What makes funny? How do we learn how to tell a joke? If a sense of humor is a sign of intelligence, then a “Turing Test” of an AI Bot must include the ability to create an original joke that will make us humans laugh, right? Well, I decided to ask three AI Bots — ChatGPT 4, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and Claude Opus — to explain how to write and create a joke, and here are the inconclusive, exclusive, results!
Here is the text prompt I used for each AI Bot, and each answer is directly copied and pasted into this article from the AI Bot — including mistakes and errors in HTML formatting:
“Teach me how to write a joke. What’s funny? Why is it funny? Provide three original examples of a joke and provide a detailed analysis of why the joke is funny.”
Here is the response from ChatGPT 4:
ChatGPT 4:
Writing a joke involves a keen understanding of language, culture, and human psychology. Humor often arises from an unexpected shift in perspective, the juxtaposition of incongruent ideas, or the subversion of expectations. Here’s a basic framework to consider when crafting a joke:
- Setup: Introduces the scenario or premise, providing the context needed for the punchline.
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Anticipation: Builds tension or expectation. This can be done through a narrative, question, or a misleading assumption.
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Punchline: Delivers the surprise or twist, often subverting the expectation set up in the previous steps.
Why is something funny?
Something is perceived as funny when it surprises us, revealing an incongruity between what we expect to happen and what actually happens, often in a way that makes sense in retrospect. Theories of humor such as the incongruity theory, relief theory, and superiority theory explain why different jokes are funny to different people based on cultural, psychological, and social factors.
Examples of Jokes and Analysis
Joke 1: Why don’t scientists trust atoms anymore? Because they make up everything!
- Setup: The setup here introduces the subject of “scientists” and “atoms,” suggesting a scientific or factual discussion.
Anticipation: The phrase “don’t trust” builds curiosity as it’s unusual to discuss trust in a scientific context.
Punchline: The word “make up” is a play on words, meaning both “to compose” and “to fabricate or lie,” which surprises and amuses by linking the literal and figurative meanings.
Analysis: This joke is funny because it plays on the double meaning of “make up,” linking the scientific concept of atoms constituting all matter with the idea of dishonesty. The incongruity between the seriousness of scientific discussion and the playful pun creates a humorous contrast.
Joke 2: I told my computer I needed a break, and it said, “You haven’t pressed my space bar!”
- Setup: Introduces a scenario involving a conversation between the speaker and their computer.
Anticipation: The idea of telling a computer about taking a break humanizes the computer, setting up for a witty reply.
Punchline: The punchline plays on the word “space,” referring both to the need for personal space and the key on the keyboard.
Analysis: This joke uses anthropomorphism (attributing human traits to a non-human entity) and wordplay. The humor arises from the unexpected literal interpretation of “needing a break” by the computer, which cleverly reminds us of the “space bar” on a keyboard, blending technical language with everyday emotional expressions.
Joke 3: Why was the math book sad? It had too many problems.
- Setup: Poses a question that personifies a math book, which is unusual and engaging.
Anticipation: The personification suggests that the book’s sadness will be explained in human terms.
Punchline: The word “problems” is used in a dual sense—mathematical problems and life problems, suggesting the book is overwhelmed like a person might be.
Analysis: The humor here stems from the pun on “problems,” blending the academic context with emotional distress. The joke is funny because it subverts the norm of interpreting “problems” in a straightforward academic sense, instead using it to express feelings typically reserved for humans.
Each of these jokes showcases how language, double meanings, and cultural expectations can be manipulated to create humor. The key to writing effective jokes is to play creatively with language and context, always aiming to subvert expectations in a light-hearted and relatable way.
“Teach me how to write a joke. What’s funny? Why is it funny? Provide three original examples of a joke and provide a detailed analysis of why the joke is funny.”
Gemini Pro 1.5:
Absolutely! Let’s dive into the art of joke-writing.
What Makes Something Funny?
Several key elements contribute to humor:
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Surprise: Jokes often rely on an unexpected twist or punchline. Our brains enjoy the sudden shift in perspective.
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Truth: Even the silliest jokes often have a grain of truth that we recognize. It’s this relatability that makes us laugh.
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Exaggeration/Understatement: Taking a situation to an absurd extreme or downplaying something significant can be hilarious.
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Wordplay: Puns, double meanings, and clever use of language tickle our brains.
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Rule of Threes: Setting up a pattern and then breaking it on the third item creates a satisfying comedic effect.
Let’s Analyze Some Original Jokes:
Joke 1: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!
- Why it’s funny: This joke uses a pun (double meaning of “outstanding in his field”) and plays on the stereotype of a scarecrow’s job. The unexpected context of an award adds to the humor.
Joke 2: I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She seemed surprised.
- Why it’s funny: This joke creates a surprising misunderstanding. We initially think the speaker is criticizing their wife’s makeup, but the twist at the end reveals a different meaning of “surprised.”
Joke 3: Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet.
- Why it’s funny: This joke combines a bit of truth (parallel lines never intersect) with a hint of melancholy. The human element applied to a mathematical concept creates a funny juxtaposition.
Creating Your Own Jokes
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Observe: Look for the humor in everyday situations. What quirks do you notice in people, places, or things?
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Twist: Take a common phrase or idea and twist it into something unexpected.
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Structure: Set up your joke with a clear premise and deliver a punchline that surprises and delights.
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Practice: Try your jokes out on friends and family. Their reactions will help you refine your comedic timing and delivery.
Remember, humor is subjective, so not every joke will land with every audience. But by understanding the elements of comedy and practicing your craft, you can become a master of making people laugh!
“Teach me how to write a joke. What’s funny? Why is it funny? Provide three original examples of a joke and provide a detailed analysis of why the joke is funny.”
Claude Opus:
Here is a guide on how to write a joke, what makes things funny, and three original joke examples with analysis:
How to Write a Joke:
- Start with a topic or premise. Pick something relatable that you have thoughts or observations about.
Find the surprise or misdirection. Look for an unexpected angle, comparison or twist on your topic. The element of surprise is key.
Establish a setup. Provide just enough context and details to lead the audience in one direction.
Hit them with the punchline. Deliver the unexpected twist or revelation that gets the laugh. Keep it concise.
Get in and out. Don’t labor on the joke too long. Once you hit the punchline, get out and on to the next one.
What Makes Things Funny:
- Incongruity – Putting together two things that don’t normally go together in a surprising way. Humor often comes from defying expectations.
Superiority – Feeling superior to the subject of the joke or the described situation. Laughing at others’ misfortunes or foolishness.
Relief – Releasing pent up tension or anxiety through laughter. Joking about taboo topics provides catharsis.- Familiarity – Recognizing common human experiences, especially embarrassing ones. Humor in the universality of the human condition.
Three Original Jokes:
Joke 1:
Why was the math book sad? Because it had too many problems.
Analysis: This joke uses incongruity by anthropomorphizing the math book and giving it emotions. We don’t expect an inanimate object like a book to have feelings. It also plays on the double meaning of “problems” as both math exercises and difficulties in life. The familiarity of the dreaded math textbook loaded with homework adds to the humor.
Joke 2:
I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
Analysis: This joke sets up a normal situation – a husband commenting on his wife’s makeup. But the punchline provides a humorous twist by taking the phrase “drawing her eyebrows too high” literally. We imagine the wife with exaggeratedly high eyebrows looking surprised. The superiority of the husband noting his wife’s cosmetic faux pas also contributes to the humor.
Joke 3:
What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
Analysis: The joke begins with an odd question that creates curiosity. What would you call a bear with no teeth? The punchline delivers an unexpected answer by referring to the chewy candy. The incongruity between a fierce animal and a sweet treat makes this joke humorous, as well as the play on words with “gummy” referring both to toothless gums and the candy. The familiarity of gummy bear candies adds to the joke.
In summary, writing a good joke requires astute observations, finding surprising comparisons or twists, and delivering a punchline that defies expectations in a succinct way. Humor stems from incongruity, superiority, relief, and familiarity. With practice analyzing jokes and honing your own, you’ll be writing funnier jokes in no time.
Conclusion:
And so, dear friend, you can see our AI Bot Overlords are not quite there yet with the funny — but I’m sure they’ll get there sooner than we wish, and earlier than we think!
The overlap in “original jokes” is disconcerting — did these Bots train on the same comedy training data? Or is one Bot pinging the other bot to arrive at the same conclusion? ChatGPT 4 was first to market, then Gemini Pro 1.5 and, then finally, Claud Opus.
It’s interesting, telling, and curious that last-to-conquer Claude Opus repeated the “original” Math joke from ChatGPT, as well as the “original” Eyebrows joke from Gemini. ChatGPT and Gemini did not overlap “original” jokes but, I suppose, the idea of writing an “original” joke today is impossible since everything imitates what has come before — including a human sense of humor!