Non-joke

A non-joke, is a joke of which the humor value comes from the fact that it is expected to be funny. Usually the joke itself is complete nonsense. Examples of non-jokes are
Johnny went in to the bakers and asked for a loaf of bread.
Baker: White or brown?
Johnny: It doesn't matter, I'm on my bike.
Johnny enters a bar and asks, "Do you know what time it is?"
Barkeeper: Yes.
Johnny: So do I.
Two nuns in a bath. One says "Pass the soap", and the other says,
"What am I, a radio?"
Often they come in the form of question-answer jokes:
Q: What is quicker, a hare or a rabbit?
A: An iceberg, because a camel has two humps.
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To get to the other side.
   
Q: What's the difference between an orange?
A: A cow, because a vest has no sleeves.
Q: What's the difference between a duck?
A: The left leg is identical.
Q: What is purple and, when thrown against the wall, causes the neighbor's phone to ring?
A: Coincidence.
Q: Why is a hare?
A: Because behind a tree.
The 2002 film contains an example of a non-joke told by Evil Betty.
Q: What do you get when you cross an owl with a bungee cord?
A: My ass.
When making a non-joke, it is vital that the audience expects a joke, because a non-joke an sich is not funny. This is one reason meta-jokes work better when told than when written.

See Also

 

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