Theme Week, Part Black

Jeremy’s Sametime Status Proudly Presents:
Joke Autopsy Week!

It’s funny because “Orange” sounds like “Aren’t” and you’re tired of hearing about Bananas

 

All this week, we take a look at some classic jokes so we can detail to you, our loyal readers, why they're funny.  They will never be funny again.  

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Banana!

Banana who?

Knock knock.  

Who's there?

Banana!  

So here's the deal.  Knock-knock jokes are remarkably popular jokes until you're about 7 years old, at which point, you never want to hear one again.  One of the more famous knock-knock jokes is today's classic about bananas.  

See, the premise behind knock-knock jokes is that you're participating in a conversation on opposite sides of a door.  The joke teller portrays a person on the outside of a structure asking to be let in by speaking the onomatopoeia "Knock knock" instead of knocking on an actual door.  The audience is in the role of someone on the inside of the door trying to ascertain the identity of the knocker.  They do this by asking "Who's there?" after the knocking has concluded.  The initial answer never seems to provide enough information to properly identify the person, so they ask for more information, by repeating the original answer and adding "who?"  The real-life equivalent would be asking "who's there?" and hearing "James."  You would respond "James who?" to find out the knocker's last name.  The asker would then reply "James Bond" and would be let in now that they have identified themselves to the door keeper's satisfaction. 

In this particular joke, the joke teller starts the joke in typical fashion, replying "Banana" to the first inquiry.  When more information is requested, the joke teller, instead of providing an amusing punchline, simply starts the joke over from the beginning with "Knock knock."  The audience is confused at this point, but recognizing the joke format, plays along with the customary "Who's there?"  This entire process is repeated several times, with the audience becoming more agitated each time at the lack of progress and the increasing awareness that they are listening to somebody tell a knock-knock joke.  

The last time through the joke, the joke teller replies "Orange" to the original inquiry, to the shock of the audience who is expecting another "Banana" reply.  They then ask, "Orange who?" to which, the joke teller responds "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?"  

It works because at the time this punchline finally hits, any punchline other than "Banana" is deemed acceptable.  You are, in fact, tired of hearing the joke teller say "Banana" and starting the joke over from the beginning.  The initial "Orange" comes as a surprise since it is a diversion from the joke's path up to this point, but it's not too jarring because an orange is also a fruit.  The listener doesn't know what to expect at this point.  The listener is now expecting something fruit-related to be the punchline, but instead they're hit with a near-rhyme, with the word "Orange" used to replace "Aren't" in the final question.  It's hilarious.