Tag Archives: China

Joke About Exercise Bikes in McDonald’s

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The joke:

McDonald’s in China is testing exercise bikes that customers can ride while they eat, to stay healthier. Experts say the idea of staying healthy while eating at McDonald’s is perfect for customers who are McDelusional.

How I wrote it:

The original news story focused mainly on how McDonald’s in China wants the exercise bikes to “inspire more green behaviours”: the bikes can generate electricity, which can be used to charge electronic devices like mobile phones.

But at least one version of the story also mentioned that the company thought the bikes would promote healthiness. That idea struck me as ridiculous, which led me to believe I could write a joke reflecting that emotional reaction.

To do that, I used my Punch Line Maker #6, asking the question “Who would believe that eating at McDonald’s could be healthy?” The obvious answer to that question–somebody who’s delusional–became the basis of my punch line.

When I worded the punch line, I wanted to obey my Joke Maximizer #11–Don’t be too on-the-nose. I also noticed that “delusional” sounds a little like “Donald.” So I devised the portmanteau “McDelusional” to make my point without being completely direct about it.

Finally I wrote an angle that reinforces the supposed connection between McDonald’s food and healthiness. That way my punch line about delusion would be immediately clear.

A lot of people don’t like jokes involving puns and other forms of wordplay. But this joke is an example of how wordplay jokes can be funny as long as they’re well-constructed. For more about this, read my article “Why Do People Not Like Puns?”

Joke About Apple Stores in China

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The joke:

Apple is temporarily closing its 42 stores in China because of the coronavirus. Now any Chinese citizen who wants an iPhone will have to ask their child to make them one.

How I wrote it:

I was attracted to this news item because it’s related to the coronavirus epidemic, a big story.

I used my Punch Line Maker #3–Ask a question about the topic–asking myself the natural question “How will people in China get iPhones now?”

To create a punch line, I focused on the topic handle “China.” In my mind, “China” is associated with “makes iPhones,” which has the sub-association “uses child labor.” And that sub-association became the basis of a punch line that answers my original question.

Do children still work in Chinese iPhone factories, like those run by Foxconn? I think so, based on an internet search. But what matters more to the joke’s effectiveness is only whether most people would believe that children still work in Chinese iPhone factories. And I thought that most people would, given the news stories I’ve read on the subject and the jokes I’ve heard over the last ten years or so.

Notice that the joke topic has three possible handles–“Apple,” “China,” and “coronavirus.” I never considered using that last one, because it would have been too hard to write an acceptable joke based on the associations of “coronavirus.” At this point, most of those associations would probably call to mind disturbing details of the outbreak that would make people reluctant to laugh.