the team, a junior programmer shouts,

"Then stop coding, you f***ing noob!"

Okay, let’s break down this U2 joke and see what comedic gold we can mine.

Joke Dissection:

• Premise: Bono, known for his earnest activism and sometimes perceived self-importance, uses a theatrical gesture (snapping) during a U2 concert to highlight the tragic reality of child mortality in Africa.
• Setup: Creates a dramatic, somber atmosphere with the shushing and deliberate snapping. Builds anticipation for a profound statement.
• Punchline: The abrupt, brutally honest response from the Scottish concertgoer subverts the expected emotional reaction. The humor lies in the direct, practical, and vulgar solution to the problem, cutting through Bono’s self-aggrandizing display of empathy.
• Key Elements:
  • Bono’s Persona: Overzealous, self-righteous.
  • Theatrics/Sentimentality vs. Pragmatism: Bono’s dramatic gesture versus the Scot’s blunt practicality.
  • Scottish Stereotype: (Implied) No-nonsense, direct, perhaps a bit rough around the edges.
  • The Serious Issue: Child mortality in Africa. The joke uses it as a backdrop, creating juxtaposition and dark humor.
  • Glasgow: Specific location with a certain reputation.

Comedic Enrichment & New Humor Creation:

Let’s leverage the elements for a new joke/observation:

Approach 1: Playing on the Scottish stereotype + dark humor:

Did you know: The leading cause of preventable child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa isn’t disease, but lack of access to clean water and sanitation. However, according to a recent poll in Glasgow, the second leading cause is Bono snapping his fingers.

*   **Explanation:** This plays on the factual reality of the causes of child mortality. It then adds a layer of dark humor by implying the Glasgow population blames Bono's virtue signaling as a (humorously exaggerated) problem. This reinforces the original joke's idea of his theatrics not helping, but possibly causing more harm.

Approach 2: Bono self-awareness (imagined scenario):

Bono is being interviewed, "After that show in Glasgow, I went back stage and was really reflecting upon the Scot’s feedback, and I realized… it would be easier for me to just learn how to do the splits!"

*   **Explanation:** This joke assumes Bono is now aware how his message comes across. It also takes a step in a completely new direction: implying he would rather be a physically talented performer, than a world changing humanitarian.

Approach 3: A meta-commentary on the joke itself:

I was explaining this U2 joke to my friend, and they responded, ‘What’s more offensive, a mega-rich rockstar using poverty as a theatrical prop, or a joke that makes light of a serious global issue?’ I didn’t have an answer, but I offered to buy them a pint. After all, I’m no Bono, I have to rely on simple gestures.

*   **Explanation:** This addresses the potential criticism of the original joke head-on. It highlights the inherent tension of using a real tragedy for comedic effect while poking fun at the performative activism of the wealthy. The ending provides a self-deprecating twist.

In summary: The original joke is funny because it punctures the perceived pomposity of Bono’s activism with a dose of Scottish pragmatism. The comedic enrichment above tries to amplify or subvert this dynamic through factual tidbits, imagined scenarios, and self-aware observations.