How To Ruin a Perfectly Good Joke
If you talk long enough, you can butcher the best joke in the world–even the one from Monty Python that the Allies used to win WWII.
Tuesday night at a Tea Party meeting, I managed to destroy a joke of my own, poor making, and insult a friend at the same time. That takes talent. Or . . . something.
So, first, let me apologize to Adam Sharp, the best indy video journalist alive, since he was the victim of my horrible comedic delivery. Also, I apologize to the 30 people I confused with the joke.
Now, for how to ruin a joke: talk.
Here’s the joke I intended: Adam Sharp committed the ultimate sin of journalism ethics–he asked a Democrat Congressman about the Constitution.
Or
Thanks to Adam Sharp, we now know it’s unethical for a journalist to ask a Democrat about the Constitution.
Okay. Not fall on the floor, but you get it, right?
But that’s not the joke I told. Instead, I rambled on for a minute in set-up. I built it up for an ending that no punchline could deliver. And then I fumbled the punchline.
In 2010, Adam Sharp asked Phil Hare how he could square Obamacare with the US Constitution. Rep. Hare answered, “I don’t worry about the Constitution.”
WHAMO! Hare’s done as a member of Congress. The video went viral. It was a turning point (one of many) in the 2010 election.
But the drive-by media wanted to claim Sharp’s question was inappropriate, that he edited out key parts, etc. The usual nonsense. As you saw, Adam provided more context than was probably necessary.
I knew the audience was familiar with story, so I tried a little sarcastic humor. I still think it would have been funny if someone more capable had delivered it.
Sorry, Adam. I think you rock. And my delivery sucks.
H/T to Van Harvey for calling me out on this.
Don’t believe my joke bombed sucked? See for yourself:
Face palm. Cringe. Gag. Vomit.