Critical to a joke is that it fits some other pattern, which is what I think you're getting at.
Here is a not-funny joke:
"1, 2, 3, 4, bananas!"
It seems like you're expecting it to follow a logical-consequences pattern. It's really following a more pun-like pattern. I found it amusing.
Yeah, it should be "1, 2, 3, Kumquat!"
Post quotes.