yurayurateikokuさんの おぼえた日記 - 2023年4月4日(火)

Appreciating Humor (5)
“If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?” “Pilgrims.” Or “How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?” “Ten tickles.”
I know a Japanese-American dad joke. “What kind of shoes do ninjas wear?” “Sneakers!”
That reminds me of a bilingual joke. “A rooster laid an egg this morning.” “That’s a hen.” Or “Hen desu.” You see, the Japanese word “hen” means “strange” or “ odd.” Only people who speak both English and Japanese will get that one.
The way people react to jokes reminds us that we all have different tastes. Just because people speak the same language doesn’t mean they find the same things funny.
That’s right. I also like Tarzan jokes. Like this one: Tarzan comes home from work and asks Jane for a tripe bourbon. After hesitating a moment, Jane says, “Tarzan, I’m worried about your drinking. Every afternoon you come home and proceed to get totally sloshed.” “I can’t help myself,” Tarzan says. “It’s a jungle out there.”
I like that too. That joke will probably play best with city people who work in the corporate jungle.
Humor is like a pep pill. It’s energizing. Having fun and wisecracking isn’t a waste of time and energy. It builds team spirit and contributes to better communication. Laughing together perks us up and draws us even closer together.