What's a Henway?: Difference between revisions

Alice is babbling on about something to Bob, when all of a sudden, she says something that so completely baffles him that he has to ask what it is - for example, "And then, of course, I summoned a Henway." When Bob asks about the unfamiliar term, Alice looks at him like he's crazy and tells him the punchline of the quite obvious joke, making him look silly in the process.

 

 

 

Just about any [[Knock-Knock Joke]] is a Henway.

 

Compare [[Mathematician's Answer]], [[Not Actually the Ultimate Question]], [[Rhetorical Question Blunder]].

 

== [[Advertising]] ==

* At [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocg7viO0cmw 4:32] Fozzie Bear recycles bottles, cans, paper and snoo. Then he lampshades the trope at the end.

 

* From the dub of ''[[Wandaba Style]]'':

{{quote|'''Ichirin''': Dr. Tsukumo!

'''Ichirin''': *camera reveals he has a TV with him* It's a television. Now look at it! }}

 

{{quote|'''Clerk''': And if you say, "What's a Grecian urn" there will be ''war'' between our countries!!

'''Melody''': ''(Confused)'' But, I wasn't... }}

{{quote|'''Thrud''': I say, my fellow - have you done your chores?

'''Next Guy''': Eh? What chores?

'''Thrud''': Mine's a pint - cheers! }}

* Batman uses the Henway joke in order to defeat a telepathic cyclops, in ''[[Batman Odyssey]]''.

 

== [[Film]] -- Animated ==

{{quote|"What's an aquifer?"

"Well... it's fer aqua!" }}

 

== [[Film]] ==

'''Chase:''' What's a dikfer?

'''Aykroyd:''' To pee with. }}

** A [[Running Gag]]? What is it?

** And a [[Up to Eleven|fully-loaded example]] from ''Airplane II: The Sequel'':

{{quote|'''Witness:''' Striker was the squadron leader. He brought us in real low. But he couldn't handle it.

'''Prosecutor:''' Over Macho Grande?

'''Witness:''' No. I don't think I'll ever get over Macho Grande. Those wounds run...pretty deep. }}

{{quote|'''Groucho:''' Well, whaddya say, girls? Are we [three] all gonna get married?

'''Mrs. Whitehead:''' All of us?

'''Whitehead:''' But that's bigamy!

'''Groucho:''' Yes, and it's big o' me, too. It's big of all of us, let's be big for a change. }}

** Chico would often stumble into these entirely [[Malaproper|by accident]], leading to his asserting that "There ain't no Sanity Clause" and requesting "a nice cold glass eliminate". (That's-a some joke, eh, boss?)

* ''[[Elvira, Mistress of the Dark]]'' is a [[Hurricane of Puns]], but one of the most memorable is after the [[A Worldwide Punomenon|tit]]ular character has hit her head on a movie marquee:

{{quote|"How's your head?"

'''Pita''': "Nunya?"

'''Creasy''': "Nun-ya-business" }}

{{quote|How much Keefe is in this movie anyway?

Miles O' Keefe! }}

{{quote|'''Norm''': "Ringo, what are you up to?"

'''Ringo''': (peering from magazine) "Page five." }}

{{quote|'''Old Fred:''' Say, what would your friends be doing here?

'''Ringo:''' Displayin'.

'''Old Fred:''' Displayin' what?

'''Ringo:''' Displayin' around. }}

 

== [[Literature]] ==

** The same "joke" was in ''[[Pogo (comic strip)|Pogo]]'', with much less setup, starting off, "That's got a lotta snoo to it, boy," and continuing as above.

* ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'':

{{quote|They passed a yellow door on which it said: STOREROOM NUMBER 77--ALL THE BEANS, CACAO BEANS, COFFEE BEANS, JELLY BEANS, AND HAS BEANS.

"''Has beans?''" cried Violet Beauregarde.

"You're one yourself!" said Mr. Wonka. "There's no time for arguing! Press on, press on!" }}

* In ''[[Good Omens]]'', Newt tried to set up a Pun Trap by naming his ([[The Alleged Car|alleged]]) car Dick Turpin, after a highwayman. He always hoped someone would ask him why it was named Dick Turpin, so that he could say "Because everywhere I go, I hold up traffic."

* In ''[[The Name of the Wind]]'' by [[Patrick Rothfuss]], the [[Cloudcuckoolander|mad girl Auri]] lives in the space beneath the Arcanum, which she calls "the Underthing." When Kvothe asks her to show him around, intending to sneak into the library, she feigns shock at his audacity in asking to see her Underthing.

 

** And it just goes straight downhill from there.

{{quote|'''Rimmer:''' Would you like a wormdo?

{{quote|'''Doug:''' Stringent what?

'''JD:''' Stringent "updoc". (quickly turns to Turk) It's happening.

** And in another episode where the janitor accuses J.D. of stealing toilet paper:

{{quote|'''JD:''' I don't use toilet paper. I have one of those French things that shoot water up your butt.

"What's a butfore?"

"If you don't know, you'd better stop eating!" }}

{{quote|'''Crow:''' Hey, Joel, what's a Herringway?

'''Joel:''' About a pound... }}

** An in-film example from ''[[Women of the Prehistoric Planet]]''; a [[Shaggy Dog Story]] told by the [[Plucky Comic Relief|Odious Comic Relief]] about his adventures in the service, which ''eventually'' meanders to this: "...[[Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty|So I threw a handful of yurze in the thing's eye]] and killed it..." "What's 'yurze<ref>(pronounced "yours")</ref>'?" "Well, I'd like a three-day pass, sir..."

* One of these turns up in an episode of ''[[Kolchak the Night Stalker]]''. It concerns a wild animal called a Pycost. {{spoiler|89 cents.}}

{{quote|'''Doctor:''' ''If the thraskin puts his fingers in his ears, it is polite to shout!'' That's an old Venusian proverb.

'''Jo:''' Well, what's a thraskin?

'''Jo:''' What does "plinge" mean?

'''Doctor:''' Oh, for heaven's sake, Jo; I've just told you. It means "thraskin". }}

* Murray from ''[[Flight of the Conchords]]'' is a constant source of these when it comes to artists and albums:

{{quote|'''Murray:''' Look; when you're in a band, you don't get with your bandmate's girlfriend - past or present. ... You get a love triangle, you know? Fleetwood Mac situation. ... Well there- there was four of them, so more of a love square-- but you know; no one gets on. Mind you, they did make some of their best music back then.

'''Bret''': No, Snoop Dogg.

'''Murray''':I know he's a ''dog'', Bret. I'm not totally in the dark ages. I do go out every once in a while. He's lovable! Leave him alone. }}

{{quote|'''Announcer:''' "This first story involves Arthur Atkinson, and he's not feeling himself."

'''Arthur:''' "And I'm not feeling anyone else neither, before you ask."

''[cut to shot of audience cracking up]'' }}

* The radio and television versions of ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' have this exchange:

{{quote|'''Arthur:''' "You know, it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young."

'''Ford:''' "Why? What'd she tell you?"

'''Arthur:''' [Exasperated] "I don't know, I ''wasn't listening''!" }}

{{quote|'''Hawkeye:''' Sulfa...where's the sulfa?

'''Margaret:''' The sulfa's in the living room.

'''[[The Ditz|Pandora:]]''' Yeah, inexplicable. ''*beat* '' What does inexplicable mean, Eff?

'''Effy:''' Can't explain.

* ''[[A Muppet Family Christmas]]'':

{{quote|'''Fozzie:''' I didn't know you were a talking snowman.

'''Bobby''': Slow down.

'''Jim''': Okay. OK. Wwwwhhhaaaat dooeesss aaaa yyyeeeellllowwww lllliiiight mmmmeeeannn? }}

{{quote|'''Louie:''' What's this?

'''Latka:''' It's a kebble.

'''Louie:''' What's a matta?

'''Latka:''' I don't know, what's a matta with you? }}

** In one episode, someone else gives the punchline instead (responding to "Stardoo" with "It twinkles!"), making him very, very angry.

** Larry also did the "Hindu" punchline, though unenthusiastically, when George in fact asked him what a Hindu was.

'''Telly:''' Which doctors?

'''Dina:''' Exactly, witch doctors... }}

** Also, the two pepperpots turn to alternative entertainment after Radio 4 explodes:

{{quote|'''Pepperpot #1:''' Oh, dear. The radio's exploded.

{{quote|'''Maureen Wentworth:''' (''observing a sculpture'') What a lovely artifact. Is it Mayan?

'''Fran:''' No, it's his-en. }}

 

== [[Magazines]] ==

'''Jawa:''' Naaah, just a few dents. }}

** An earlier parody of ''[[Mark Trail]]'' had Mark pointing to a very familiar-looking cartoon rabbit, claiming that it "very frequently eats updok." The [[Bugs Bunny|rabbit]], in between bites of carrot, says, "What's updok?"

 

== [[Music]] ==

{{quote|''I could hide out under there''

''I just made you say underwear!'' }}

{{quote|''When I make mistakes, I use a lot of salt''

''Cuz salt makes my steaks taste great'' }}

 

== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==

''Whilst the snoo lay round a bout''

"What's '''snoo'''?" }}

 

== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==

* On one episode of ''Raw'' (or maybe ''Smackdown'') a detective demanded to know Road Dogg's name. He said, "First name 'Deez'. D-E-E-Z. Last name...'Balls'. B-A..."

 

== [[Radio]] ==

{{quote|'''Weatherman''': "Gale force hendus are sweeping in from the East. That is the end of the hendu warning."

'''Seagoon''': "Pardon me, but what's a hendu?"

'''Greenslade''': "Yes."

'''Seagoon''': "Stand by for Easter Eggs!" }}

* ''[[Hello Cheeky]]'' took great delight in giving subversions or variations on the old "Jamaica?" gag.

{{quote|'''Tim:''' You know, the other day I was walking through the town, and I overheard two women speaking. One of them said "My husband's gone to the West Indies," and the second one said "Jamaicim?"...and the first one hit her.}}

'''Tim:''' London?

'''John:''' No, she went of her own accord. ...It's not working... }}

 

== [[Theatre]] ==

{{quote|"Who's Muhammad?"

"He was a Muslim, I think. Or a Hindu."

'''Pirate King''': [getting irked] "No, only once."

'''Major General''': "Exactly! You said often-frequently only once!" ''(bursts into song)'' }}

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

{{quote|'''Milton:''' "Screwed", Jack.

'''Jack:''' I'd say. }}

* In ''[[Ozy and Millie]]'', Millie spends [http://www.glasswings.com.au/comics/ozyandmillie.au/2001/om20010928.html quite] [http://www.glasswings.com.au/comics/ozyandmillie.au/2001/om20010929.html a] [http://www.glasswings.com.au/comics/ozyandmillie.au/2001/om20011003.html few] strips trying to set up a situation where she asks Ozy "Do you want your palm read?", he says yes, and she gets to paint his palm with the bucket of red paint she's been carrying around. It never quite works out; Ozy figures out what's going on almost immediately but is [[The Stoic|perfectly willing to watch her continue to try]].

* Pulled twice in [http://nedroid.com/2010/08/whats-that/ this] [[Nedroid]] comic, the second one's in the mouseover text.

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

{{quote|'''Buster:''' I can't marry all three of them, that's bigamy!

'''Pa Gator:''' No, that's big-a me!

{{quote|'''Egon:''' This isn't hail. This is hominy grits!

'''Ray:''' Okay, boss, I'll-a bite. How-many-grits a' you think-a we see? }}

{{quote|'''Mole:''' Did you get ze mirror?

'''Stan:''' Got it.

"Yep. Bit him, too!" }}

** When Marge attempts to purchase a protective cup for Bart, the guy behind the counter feigns ignorance until she frustratedly spells it out: "C-U-P. I wanna C-U-P".

{{quote|'''Homer:''' Armada? What's armada?

'''Moe:''' Nothing. What's a matter with you? }}

** Bart's prank phone calls to Moe's Tavern in the early seasons were all about this. He'd ask Moe to page such improbably-named patrons as Al Coholic, Amanda Hugandkiss, I.P. Freely, Bea O'Problem, Oliver Clothesoff, Hugh Jass, etc.

*** That last one (Hugh Jass) turns out to be a real person who was in the bar at the time.

'''Hugh Jass''': All right. Better luck next time. ''*Hangs up*'' What a nice young man. }}

* Herb Penguin does the old-fashioned one to Don in an opening to ''[[Beakman's World]]''.

** Comes up again, when the Pack talks to the proprietress of a small cafe. She tells them that The Prevaricator lives just up the road, but "it's a slippery slope," which the Pack take literally, so she replies that she was talking about The Prevaricator himself.

* When [[Danger Mouse]] is introduced to Egregious M. Murphy, he naturally asks "What's the 'M' for?" Murphy explains that the M4 is a motorway that goes to Wales."

{{quote|'''Ringo:''' I was practicing the exercise in this book. It teaches you how to pronunciate good like an Englishman should.

'''Paul:''' (''agitated'') The word is "''e''nunciate!" "E!" "E!" "E!!" Don't you know the King's English?

'''Officer #2:''' What's a henway?

'''Officer #3:''' Oh, about three punds. }}

 

== Other ==

'''Joker:''' "Nothing much, you?" }}

* Cole's Law: {{spoiler|Thinly sliced cabbage, with mayonnaise and carrots.}}

{{quote|'''Lupin:''' Harry, I have to tell you something. I'm a werewolf.

'''Harry:''' Are you fucking serious?

{{quote|'''Harry:''' Surely you can't be Sirius!

'''Sirius:''' I ''am'' Sirius, and [[Airplane!|don't call me Shirley]]! }}

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

** Historically, in the Navy they'd be told to go get the red and green oil for the running lamps, and to go ask the Chief for the key to wind the compass.

** ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' did a take on this in their third episode, with Donut sent to fetch headlight fluid and elbow grease.

** Sky-hooks; for hooking the tent to the sky so it won't fall down (really, new Scouts fall for that!)

** Being warned to look out for Adders slithering around the campsite. And also for an equally dangerous type of snake, the Subtractor (like an Adder, but with markings on its skin that look like minus-signs). Bonus points for also passing off the Divider and the Multiplier as snakes; and if you can get them believing in the deadly Exponentiator snake, you've really got a slow bunch of scouts with you...

* In the same vein, sawmills have both board stretchers and sawdust pumps.

* Another classic example is the hammerfore, which has also been spotted in a Keebler cookie commercial.

** This one's ascended a bit since the [[Led Zeppelin]] song, "D'yer Mak'er." North Americans still tend not to get it, because they don't have the right accent, so they usually pronounce it "dire maker".

** Done in a Blues round (in calypso form) by ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]'':

{{quote|Girl, you must be Jamaican, because ja makin' me crazy...}}

** Or the alternate version:

{{quote|My wife's gone to Jamaica.

Of her own accord? }}

{{quote|"I was playing card games with some African natives."

"Zulus?"

"Oh, you mean soccer?"

"No, I would never hit a girl." }}

{{quote|"Up for a game of football?"

"Soccer?"

The original asker then hits the closest woman }}

{{quote|"Did you hear about that actress who got stabbed? Reese... Reese something."

"Witherspoon?"

'''Paul Merton:''' Alaska.

'''Alexander Armstrong:''' Yeah, would you?

**** Speaking of which, what city was her office in?

** John Humphrys got in a good one in the episode he hosted, when Sean Lock asked him about having become a father at a lateish age.

* Liquor? I 'ardly know 'er!... etc.

** [[Orphaned Punchline|Rectum? Damn near killed 'em!]]

** Or, if you're from Maine: Bangah? ("Bangor" pronounced with the Downeast accent.) I hahdly know ah!

** Gladiator? You bet he was!

'''Bob:''' No, she still has some salvageable parts. }}

* Can you tell me what nationality Napoleon's parents were?

*** Oh, that hurt to read.

** A variation of this is used as a joke by [[Tim Vine]].

* There was this white guy wearing a keffiyeh standing in front of the pissoir in the Dubai airport... I sez to him "You may look like an Arab, but I know you're-ah-peein'!", ha ha ha ha....ew.

* A curious non-Scot meeting a man in a kilt:

{{quote|"Is anything worn under there?"

'''Person B''': Shut the fuck up.

'''Person A''': Sor-ry, I was just asking... }}

* In a similar vein as the IDK joke, with a bit of [[Bilingual Bonus]]

{{quote|'''Bob''': He had a certain ''je ne sais quoi''

** However in Scotland, a Giton Weight can be substituted (Git on wi' it - Get on with it)

* An inversion comes in this physics joke: when someone asks you 'what's new?', respond 'C over lambda'.<ref>The speed of light, given by the constant c, divided by the wavelength of a given wave of light, given by the variable lambda (λ), is the frequency of the light wave, given by the variable nu (ν).</ref>

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]

[[Category:Punny Stuff]]