I Once Tried To Write A Joke (+ reviews)

I once tried to write a joke. I wrote the beginning and the middle, but I couldn't think of any funny way to end it.

So I decided to write the punchline first, then fill in the beginning and the middle. The punchline was: "But that's what you said the last time!" The beginning was: "A cowboy, a preacher, and an Elvis impersonator walk into a bar..."

But then I couldn't think of a middle part to connect the beginning to the punchline. This is not working, I thought. I didn't know whether to give up or keep trying. I didn't want to put a lot of energy into writing "jokes" that were not funny.

Then I had the brilliant idea of getting some friends to play the parts of a cowboy, a preacher, and an Elvis impersonator. I would record their voices when they went into a bar and that would give me the middle of the joke... maybe.

A cowboy, a preacher, and an Elvis impersonator walk into a bar. They each order a beer. The bartender says, "That'll be two bucks each." The cowboy points at me and says, "That guy with the sound recorder is paying for them."

Still no joke? Maybe I should just give up. I'm not a joke man. I don't find many jokes very funny, anyway. Why should I try to write one? Even if it was a funny joke, I might not realize it. And it would just be sheer luck if I did write a funny one.

So I decided to concentrate on stories and poems. If a joke idea turns up, then fine, but there is no point in trying to write a joke. It's just wasted energy.

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I found that the reviews I received for this item differed greatly in whether they thought I had in fact written a joke within the piece or not. Thought you might enjoy reading them....


Hey, if it only makes you laugh, it's still funny! I thought it was at least worth a big smile.


We call this a learning experience. It turned out pretty funny, but it's not the kind of thing that would make the Speech Writer's Handbook. I am still looking for the conventional. Write on.


This starts off well, and I guess I was hoping to hear the joke in the end - that would have been a good ending. As it was I think you write well. It is interesting. You have a good style, but the point of this article? Yes don't write jokes. Maybe this was a writing exercise, but as a reader I would have liked to have read a more hard hitting ending.


I think you did a brilliant job trying to write a joke...maybe this would make a super contest, and think of the jokes one would get to read.


That's a very touching story, Steve. (And I found the Elvis joke funny! Told it to to all my friends! *cough*)


LOL! That's great, very good stuff! And I agree, original jokes are extremely difficult to make up. Corny puns are fairly easy, but a real, quality joke? Not me! I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, great job!


I have to agree with all the positive reviews. You did a brilliant job, the Elvis one IS funny (as one of those random deadpanning cracks you sometimes get), and original jokes are awful hard to come up with. Believe me, I've tried.


I read the reviews of this piece you have posted at the bottom of the story, and I'm still trying to figure out what Elvis joke they're talking about. Did I miss something?

I was so badly wanting to read the complete joke at the end. Bummer! This would make a good contest, as one previous reviewer pointed out. Give people the beginning and the end and see who can come up the the funniest middle.


LOL, this was good, and it's true, it really isn't easy to write a joke. Your Inclusion of reviews in the piece was a great idea, they complement the humor in it well. Also, if you wrote all the reviews at the bottom of the page yourself, you're a comic genius.


All real reviews, folks! I am NOT a comic genius.


I liked the irony about how the cowboy says the guy with the recorder is going to pay! You seem pretty smooth and confessional. A good sport too with the made up reviews.


Real reviews!


This is an interesting piece. I like how you put the reviews in it, but like a couple of the others, I didn't see the Elvis joke. And I really don't think some of the other ones saw it either, because it isn't there!
Or have I gone blind?!?!


Here is the "Elvis" joke...

I got three friends to play the parts of a cowboy, a preacher, and an Elvis impersonator who walk into a bar and each order a beer.
The bartender says, "That'll be two bucks each."
The cowboy points at me and says, "That guy with the sound recorder is paying for them."
The bartender says, "But that's what you said the last time."

Remember, I said I was unsuccessful at writing the joke!