There are many types of comedy genres, but if I had to choose one as a favorite it would be “Misdirection Comedy” or jokes with a twist. Another name for this type of comedy is “didn’t see that coming” because the listener is taken by surprise when the funny punchline is delivered.
Here are some examples of misdirected-didn’t-see-that-coming humor.
Sarah Silverman tells of her early days as a stand up comic and how she told the following as one her first jokes:
When a friend asked if her breath smelled like tacos, I inhaled and said “I don’t know. Do you put shit in your tacos?”
Warning – in the following joke, perhaps there is something to be said about not seeing it coming:
I caught my brother masturbating and he saw me and yelled “DUDE CLOSE THE DOOR!” and I’m like “NO WAY – GET IN THE HOUSE!”
It was this video that initially got me thinking about this “didn’t-see-that-coming” comedy genre.
Songs with a twist include this 1972 Chuck tune which was a cover version of the tune written originally in 1952. Ironically, it was Chuck’s only Number 1 hit. This is a little sad considering all of the really great tunes that Chuck wrote and recorded prior to Ding-a-Ling. The music gods sure move around in curious ways don’t they?