Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Non-joke
A non-joke, is a joke of which the humor value comes from the fact that it is expected to be funny. Usually the joke itself is complete nonsense. Examples of non-jokes are
- Johnny went in to the bakers and asked for a loaf of bread.
- Baker: White or brown?
- Johnny: It doesn't matter, I'm on my bike.
- Johnny enters a bar and asks, "Do you know what time it is?"
- Barkeeper: Yes.
- Johnny: So do I.
- Two nuns in a bath. One says "Pass the soap", and the other says,
- "What am I, a radio?"
Often they come in the form of question-answer jokes:
- Q: What is quicker, a hare or a rabbit?
- A: An iceberg, because a camel has two humps.
- Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
- A: To get to the other side.
- Q: What's the difference between an orange?
- A: A cow, because a vest has no sleeves.
- Q: What's the difference between a duck?
- A: The left leg is identical.
- Q: What is purple and, when thrown against the wall, causes the neighbor's phone to ring?
- A: Coincidence.
- Q: Why is a hare?
- A: Because behind a tree.
The 2002 film Kung Pow: Enter the Fist contains an example of a non-joke told by Evil Betty.
- Q: What do you get when you cross an owl with a bungee cord?
- A: My ass.
When making a non-joke, it is vital that the audience expects a joke, because a non-joke an sich is not funny. This is one reason meta-jokes work better when told than when written.
See Also
10-26-2009 08:16:03
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details