Can't Kill This, Chump!

[Cazmonster]

[Mike]

So hot.

[Cazmonster]

[Tahlvin]

Just called to say Hello.

[Mike]

Farquaad.

[Elle]

I wonder where you are.

[TheMaster]

so i apparently only ever get on here at work... i have no chance of winning this thread

[Mike]

Tell you what, Master: we'll let you have this one. You've put a lot of effort into these forums and become one of the more active members pretty quickly. You deserve a win. So the rest of us have decided that we'll stop posting here and just give you the point. You've earned it.

[TheMaster]

I will not be manipulated kind sir.... Thanks XD

[Elle]

No, you're right Mike. He is one of our people but has never killed the unkillable thread. Everyone should have that Don Quixote moment here.

[Mike]

See, we all support you. I, for one, will not block your win.

[Elle]

So unfortunate that the kissing picture shows up at the top of the page, the way mine are arranged. That's going to mar TheMaster's glorious victory so I'm just trying to move this to the next page first. But I want him to win!

[Tahlvin]

Congrats, TheMaster.

[Eliahad]

*sets up windmills*

Go to. Go to.

[Mike]

[Elle]

Oh HO HO HO HOAHAO HAOHOAHAAAAAAA THAT was a really good one. I am sending that on to many.

[Mike]

[Elle]

I am given to understand that not only is my delivery poor but also the content of the joke was poor. I disagree on all levels.

[Tahlvin]

I couldn't sleep at all tonight.

[Mike]

No, the content of that joke is rock solid. I've found it is funnier in the visual format than as a verbal joke, but it is still rock solid. The danger I've found when telling the joke is that if it takes them more than a couple seconds for them to "get it", then it becomes more of a groaner than laugh-out-loud funny.

Also, I have two problems with telling it out loud: "Two windmills are talking. One says, 'What kind of music do you like?' The other replies, 'I'm a big metal fan.'"

First: where do you put the emphasis in the punchline? The joke, obviously, hinges on two possible meanings of the punchline, and so your delivery requires that you actually phrase it as one of those two options, as opposed to the cartoon panel which leaves it ambiguous (which is why I think the visual works better). I always choose to deliver it as the musical answer as opposed to the literal one (so I put the emphasis on 'metal'). But it's not quite as good as letting it be ambiguous.

Second: The word 'windmill'. Depending on the age of the listener, the word does not necessarily imply a big metal fan. It could be a traditional wooden windmill for tilting at. I suppose I could say, "Two wind turbines are talking..." but is that instantly recognizable? If I'm telling a fast joke and I say "wind turbine" is the picture immediate? I don't know. Again, the visual solves this.

It works well as a joke, but it works way better as single panel comic.