That joke is like the Aristocrats insofar as it’s an opportunity for improvisation (at as great a length as you can get away with). Also analogously, I’ve usually heard it as the “‘Fuck you, clown’ joke” (or just the “clown joke” if you really care about spoilarz).
And in the versions I’ve heard, the clown calls the guy down to the stage, and asks “Sir, are you a horse’s head?” “No.” “Are you a horse’s leg?” “No.” “Are you a horse’s tail?” “No.” “Well then, it seems to me that you must be a horse’s ass!” which is both funnier (to me) and (importantly) longer.
I didn’t know it like that, but I agree that it’s better. The version I first read in the early to mid nineties was much longer than this one though, and his achievements at quick wit retort just went on and on from one unbelievable accomplishment to the next—which of course makes the punch line that much funnier. The version I remember was also quite elegantly written, which made the crudeness of the last line that much funnier.
I thought it was a bit funny, or meta-funny perhaps. It reminds me a little of the following, which is one of my favorite jokes: http://www.miraclesalad.com/blog/archives/2006/09/quick_wit_retor.php
That joke is like the Aristocrats insofar as it’s an opportunity for improvisation (at as great a length as you can get away with). Also analogously, I’ve usually heard it as the “‘Fuck you, clown’ joke” (or just the “clown joke” if you really care about spoilarz).
And in the versions I’ve heard, the clown calls the guy down to the stage, and asks “Sir, are you a horse’s head?” “No.” “Are you a horse’s leg?” “No.” “Are you a horse’s tail?” “No.” “Well then, it seems to me that you must be a horse’s ass!” which is both funnier (to me) and (importantly) longer.
I didn’t know it like that, but I agree that it’s better. The version I first read in the early to mid nineties was much longer than this one though, and his achievements at quick wit retort just went on and on from one unbelievable accomplishment to the next—which of course makes the punch line that much funnier. The version I remember was also quite elegantly written, which made the crudeness of the last line that much funnier.
Yes, that’s how it should be.