The Obvious Joke
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Bad Breath
The Obvious Joke
The Unfunny Joke

The Obvious Joke is a prank in the sense that the joke is actually just a simple question- it just sets your subject up to think it's a joke and then feel stupid when he/she realizes the answer is obvious. The key to this prank is to ask a question that's likely to get the same response from most people... your target's initial response is key to the success of the prank's execution.

There is also a riskier variety where you make a statement that is likely to elicit a desired response. It's risky because people are less likely to respond in the required way when you're not prompting them for an answer. It's surprising how often it works, though.

Target selection

Any chump will do, but it's sweetest when your target is a real know-it-all type.

Setup

None really required, although you may wish to have an audience so all can witness how deftly you expose your know-it-all friend as a dullard and a fool!

Execution

  1. Ask your subject the question. Or, in the case of the calculated statement, utter the statement. These are most effective if you start out by telling a story- this engages the listener and makes him/her more likely to ask questions.
  2. If the subject offers the expected reply, deliver the answer and laugh hysterically, forming a big "L" (for Loser) on your forehead with your thumb and forefinger.
  3. If however, the subject responds with something that doesn't conform with your premeditated response, stomp subject's foot and bail. (Or, with the story/statement variation, you can play it off by finishing the story as if there hadn't been any joke intended, then creep away, crestfallen, when you're done.)

Example jokes:

Contributor: Tony Murray
Region
: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Type: Story/statement

You: Start off by telling a story about some crazy thing that supposedly happened to you that morning. When you're to the point in the story where it's time for you to explain how you dealt with the situation, say "So, I decided I had to go to the store for a henway..."

Subject: In most cases, your listener will ask, "What's a henway?"

You: And you will answer, "Oh about two or three pounds." Tag on a quizzical "Why do you ask?" for bonus laughs.

Contributor: Claire Williams
Region
: Wales, UK
Type: Simple question
Notes: I once played on the new local post mistress well over a year ago, for which I am still not forgiven, was a simple little thing which really blew out of proportion, to her embarrassment and my friend and mine utter amusement.

The post mistress did not give required reply so I had to keep repeating myself (whilst stifling giggles) This actually continued for over a half hour to which point she had convinced herself that a duckdo was the local word for a durex and was becoming very embarrassed (being extremely shy) When she finally asked me what's a duckdo she was even more embarrassed with the reply and promptly evicted me and my friend from the shop. As a result we were forced to put a notice saying "free duckdo with every paper" on the door of the shop the following day.

You: "This morning I saw a duckdo." (pronounced duck doo)
Subject: "What's a duckdo?"
You: Simply say, "Quack Quack!"