I just saw a Frasier where he was angry because he lost in a poker game to a "one-eyed Jack." "It has two eyes by implication, after all!," he said.

I've always thought the same thing!

Then of course there's that "split-whiskered King."

1) What's a Frasier?
2) I don't get it.
3) The jacks of hearts and spades, in a traditionally designed deck, are seen in profile. Only one eye is visible.

You had to be there.

Oh, poor Valentine. You haven't seen Frasier? Or are you pulling my proverbial leg?

Frasier is probably my all-time favorite sitcom. It is a more sophisticated humor than most sitcoms and so funny!

You don't get it? You'd probably not like Frasier then, but it's definitely my humor. His point was that only one eye is visible, but that doesn't mean he only has one eye. By implication, he has another eye since we are looking at the profile. So, Frasier asserted, it's not fair that it's called a one-eyed Jack when, indeed, he has 2 eyes.

After all the explaining, I guess it wasn't funny after all. Sorry!

I'm not a big fan of Frasier though it is OK. Much of the humour, as with this example, comes not from the words themselves but from knowing the character and knowing that that is exactly the sort of thing he would say.

The trouble is that, as with any humour, the moment you explain it, it ceases to be funny. You should never explain a joke because not only do you not help the other person, you spoil it for yourself too.

I've found my best jokes are best told with attached footnotes.*#&

* Funny only to the narrator
# Of no consequence. Go to another thread.
& I told you, you're wasting your time reading this.

Here's a classic joke from early TV:

Robber: Your money or your life.
Victim crosses his arms and ponders.
Robber: Didn't you hear me? Your money or your life.
Victim: I’m thinking, I'm thinking.

Not very funny written on the page. What is funny about being threatened by a robber? But when the Victim's lines are delivered by notorious tightwad Jack Benny, it's hilarious.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Proofreader>,

quote:

You should never explain a joke because not only do you not help the other person, you spoil it for yourself too.

Yep, as I found out.

Proofreader, that reminds me of an "I Love Lucy" that I always liked. Lucy says to Ethel, "The robber will say, 'Your money or your life?', and you know where that'll leave us!"