muflax comments on The Orange Head Joke - Less Wrong

18 Post author: Anatoly_Vorobey 25 January 2011 08:33PM

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Comment author: sfb 25 January 2011 09:06:39PM 1 point [-]

Summary: "A man has an orange for a head. How? Magic."

Is it still funny?

Assuming a person can actually have an orange for a head and that genies exist then this is just a straightforward story explaining how he became wealthy, desirable and fruitheaded. Like asking someone in a suit how come he's wearing a suit and he answers "because I bought one and put it on".

Assuming a person can't actually have an orange for a head, it's just a timewasting surreal story which doesn't go anywhere.

The humour is in the non-answer where an answer is expected, but I don't find a non-answer funny. I do see it as a joke-shaped pattern and start to involuntarily smile at it, but I'm mentally annoyed by it not enhappied by it.

Comment author: [deleted] 26 January 2011 04:21:40AM *  2 points [-]

Actually, I find your version slightly funny, but I don't like the original version.

I normally like anti-jokes, but for them to work, they should be both short and subvert a joke structure that was funny to begin with. I never liked the "misguided wish". Overall, I strongly dislike long buildups. A joke should be efficient.