He said "Here comes an elephant over the hill.
What did he say when he saw an elephant wearing sunglasses coming over the hill?
Nothing. He didn't recognize him.
Joke Poo: The Programmer’s Lament
What did the programmer say when they saw a new bug report in the issue tracker?
They said, "Here comes a new bug report in the issue tracker."
What did they say when they saw a bug report written in Klingon coming into the issue tracker?
Nothing. They couldn’t parse it.
Alright, let’s break down this joke and see what funny bones we can tickle.
Joke Dissection:
- Premise: The joke relies on setting up a seemingly logical question related to Tarzan’s observation skills.
- Expectation: We expect a clever or witty response about the elephant or Tarzan’s jungle knowledge.
- Twist: The punchline subverts this expectation with a simple, observational statement ("Here comes an elephant…") followed by an unexpected twist ("He didn’t recognize him") when the elephant wears sunglasses.
- Humor Source: The humor comes from the incongruity of Tarzan, who is intimately familiar with jungle life, being fooled by such a simple disguise as sunglasses. It highlights the absurdity of applying human-centric logic (recognizing someone with glasses) to a jungle setting and the concept of an elephant wearing sunglasses.
Key Elements:
- Tarzan: Iconic jungle man, known for his wildness and familiarity with animals.
- Elephant: A large, easily recognizable animal.
- Sunglasses: A human invention used to disguise or protect the eyes.
- Recognition: The concept of identifying a person or thing.
- The Hill: A physical landscape element
Comedic Enrichment:
Let’s play with the "recognition" and "disguise" aspects, blending it with some elephant facts:
Witty Observation:
Did you know elephants have incredibly poor eyesight? It’s true! They rely more on smell and vibrations. So, maybe Tarzan did recognize the elephant… he just assumed it was wearing sunglasses because it was already having trouble seeing! Perhaps it was a case of jungle peer pressure to fit in with other animals.
Alternate Joke (using elephant facts):
What did Tarzan say when he saw an elephant with its ears tucked back and trunk raised, rushing down the hill?
"Uh oh, that’s not just an elephant… that’s an elephant exhibiting signs of aggression. I hope I didn’t insult its mother!"
(Explanation: Elephants communicate through body language. Tucked ears and a raised trunk can indicate the beginning of a charge. This plays on Tarzan being knowledgeable about animal behavior but still facing a potential danger.)
Amusing ‘Did You Know’ (that enhances the original joke):
Did you know that some elephants paint their toenails with berries to protect them from fungal infections? So the fact an elephant was wearing sunglasses may not be surprising. Maybe he was just trying out a new look! In fact, he may just want people to think he’s a famous elebrity!
By focusing on the core elements and adding factual nuggets or a new twist, we can build upon the original joke’s humor. The sunglasses are funny, but the real humor comes from the interaction of Tarzan, the wild animals, and human expectations.