If only poor Data was more confident about his finding the joke stupifyingly unfunny we may have been spared so much more equally "funny" komedy.Guinan asks Data if he knows what a joke is. Data goes to repeat his "bon mot" definition, but Guinan stops him, explaining that "you're a droid, and I'm annoyed." Actually, I'm almost positive she says that she's "a Noid", like the old Domino's Pizza mascot, but that sure doesn't make any sense.
Clueless, Data asks what he did to annoy her, and Guinan repeats the stupid line. Finally, Data gets it. "Humanoid!" Is that what the joke was about? As in, "noid" being short for "humanoid"? Or is she annoyed? Or is she trying to stop pizza from being delivered in thirty minutes or less? I really don't get the joke, and I suspect it's not a very funny one even if you do.
Data says, "I am not laughing!" Yeah, join the club, Data. In fact, the line into that club wraps all the way around the block. Data offers, "Perhaps the joke was not funny!" Here's your Understatement of the Year Award, Commander.
Guinan insists the joke was funny. "It's just you, Data!" Ah, yes, because all of the greatest stand-up comics in history have always said, "The joke was funny! It's you that sucks!" Well, Data is bullied into believing that there's something wrong with him for not finding her dumb joke funny. So, he asks her for guidance. Or in this case, for guinan-adance. Yeah. That's right. That joke was funny. You suck!
AdmiralGhoulish said:
The Agony Booth's take on this:
If only poor Data was more confident about his finding the joke stupifyingly unfunny we may have been spared so much more equally "funny" komedy.Guinan asks Data if he knows what a joke is. Data goes to repeat his "bon mot" definition, but Guinan stops him, explaining that "you're a droid, and I'm annoyed." Actually, I'm almost positive she says that she's "a Noid", like the old Domino's Pizza mascot, but that sure doesn't make any sense.
Clueless, Data asks what he did to annoy her, and Guinan repeats the stupid line. Finally, Data gets it. "Humanoid!" Is that what the joke was about? As in, "noid" being short for "humanoid"? Or is she annoyed? Or is she trying to stop pizza from being delivered in thirty minutes or less? I really don't get the joke, and I suspect it's not a very funny one even if you do.
Data says, "I am not laughing!" Yeah, join the club, Data. In fact, the line into that club wraps all the way around the block. Data offers, "Perhaps the joke was not funny!" Here's your Understatement of the Year Award, Commander.
Guinan insists the joke was funny. "It's just you, Data!" Ah, yes, because all of the greatest stand-up comics in history have always said, "The joke was funny! It's you that sucks!" Well, Data is bullied into believing that there's something wrong with him for not finding her dumb joke funny. So, he asks her for guidance. Or in this case, for guinan-adance. Yeah. That's right. That joke was funny. You suck!![]()
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Hellfire said:
I've always wondered why Whoopi agreed to do that line. It is so unfunny that surely a great comedienne like her would have made up her own joke rather than deliver such a bad joke.
Guy Gardener said:
Joe Piscapo was subjective. If only Bill Hicks had answered his telephone... Of George Carlin? Mmmmmmmmmmm Geooorge Carlin.![]()
Possibly, although I doubt it. Of course, I'm reminded of one of Abraham Lincoln's witticisms. Someone pointed out to him the New York City audience contained a number of millionaires, showing off the city's financial muscle. ``Oh, indeed, is that so? Well, that's quite right. I'm a millionaire myself. I got a minority of a million in the votes last November.'' It's the sort of line that makes you think he was mis-quoted. Humor evolves in weird ways.The Old Mixer said:
Maybe in the 24th Century that joke will be funny.
Would have helped, yes. Also it would have helped to have a humorist who, well, wrote things that had more obvious streams of logic. My poster boy for this would be Robert Benchley, but there are quite a few people whose sense of humor Data could probably understand or even usefully imitate.EDIT: Also, it might have been helpful to Data if they'd actually made the point that humor is subjective. What's unamusing to one might be knee-slappingly hilarious to another.
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