If you have to explicitly explain a joke, it's much less funny. What you really want is a way to fill your audience in on the background they need without having to call attention to it by saying it out loud. Imagine a wireless brain-to-brain communications device that would beam all similarly-equipped people listening to the joke the background information they'd need to follow it. Everyone profits: your audience looks intelligent, and you get more laughter for your joke.
-- moonmoose, Mar 23 2001

for [IanAllen] http://www.youtube....watch?v=HOPv0pvKkZY
[pashute, Nov 11 2010]

But then they might think of the joke before I tell it.
-- centauri, Mar 23 2001


true, true. I suppose you'd have to leave out key bits of information.
-- moonmoose, Mar 23 2001


i guy walks into a bar. but before he does, the bartender thinks to himself, "i'm feeling mischievous. here's what i think i'll do...."
-- gnormal, Mar 23 2001


Did you hear the one about [IanAllen]...?
-- phoenix, Jan 03 2002



random, halfbakery