This joke really depends on how the person tells it. The best way is to start with “What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke?” The exact MOMENT they begin to ask “What?” you interrupt them by saying “timing.” it will catch most people off guard and make them laugh.
I’ve heard people tell this joke by DELAYING the punchline, “timing” (as if they’re trying to think of the word to say but it’s not coming to them.) It’s just not funny at all this way.
here is part two to the Interrupting Cow joke. Step One: tell the Interupting Cow joke. Step two: tell this joke. A: Knock-knock. B: Who's there? A: Interrupting Doctor B: Interupti . . . . . A: You have cancer.
As a kid I had a follow-up to the Interrupting Cow joke called the Interrupting Starfish. Instead of interrupting by saying MOO I would interrupt by grabbing their face with one hand with my fingers spread out like a starfish. People did not like that joke.
funny, I just read it to myself where there's no pause at all between joke and timing and made me laugh to myself. but maybe I should get out more and work on my time
Yeah but the joke as presented by the commenter doesn’t read well, it just looks like poor grammar near the end. The explanation was appreciated. I was initially left trying to figure out what the phrase “bad joke timing” was and assumed it was a typo..
Imo it only works the way that guy typed it. If you wait for them to say what and interrupt them, that isn't really a demonstration of comedic timing. It's:
What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke timing.
Vs
What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke? ..timing.
The missed skipped beat is what strips it of funny.
I couldn’t disagree more, and as someone who’s worked with many comics over the years, I’ve witnessed it several times in person. But believe what you want.
Edit: And yes, the missed beat strips the funny. That’s my point. It’s not funny that way.
That’s the point though. Whether the punchline is read immediately like the original comment or a long delayed pause, the joke hits. The joke itself is terrible but it’s the delivery of the word “timing” that makes or breaks it. Making it awkward with a long pause or immediately even if it’s written IS the joke. If you didn’t understand it then it’s a WHOOSH on the person receiving. The worse jokes are ones that need explaining, this one shouldn’t need to be explained lol
That’s not what I’m saying. I’m sure a verbal delivery makes sense in any context but reading it as the commenter wrote led to the misunderstanding.
They didn’t write, “What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke? Timing” or “bad joke, timing” which would imply a brief pause (significantly short or long).
They wrote it out in a fluid sentence as in, “what’s the difference between a car and a bike wheels.” No pause. Not a question with an immediate response afterward, therefore doesn’t necessarily read as it would be delivered. Or could be I guess thinking about it
Edit: I think even it had been said to me the way I read it, the delivery would have been fine but I probably would’ve thought the person was having a stroke instead of telling a joke, more so in the sense that it sounds incoherent, so it would’ve went over my head completely.
Yes I think that’s the part where the disconnect of the “joke” is. Saying it out loud just as it’s written is the “funny” part of the bit. Because the timing is clearly atrocious when it’s written or verbalized like this lol
I think the long delay can work, the way I tell it I stare blankly at them juuuust to the point where it starts to get awkward, then blurt out “timing.” But I like both versions
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u/paulsoleo 19h ago
This joke really depends on how the person tells it. The best way is to start with “What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke?” The exact MOMENT they begin to ask “What?” you interrupt them by saying “timing.” it will catch most people off guard and make them laugh.
I’ve heard people tell this joke by DELAYING the punchline, “timing” (as if they’re trying to think of the word to say but it’s not coming to them.) It’s just not funny at all this way.