Don't Explain the Joke/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

** Because a joke that needs to be explained is too much of an "in joke" for other people to understand and/or too complicated? Imagine if your favorite stand up comedian had to spend half his show explaining his jokes. Wouldn't be funny then would it? (I always thought this rule applied more to professional stand up than telling a joke to your mates at the pub.)

** Telling jokes is all in the delivery. Explaining them tends to fuck up the delivery pretty bad unless the joke is really good.

** Because most of the humour in a joke is often the surprise / trick ending. It's not really a surprise / trick ending if it's explained to you, it's just a story. "Getting" the joke contributes to the good feeling of the joke. Imagine how funny that joke would be if you figured it out yourself!

** I'm fond of Genius Bonus jokes; if a joke isn't funny, it might be because of the wrong audience, not because the joke isn't funny. But about explaining the joke -- it might not be as funny when you hear it being explained, but you will get it the next time you hear it. Kind of like "better to ask a question and look stupid than remain ignorant"

 

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