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an office room

Three people are in an office. A boss overlooks two of his employees. A female employee rides a male employee as if the male employee was a rodeo horse. The boss looks off-put.

In a setting as formal as an office, this type of roughhousing, particularly in front of one's boss, is socially unacceptable, and yet the woman (and possibly the man) is willingly partaking in the act.

This new M.B.A. crop is so hard to break.

scene: an office room description: Three people are in an office. A boss overlooks two of his employees. A female employee rides a male employee as if the male employee was a rodeo horse. The boss looks off-put. uncanny: In a setting as formal as an office, this type of roughhousing, particularly in front of one's boss, is socially unacceptable, and yet the woman (and possibly the man) is willingly partaking in the act. entities: Piggyback_(transportation), White-collar_worker. caption: This new M.B.A. crop is so hard to break.

To "break" a horse is the first step of training it. Here, the joke is that recent MBA graduates are also broken in the same way (e.g., by being ridden like a horse) by the new companies that hire them, as part of job training.

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a restaurant

A clown stares at a shop owner from outside the shop. There is a name on the store called ''Sam's''.

It is weird for the clown to stare at someone from outside a store.

You were with Ringling Brothers? I was with Lehman Brothers.

scene: a restaurant description: A clown stares at a shop owner from outside the shop. There is a name on the store called "Sam's". uncanny: It is weird for the clown to stare at someone from outside a store. entities: Clown, Ownership. caption: You were with Ringling Brothers? I was with Lehman Brothers.

A joke about the 2008 financial crisis: both the clown and the bartender were fired and worked for "Brothers" --- the Ringling Brothers (a circus company) for the clown, and "Lehman Brothers" (an investment bank) for the bartender. The similarity of the names and their intersecting sad stories makes the situation unusual and funny.

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a living room

Several adults are chatting at a house party. One of the people is very, very small, and is standing with his arms crossed.

The very small person: not only is his size unusual, but also, his arms are crossed which implies that he's angry.

We met at the mini bar.

scene: a living room description: Several adults are chatting at a house party. One of the people is very, very small, and is standing with his arms crossed. uncanny: The very small person: not only is his size unusual, but also, his arms are crossed which implies that he's angry. entities: Party, Size_change_in_fiction, Shrink_ray. caption: We met at the mini bar.

A common way for people to meet romantic partners is at a bar. Here, the woman is talking about how she met her partner, but because the person is very small, instead of the common case of meeting at a bar, they met at a mini bar, in reference to his size. It silly in part because a mini bar is a feature of a hotel room, not where people would meet.

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the clouds

Zeus and a man are standing on clouds. The man is about to chuck a lightning bolt.

Men don't usually get the powers of gods.

You knew your wife might remarry.

scene: the clouds description: Zeus and a man are standing on clouds. The man is about to chuck a lightning bolt. uncanny: Men don't usually get the powers of gods. entities: Zeus, Businessperson, Lightning. caption: You knew your wife might remarry.

The angel is scolding the deceased man for trying to stop his mortal wife from re-marrying another person by throwing the lightning bolt at her back on earth. When people die, it's common for their spouses to get married, but this man, despite being dead, isn't comfortable with that. It's funny in part because one would think that ascending to heaven would alleviate petty, earthly concerns like jealousy, but, it didn't for this man.

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a bedroom

A man and woman are in bed together under the covers. They are looking towards the bedroom door when a car has crashed into their home. They don't seem too upset about the situation.

A car has somehow crashed through the ceiling of a house and landed in a bedroom.

Well, at least he made curfew.

scene: a bedroom description: A man and woman are in bed together under the covers. They are looking towards the bedroom door when a car has crashed into their home. They don't seem too upset about the situation. uncanny: A car has somehow crashed through the ceiling of a house and landed in a bedroom. entities: Traffic_collision, Bed. caption: Well, at least he made curfew.

A joke about a nervous teenager trying to not get in trouble with his parents. Teenagers often have curfews, i.e., times by which they must be home by, otherwise they might lose, e.g., driving privileges. Here, the teenager was very close to being late and was rushing home so fast that they crashed into their house. The parents are nonchalant about the destruction, and look at the bright side: at least he technically made it home in time.

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an island

Two people are on a deserted island. They're looking at another island, where dolphins are stranded.

There are dolphin out of the water, and they're making the formation of a palm tree.

I knew they were smart. I didn't know they were sarcastic.

scene: an island description: Two people are on a deserted island. They're looking at another island, where dolphins are stranded. uncanny: There are dolphin out of the water, and they're making the formation of a palm tree. entities: Imitation, Dolphin. caption: I knew they were smart. I didn't know they were sarcastic.

The dolphins are sarcastically reveling in the stranded doom of the two people on the island. Instead of trying to help the pair of people, they are making fun of them by replicating the island, tree, and people with an elaborate pose. This pose requires a lot of smarts to do, but, the people didn't realize that dolphins were smart enough to be sarcastic.

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plains

Two cavemen are hunting deer. The deer are grazing on the grass.

The deer are stick figures.

I'm really more of a painter-gatherer.

scene: plains description: Two cavemen are hunting deer. The deer are grazing on the grass. uncanny: The deer are stick figures. entities: Caveman, Hunting, Cave_painting. caption: I'm really more of a painter-gatherer.

A play on the phrase "hunter-gatherer" --- the deer these two cavemen are hunting look like cave paintings instead of actual deer. So, instead of hunting normal deer, they prefer to interact with the painting deer, and they are "painter-gatherers," as a result.

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a house

Two people are looking at their house. It has been caved in by a giant piano.

The piano is way larger than any piano should be.

The piano's in tune, but the house is a little flat.

scene: a house description: Two people are looking at their house. It has been caved in by a giant piano. uncanny: The piano is way larger than any piano should be. entities: Piano, Damage. caption: The piano's in tune, but the house is a little flat.

A play on words: "flat" can mean that an instrument is out of tune, like the piano could be (but isn't). The house is literally "flat", however, i.e.: it has been flattened to the ground.

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an interrogation room

Inside of an interrogation room in a police department are two cops wearing their badges and guns. They look on, angrily, at a shark who is sitting at a table in the room with a mirror behind it and a lamp hanging over its head. One of the cops is showing the shark a piece of paper. The shark appears to not be upset with the situation it's in.

A shark is only found in the water and will die if it's on land, so seeing one not only on land be being interrogated by a couple of police officers inside of a room is very unusual. Cops investigating a shark for a crime is also unusual.

Do YOU remember what you had for lunch last Thursday?

scene: an interrogation room description: Inside of an interrogation room in a police department are two cops wearing their badges and guns. They look on, angrily, at a shark who is sitting at a table in the room with a mirror behind it and a lamp hanging over its head. One of the cops is showing the shark a piece of paper. The shark appears to not be upset with the situation it's in. uncanny: A shark is only found in the water and will die if it's on land, so seeing one not only on land be being interrogated by a couple of police officers inside of a room is very unusual. Cops investigating a shark for a crime is also unusual. entities: Detective, Shark. caption: Do YOU remember what you had for lunch last Thursday?

The shark being interrogated has eaten a person, and the cops are showing a picture of the person they ate to them. The cops accuse the shark of eating the person on Thursday, and, in defense, the shark retorts that he doesn't remember, and justifies this by saying that it's normal to not recall that type of detail: the cops also probably couldn't remember what they had for lunch a few days ago. The joke is that lunch isn't a small unimportant detail for the shark because they killed someone.

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the living room

A man is sitting in his living room and talking on the telephone. He is looking at four cats that are standing on each others shoulders. One of the cats is holding their arms straight out to the side.

The cats are stacked on top of each other and balancing on their shoulders.

Yes, Officer, they say he was about six feet four, with pointy ears and abnormally short arms.

scene: the living room description: A man is sitting in his living room and talking on the telephone. He is looking at four cats that are standing on each others shoulders. One of the cats is holding their arms straight out to the side. uncanny: The cats are stacked on top of each other and balancing on their shoulders. entities: Acrobatics, Cat. caption: Yes, Officer, they say he was about six feet four, with pointy ears and abnormally short arms.

A man is reporting a crime to the police that was perpetuated by the four cats standing on top of each others shoulders. It's a common trope in fiction that shady characters are secretly several people standing on each other, generally concealed by a large trenchcoat. But here, the man humorously doesn't seem to realize the cats are not a single entity, even though they are not concealed by a trenchcoat.

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experimental facility

A mouse is conducting a hamster wheel experiment with other mice. The mouse is also talking to a turtle .

Mice do not conduct experiments. Mice are known to be tested on.

We're really looking for someone with more lab experience.

scene: experimental facility description: A mouse is conducting a hamster wheel experiment with other mice. The mouse is also talking to a turtle . uncanny: Mice do not conduct experiments. Mice are known to be tested on. entities: Hamster_wheel, Tortoise, Mouse. caption: We're really looking for someone with more lab experience.

The turtle is applying for the job of running in the mouse wheel, but because turtles are not as commonly used as subjects in laboratory studies, its application is gently rejected. It's a play on the term "lab experience," which in a usual job application for a research position might refer to hands-on experience conducting experiments, but here refers to hands-on experience being a test subject.

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the ocean

A whale is behind a person's car. There are two people in the car who have not noticed it.

A whale needs to be in water in order to survive and would not survive on a road.

He wants to know if you can move your seat up.

scene: the ocean description: A whale is behind a person's car. There are two people in the car who have not noticed it. uncanny: A whale needs to be in water in order to survive and would not survive on a road. entities: Car, Sperm_whale. caption: He wants to know if you can move your seat up.

Moving a front seat up is an everyday request from people sitting in the backseat of cars if they don't have enough room. The whale is making this request: the contrast between how unusual it is that the whale is in the backseat and the benign-ness of the request is what makes it funny.

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a galley ship

A bunch of slaves are on a boat steering it. A man in a business suit is next to them helping out.

There is a man in a business suit on a ship with slaves steering a boat paddle.

Your last job sounds terrible.

scene: a galley ship description: A bunch of slaves are on a boat steering it. A man in a business suit is next to them helping out. uncanny: There is a man in a business suit on a ship with slaves steering a boat paddle. entities: Rowing, Slavery, Businessperson. caption: Your last job sounds terrible.

The people rowing the boat are slaves --- their conditions seem dire and their job terrible. But, even the rowers take pity on the businessman, who they judge to have an even more terrible job previously. This surprising conclusion is joke is about how modern jobs are cushy, but might still feel like slavery in some ways (even though they aren't really comparable).

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a doctor's office

A doctor has used the acupuncture needles on himself instead of the patient. The patient is lying there as the doctor seems calm about this.

The patient is supposed to receive the needles, not the doctor.

Gesundheit.

scene: a doctor's office description: A doctor has used the acupuncture needles on himself instead of the patient. The patient is lying there as the doctor seems calm about this. uncanny: The patient is supposed to receive the needles, not the doctor. entities: Acupuncture, Patient. caption: Gesundheit.

A physical joke about what might happen if someone sneezed while getting acupuncture. While this probably wouldn't literally physically happen, the implication is that the person sneezed, and all the needles transferred from her to the acupuncturist, which is funny. We know this because the doctor is saying "Gesundheit," which is what is said after someone sneezes.

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office meeting

A group of men in suits are sitting at a table, with note pads and coffee cups set about. At the end of the table is an empty electric chair.

It's unusual to see an empty electric chair in an office meeting.

And this is our new incentive plan.

scene: office meeting description: A group of men in suits are sitting at a table, with note pads and coffee cups set about. At the end of the table is an empty electric chair. uncanny: It's unusual to see an empty electric chair in an office meeting. entities: Electric_chair, Jury. caption: And this is our new incentive plan.

An "incentive plan" is usually a type of employee compensation that rewards people financially for meeting specific performance targets. But here, the company can't afford to pay extra, so their incentive plan is the electric chair: the implication is that employees must meet targets or they will simply be killed. A dark but humorous joke about how some companies view their employees as disposable.

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a meeting room

There is a monster onside the window staring at a bunch of people. The people in the office are scared. Another man reads off a paper.

There is a huge monster outside the window at an office. Monsters don't exist.

I wish they would just go back to tapping our phone lines.

scene: a meeting room description: There is a monster onside the window staring at a bunch of people. The people in the office are scared. Another man reads off a paper. uncanny: There is a huge monster outside the window at an office. Monsters don't exist. entities: Godzilla, White-collar_worker. caption: I wish they would just go back to tapping our phone lines.

Governments sometimes tap phone lines (as in: the patriot act). But this goes a step further: instead of just listening in via tapping the phone lines, the government has literally deployed an army of monsters to watch everyone to make sure everyone is behaving.

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the desert

Two men are exhausted, crawling through the desert. They're following a marching band leader.

The band leader is out in the middle of a deserted wasteland.

I'm thinking about quitting the band.

scene: the desert description: Two men are exhausted, crawling through the desert. They're following a marching band leader. uncanny: The band leader is out in the middle of a deserted wasteland. entities: Marching, Allegiance. caption: I'm thinking about quitting the band.

A surreal joke about a marching band leader tirelessly marching into a desert, with her band following her. However, only two of the band's most dedicated members remain, and they look as if they have been travelling for many days. It's funny because, for these most committed members, they are only now considering quitting the band by not following the leader, whereas their more reasonable colleagues probably stopped following days ago.

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doctor's office

An alien dressed as a doctor holds a sheet of paper up in a doctor's office. Seated on the patients table is a human being in a patient's robe who watches the alien doctor with a solemn but focused look.

It is unusual that an alien is a doctor with a human patient.

I’m going to give you something for your humanity.

scene: doctor's office description: An alien dressed as a doctor holds a sheet of paper up in a doctor's office. Seated on the patients table is a human being in a patient's robe who watches the alien doctor with a solemn but focused look. uncanny: It is unusual that an alien is a doctor with a human patient. entities: Extraterrestrial_life, Alien_abduction. caption: I’m going to give you something for your humanity.

Because the doctor is an alien, they might assume that being an alien is "normal" --- so, being a human is the disease, and the alien apparently has a prescription drug/"cure" to turn the human into an alien.

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the patio

Two people are in a bar having drinks. There is an enormous head behind the counter.

The bartender has an enormous head.

How much did you spend at Macy's this year?

scene: the patio description: Two people are in a bar having drinks. There is an enormous head behind the counter. uncanny: The bartender has an enormous head. entities: Giant, Hallucination. caption: How much did you spend at Macy's this year?

A reference to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, an annual event in New York City with large balloons. Here, the balloon in the parade looks like the man at the table: the joke is that Macy's constructed a balloon in honor of the man, presumably because he was a very good customer who spent a lot of money at the store.

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the ocean

Two people are driving a car. There is a whale in the backseat.

Whales don't belong out of the water.

He wants to know if you can move your seat up.

scene: the ocean description: Two people are driving a car. There is a whale in the backseat. uncanny: Whales don't belong out of the water. entities: Car, Sperm_whale. caption: He wants to know if you can move your seat up.

Moving a front seat up is an everyday request from people sitting in the backseat of cars if they don't have enough room. The whale is making this request: the contrast between how unusual it is that the whale is in the backseat and the benign-ness of the request is what makes it funny.

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therapist office

There is a man on a couch and a therapist with some paper writing. They are looking at all the fish surrounding them.

There are a ton of fish in the therapist office surrounding the people. Fish belong in the ocean.

I'm haunted by the faces of my victims.

scene: therapist office description: There is a man on a couch and a therapist with some paper writing. They are looking at all the fish surrounding them. uncanny: There are a ton of fish in the therapist office surrounding the people. Fish belong in the ocean. entities: Fish, Fisherman. caption: I'm haunted by the faces of my victims.

In therapy, people will sometimes emotionally work through their guilt if they feel they have wronged people before, i.e., if they have victimized them; in extreme cases, they might be haunted by the memory of their victim's (human) faces. Here, the fisherman's victims are the many, many fish he killed during the course of his job that he can't stop thinking about. It's funny because people normally don't feel guilty for killing fish, let alone feeling guilty for each individual one (e.g., fish meat is usually measured in pounds, not lives).

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restaurant

Two men are eating at a restaurant. One is looking up at the ceiling, where an cinder block is about to drop on his companion.

A cinder block shouldn't be up on the ceiling.

I told my ex I'll take her back if she drops some weight.

scene: restaurant description: Two men are eating at a restaurant. One is looking up at the ceiling, where an cinder block is about to drop on his companion. uncanny: A cinder block shouldn't be up on the ceiling. entities: Coffee, Concrete_masonry_unit. caption: I told my ex I'll take her back if she drops some weight.

A play on the words "drops some weight" --- figuratively, to drop weight usually refers to go on a diet; this man has apparently broken up with his partner because she is too fat. But, she takes ironic revenge in the form of her literally dropping a weight, i.e., a cinderblock, on his head.

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a wedding

The groom is carrying his wife on his back during a wedding. The priest still continues his sermon.

During a wedding, the bride is besides the groom and not on his back.

Anyone have an objection? Please? Anyone?

scene: a wedding description: The groom is carrying his wife on his back during a wedding. The priest still continues his sermon. uncanny: During a wedding, the bride is besides the groom and not on his back. entities: Marriage, Bride. caption: Anyone have an objection? Please? Anyone?

The man doesn't want to get married as much as the woman does: she's clinging to him while he looks horrified. When people get married, officiants ask the crowd if there are any objections, and the man is hoping someone raises one. It's funny because the man could stop the marriage of his own accord, but is too afraid of his partner to do it.

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a bar

Mr. Potato Head is at a bar. A man is taring at him.

Mr. Potato Head is in a bar. It's a kid's toy.

If I start to drink too much, just pull off my lips.

scene: a bar description: Mr. Potato Head is at a bar. A man is taring at him. uncanny: Mr. Potato Head is in a bar. It's a kid's toy. entities: Mr._Potato_Head, Alcohol_intoxication. caption: If I start to drink too much, just pull off my lips.

Sometimes people request that their friends watch how much they have had to drink, and to stop them if they are drinking too much. Here, the Mr. Potato Head toy makes this request, but informs the person that he should simply pull his lips off his body if he over-consumes alcohol. This is funny because on the Mr. Potato Head toy, it's possible to remove his ears, eyes, arms, etc.

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the gates of heaven

A man is standing in front of what appears to be God in Heaven, standing at a podium, with a long feather quill and a scroll. Behind him, inset in clouds, is a set of iron-wrought gates topped with curling barbwire.

Heaven is usually depicted with golden gates, not a Dickensian style of fence with prison style barbwire on top of it.

Anything to declare?

scene: the gates of heaven description: A man is standing in front of what appears to be God in Heaven, standing at a podium, with a long feather quill and a scroll. Behind him, inset in clouds, is a set of iron-wrought gates topped with curling barbwire. uncanny: Heaven is usually depicted with golden gates, not a Dickensian style of fence with prison style barbwire on top of it. entities: Heaven, Barbed_wire. caption: Anything to declare?

"Anything to declare" is a question asked by customs at airports. Heaven's gates are adorned with barbed wire, implying that, oddly, heaven has as high of security as international borders. It's funny because one might assume heaven would be free of worldly security concerns, but apparently not.

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a castle

A man with long hair like Rapunzel is in a tower. His hair has entangled a man below.

There is a man with very long hair in a tower. Normally he would be a she (Rapunzel).

For God's sake, Dave, you're thirty-five—just use the stairs.

scene: a castle description: A man with long hair like Rapunzel is in a tower. His hair has entangled a man below. uncanny: There is a man with very long hair in a tower. Normally he would be a she (Rapunzel). entities: Rapunzel, Hair. caption: For God's sake, Dave, you're thirty-five—just use the stairs.

The romantic story of Rapunzel details two young lovers who endure significant hardship to be together: the prince must climb the princess' hair in the cover of night, etc. But here, the couple is older and more accessible to each other -- Rapunzel is "over" the romantic hair climbing of their past and is telling her partner to just use the stairs. A play on the trope that long-term relationships get more boring over time.

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operating room

A bunch of surgeons are in an OR. They're getting ready for surgery when a man walks in carrying a golf bag.

A golfer doesn't belong in an OR.

Mind if I cut through?

scene: operating room description: A bunch of surgeons are in an OR. They're getting ready for surgery when a man walks in carrying a golf bag. uncanny: A golfer doesn't belong in an OR. entities: Hospital, Doctor. caption: Mind if I cut through?

Golfers sometimes cut through difficult to cross places to hit their ball as it lies, to save strokes. But here, the golfer is cutting through a very inappropriate place: an operating room. Furthermore, his "cut through" statement takes on a second meaning: it's as if he is asking if he can "cut through" the patient, as in: participate as a surgeon during the operation.

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a butcher shop

A woman is looking at a poster of dancers in a store. A clerk is watching her from behind a counter.

Everything is pretty ordinary here.

I'd suggest you keep them away from the gingerbread men.

scene: a butcher shop description: A woman is looking at a poster of dancers in a store. A clerk is watching her from behind a counter. uncanny: Everything is pretty ordinary here. entities: Can-can, Leg. caption: I'd suggest you keep them away from the gingerbread men.

These odd female dancers are being sold at the meat counter as a product: while this remains unexplained, the butcher's advice is to keep these women away from gingerbread men, which are a type of cookie shaped like men. One would want to keep the men and the women apart because romantic hi-jinks between the men and women might occur.

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a backyard

A woman is seated at a table outside while a man is grilling on the BBQ. The two look up to see reality mirrored above them, with two different people doing the exact same thing.

It is strange to see the neighbors and the world mirrored above instead of being next to them. "The other side" typically means the next door neighbor, not the next neighbor in the sky.

We never should have sold those air rights, Ed.

scene: a backyard description: A woman is seated at a table outside while a man is grilling on the BBQ. The two look up to see reality mirrored above them, with two different people doing the exact same thing. uncanny: It is strange to see the neighbors and the world mirrored above instead of being next to them. "The other side" typically means the next door neighbor, not the next neighbor in the sky. entities: Barbecue, Neighbourhood, Backwards. caption: We never should have sold those air rights, Ed.

The couple on the bottom apparently sold the air rights above their property, not realizing that whoever they sold the rights two would be able to construct an entire parallel house/property above them. The people on the bottom have a more cramped property now that their vertical neighbors live so close. It's funny in part because of the contrast between the benign/everyday nature of legal concerns vs. the whimsical idea that an upside-down house could be constructed.

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a beach

A businessman wearing a suit is carrying a surfboard at the beach. A lifeguard peers down at him and talks to him.

There is a man not wearing a swimsuit but instead a suit going out to surf.

I hate the way corporate thinking has taken over surfing, man.

scene: a beach description: A businessman wearing a suit is carrying a surfboard at the beach. A lifeguard peers down at him and talks to him. uncanny: There is a man not wearing a swimsuit but instead a suit going out to surf. entities: Surfboard, Lifeguard, Businessperson. caption: I hate the way corporate thinking has taken over surfing, man.

It's a funny contrast between the way one might expect corporations to take over surfing versus the way that they are depicted to be doing so. We might imagine a disconnected corporations soullessly promoting surfing products to make profits. But instead, the takeover involves businesspeople literally surfing, which is technically a takeover, but isn't as "corporate" in the cultural sense.

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a china shop

A bull is in a China shop and is inspecting some cup. A woman looks on as do two other people.

There is a bull in a China shop that is the shop owner. That's impossible.

You were right—putting him on commission changed his attitude.

scene: a china shop description: A bull is in a China shop and is inspecting some cup. A woman looks on as do two other people. uncanny: There is a bull in a China shop that is the shop owner. That's impossible. entities: Bull, Shopping. caption: You were right—putting him on commission changed his attitude.

A "bull in a china shop" refers to someone who is not careful and breaks things in situations that require care. In this case, the literal bull has surprisingly reformed to be more careful simply by changing occupations within the store.

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a living room

A man is building a brick wall in the center of a family room. A woman looks at it.

There is a man building a brick wall in the middle of a room.

Which kid do you want?

scene: a living room description: A man is building a brick wall in the center of a family room. A woman looks at it. uncanny: There is a man building a brick wall in the middle of a room. entities: Brickwork, Personal_boundaries. caption: Which kid do you want?

A joke about a man keen to get divorced. In addition to eagerly building a brick wall to separate himself from his spouse, he is wasting no time to ask questions about custody that would normally be really tricky to answer. Bluntly: he's so excited about the divorce that he simply asks which kid she wants, which isn't even how custody usually works.

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hospital

Three people are in a room. There is a doctor, a man laying in a bed and a deep sea diver in his full gear. The man in bed has a surprised and frightened look on his face as the doctor seems to be explaining something to him.

A deep sea diver in full gear is usually on a ship in the water and not inside a bedroom standing next to a doctor and a man in a bed. It's a unusual and unexpected setting to find the deep sea diver.

I wanted you to meet our colon specialist before we miniaturized him.

scene: hospital description: Three people are in a room. There is a doctor, a man laying in a bed and a deep sea diver in his full gear. The man in bed has a surprised and frightened look on his face as the doctor seems to be explaining something to him. uncanny: A deep sea diver in full gear is usually on a ship in the water and not inside a bedroom standing next to a doctor and a man in a bed. It's a unusual and unexpected setting to find the deep sea diver. entities: Prognosis, Standard_diving_dress. caption: I wanted you to meet our colon specialist before we miniaturized him.

An allusion to "Fantastic Voyage" wherein a submarine crew gets miniaturized and sent into a person's body. In this case, the person in the diving suit is a doctor who will perform colon surgery from the inside.

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experimental facility

A rat is talking to a turtle. There are a number of exercise wheels in the background with other rats on them.

The rat is holding a clipboard and standing upright.

We're really looking for someone with more lab experience.

scene: experimental facility description: A rat is talking to a turtle. There are a number of exercise wheels in the background with other rats on them. uncanny: The rat is holding a clipboard and standing upright. entities: Hamster_wheel, Tortoise, Mouse. caption: We're really looking for someone with more lab experience.

The turtle is applying for the job of running in the mouse wheel, but because turtles are not as commonly used as subjects in laboratory studies, its application is gently rejected. It's a play on the term "lab experience," which in a usual job application for a research position might refer to hands-on experience conducting experiments, but here refers to hands-on experience being a test subject.

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doctor's office

A man is floating in the air above a scale. A doctor is talking to him.

The man is in midair above a scare. People don't float.

Is the funny voice really worth all this trouble?

scene: doctor's office description: A man is floating in the air above a scale. A doctor is talking to him. uncanny: The man is in midair above a scare. People don't float. entities: Human_body_weight, Physician. caption: Is the funny voice really worth all this trouble?

When people inhale helium, their voice becomes high pitched and funny. Also, helium is lighter than air, and thus levitates what it fills like balloons. The man has inhaled helium because he wants a funny voice, but the doctor is worried about his weightlessness from a medical perspective.

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the sky

A hitchhiker is on a cloud. Two pilots in a plane stare at him as they pass.

There is a hitchhiker on a cloud. You can't stand on clouds.

He's always had his head in the clouds, but THIS ???

scene: the sky description: A hitchhiker is on a cloud. Two pilots in a plane stare at him as they pass. uncanny: There is a hitchhiker on a cloud. You can't stand on clouds. entities: Airplane, Hitchhiking. caption: He's always had his head in the clouds, but THIS ???

A play on the term "head in the clouds" --- usually, this is a figurative expression to describe a dreamer, an absent minded person, etc. But here, the person outside the plane not only is absent minded, but also, literally has his heads in the clouds by virtue of standing on a cloud at cruising altitude for the plane.

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bar

A lady is sitting on the bar offering a mug of beer to Satan who is sitting on the far end of the counter. Satan has a confused look on his face and the lady seems to be in happy mood.

Satan at the bar looking towards the lady with a confused look is unusual. Lady in happy mood even after seeing Satan is also unusual.

Sure, I’ve got a few minutes to kill.

scene: bar description: A lady is sitting on the bar offering a mug of beer to Satan who is sitting on the far end of the counter. Satan has a confused look on his face and the lady seems to be in happy mood. uncanny: Satan at the bar looking towards the lady with a confused look is unusual. Lady in happy mood even after seeing Satan is also unusual. entities: Death_(personification), Round_of_drinks. caption: Sure, I’ve got a few minutes to kill.

A play on the term "a few minutes to kill" --- this is an expression that someone might say when they are not in a rush; if the person at the bar was a normal person, this would mean that they would be happy to have a beer. Here, because death is at the bar "a few minutes to kill" means that death has a few minutes available to literally kill someone during.

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heavan

A man and a woman are talking. They are angels. The man has a huge halo while the woman has a normal sized one.

The man's halo is unusually large.

I let my mother-in-law move in with us.

scene: heavan description: A man and a woman are talking. They are angels. The man has a huge halo while the woman has a normal sized one. uncanny: The man's halo is unusually large. entities: Angel, Halo_(religious_iconography). caption: I let my mother-in-law move in with us.

There's a trope that an angel might be given a big halo in heaven after they die if they did a particularly selfless act in their life. Here, the above-and-beyond act was letting a mother-in-law live with him and his partner. In general, having a partner's parents move in is very hard, because the in-law may interfere with the couple's independent, day-to-day romantic relationship, and so agreeing to this is a huge sacrifice. It's funny in part because this isn't the biggest possible sacrifice in life, but is under-rated as a selfless act.

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an office

Two people are sitting across a desk from one another. They are both tied up in straight jackets.

People don't normally wear straight jackets in offices.

I have some good news—we're letting you go.

scene: an office description: Two people are sitting across a desk from one another. They are both tied up in straight jackets. uncanny: People don't normally wear straight jackets in offices. entities: Straitjacket, Interview. caption: I have some good news—we're letting you go.

A play on the words "letting you go" -- normally, if your boss was to "let you go" it would be bad news, because they would be firing you. In this context, "letting you go" means removing you from your straight jacket, which would be good news. Because the boss also has a straitjackets, the employee might be getting fired from this company where everyone wears straitjackets, but that would still be good news because this is a terrible workplace.

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Noah's Ark

There are a bunch of giraffes on Noah's boat. Noah is talking to a woman.

Noah's boat normally has different animal pairs on it, not just giraffes, so this many giraffes is not normal.

I wouldn't say ‘favorite’ animal...

scene: Noah's Ark description: There are a bunch of giraffes on Noah's boat. Noah is talking to a woman. uncanny: Noah's boat normally has different animal pairs on it, not just giraffes, so this many giraffes is not normal. entities: Giraffe, Boat. caption: I wouldn't say ‘favorite’ animal...

Noah only takes two of each animal on the ark. Here, the defensive Noah took many more than 2 giraffes, and is being interrogated for that decision.

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ranch

There is a horse in its pen. It's bucking off a man in a suit.

The man is not dressed for riding.

Hi Hon. Can you meet me at the hospital in about ten minutes?

scene: ranch description: There is a horse in its pen. It's bucking off a man in a suit. uncanny: The man is not dressed for riding. entities: Bucking_horse, White-collar_worker. caption: Hi Hon. Can you meet me at the hospital in about ten minutes?

The man on the phone is pre-planning his own hospital visit. This is unusual, because one would think that he would be focused on avoiding injury from the currently-occuring situation instead of, in a surprisingly carefree and cheerful manner, telling his friend to meet him at the hospital.

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a therapist office

A bacon therapist is having a therapy session with an egg. The egg is telling the bacon its problems. The bacon is writing things down.

There is an egg and bacon talking and in therapy.

Easy for you to say, you're cured!

scene: a therapist office description: A bacon therapist is having a therapy session with an egg. The egg is telling the bacon its problems. The bacon is writing things down. uncanny: There is an egg and bacon talking and in therapy. entities: Bacon, Egg, Anthropomorphism. caption: Easy for you to say, you're cured!

A play on the word "cured". People go to therapy to have their mental problems remedied or cured. But "cured" can also refer to a meat preparation technique --- here the therapist is cured bacon, and the patient is an egg (which is not cured). The egg is saying that the therapist doesn't understand his problems because he's "cured" in both senses.

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the side of a building

A policeman, priest, and firefighter are standing on the ledge of a building downtown in a city. A man emerges from a nearby window to speak with them.

This group of people normally doesn't hang out together, let alone on the side of a building. The fact that there are three of them alludes to "three X walk into a bar" jokes.

Fellas, your empathy for victims is outstanding.

scene: the side of a building description: A policeman, priest, and firefighter are standing on the ledge of a building downtown in a city. A man emerges from a nearby window to speak with them. uncanny: This group of people normally doesn't hang out together, let alone on the side of a building. The fact that there are three of them alludes to "three X walk into a bar" jokes. entities: Firefighter, Police_officer, Bar_joke. caption: Fellas, your empathy for victims is outstanding.

A dark joke: firemen, police officers, and priests might all be involved if someone was to commit suicide by jumping off a building, and in the process, they might build empathy for victims. But here, they take their empathy too far and literally step out on the edge to understand the victim.

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a conference room

Outside of a work meeting there are a few cleaning men with helmets and sunglasses on. They are posing like they are ready to crash the meeting.

Cleaning crews mostly focus on cleaning the windows without wearing helmets and sunglasses.

Due to financial difficulties, several board members have taken on additional duties.

scene: a conference room description: Outside of a work meeting there are a few cleaning men with helmets and sunglasses on. They are posing like they are ready to crash the meeting. uncanny: Cleaning crews mostly focus on cleaning the windows without wearing helmets and sunglasses. entities: Construction_worker, Audience. caption: Due to financial difficulties, several board members have taken on additional duties.

If a company was experiencing financial difficulties, board members wouldn't be making as much money: this joke takes that to a funny extreme --- the executives have become window cleaners for the building their company is in, even though board members are usually millionaires. It's funny because they are still attending the board meeting, but from their window washing platform outside.

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an airfield

A jet plane has legs like a woman with high heels. The pilot is seen climbing aboard while a traffic controller waits for the signal.

Jets do not have human legs.

She thinks her bomb bay makes her look fat.

scene: an airfield description: A jet plane has legs like a woman with high heels. The pilot is seen climbing aboard while a traffic controller waits for the signal. uncanny: Jets do not have human legs. entities: High-heeled_shoe, Jet_aircraft, Landing_gear. caption: She thinks her bomb bay makes her look fat.

A trope of women dressing in fancy clothes is that they fear the clothes will "make them look fat". If a woman was a fighter plane, the joke is that the woman would still be worried about her appearance, but instead of clothes fitting poorly, she's worried about the bomb bay making her look fat.

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office room

Two men are sitting across each other from a desk. There is a large pencil sharpener and cup of pencils on the desk.

Pencil sharpeners and pencils are usually not that large.

Let's continue this discussion over a hot barrel of coffee.

scene: office room description: Two men are sitting across each other from a desk. There is a large pencil sharpener and cup of pencils on the desk. uncanny: Pencil sharpeners and pencils are usually not that large. entities: Pencil_sharpener, Pencil. caption: Let's continue this discussion over a hot barrel of coffee.

Everything on the man's desk is over-sized, so perhaps everything in this company is too: instead of a mug of coffee, they will be drinking an entire barrel.

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horse track

there is a horse race on the track as the audience looks on. the riders are racing on toy horses.

Riders usually ride real horses and not toy ones.

They're trying to attract a younger crowd.

scene: horse track description: there is a horse race on the track as the audience looks on. the riders are racing on toy horses. uncanny: Riders usually ride real horses and not toy ones. entities: Horse, Horse_racing. caption: They're trying to attract a younger crowd.

The jockeys are riding a common children's toy: the "hobby horse". The joke is that this particular race track switched from the real horses to the toy horses as a marketing ploy so that they could attract younger fans to watch the races. It's funny in part because it's not clear why a race track, who relies on gambling, would want to attract children with no access to money as customers.

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the outdoors

Two people are sitting in chairs outside. The woman is being taken away by giant insects.

The insects are giant.

To be fair, Martha, you did just kill one of their kids.

scene: the outdoors description: Two people are sitting in chairs outside. The woman is being taken away by giant insects. uncanny: The insects are giant. entities: Mosquito, Gigantism. caption: To be fair, Martha, you did just kill one of their kids.

A joke about mosquito parents being enormous --- it's common for people to kill mosquitoes by slapping them before they bite, but if mosquito parents were very large as depicted, they might try to beat up the person who killed their kid; the man nonchalantly says that this is an expected and justified outcome for a benign action.

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traffic

Two cars got into an accident. The owners are an angle and the other one is a devil. They are staring at it.

An angel and devil got into a car wreck.

Didn’t you see the light?

scene: traffic description: Two cars got into an accident. The owners are an angle and the other one is a devil. They are staring at it. uncanny: An angel and devil got into a car wreck. entities: Traffic_collision, Shoulder_angel. caption: Didn’t you see the light?

A play on the phrase "see the light". Figuratively, it means to have a revelation about a period of doubt, sometimes in a religious way. Here, satan, a fallen angel of god who sometimes masquerades as a good angel, has not seen the light. But here, he also hasn't seen the literal street light, causing a car crash. The angel is surprised satan didn't see the light in either sense.

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a therapist office

Movers take a couch as a woman talks to a man sitting down. They seem to be in an office.

A patient doesn't take the couch away from a therapist.

Crazy people have sat in yours.

scene: a therapist office description: Movers take a couch as a woman talks to a man sitting down. They seem to be in an office. uncanny: A patient doesn't take the couch away from a therapist. entities: Couch, Relocation_(personal). caption: Crazy people have sat in yours.

The woman is going to therapy, but refuses to sit on the office couch because "crazy people have sat in it". But, by being this neurotic and replacing the couch for her appointment, she outs herself as a crazy person herself. The therapist has a lot to work on.

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bar

A man in a hazmat suit is at a bar. A man in a tie is taring at him.

There is a man wearing a hazmat suit in a bar.

Ever have the feeling you forgot to turn something off?

scene: bar description: A man in a hazmat suit is at a bar. A man in a tie is taring at him. uncanny: There is a man wearing a hazmat suit in a bar. entities: Hazmat_suit, Martini_(cocktail). caption: Ever have the feeling you forgot to turn something off?

The nonchalant statement of forgetting to turn an oven or burner off would be common to hear in a bar --- but coming from the man in the nuclear hazmat suit, who presumably is some sort of safety operator at a nuclear plant, is quite alarming, because it implies a nearby nuclear plant is likely to explode in short order.

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a residential home

A man a woman look up at the front of their house to see a piano dropped on top of it. They property and the piano are completely destroyed.

It is virtually impossible to have a grand piano that is as big and massive as a house. It is also improbable to even fall out of the sky and crash down into a house.

The piano's in tune, but the house is a little flat.

scene: a residential home description: A man a woman look up at the front of their house to see a piano dropped on top of it. They property and the piano are completely destroyed. uncanny: It is virtually impossible to have a grand piano that is as big and massive as a house. It is also improbable to even fall out of the sky and crash down into a house. entities: Piano, Demolition. caption: The piano's in tune, but the house is a little flat.

A play on words: "flat" can mean that an instrument is out of tune, like the piano could be (but isn't). The house is literally "flat", however, i.e.: it has been flattened to the ground.

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beach

A man and woman are at the beach, but their position has flooded. They are waist deep in water.

The tide might be out of place depending on the time of day.

I clearly recall choosing hell over high water.

scene: beach description: A man and woman are at the beach, but their position has flooded. They are waist deep in water. uncanny: The tide might be out of place depending on the time of day. entities: Flood, Umbrella. caption: I clearly recall choosing hell over high water.

A reference to the idiom: "hell or high water": in this case, they were literally given the choice, and despite apparently choosing "hell", they were given "high water", as depicted.

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a ship

A sailor hoists up multiple flags, each one showing an emoji. The other sailor looks on with a thoughtful look on his face.

Sailors in the navy do not use emojis as the design for their flags because it would look ridiculous.

We've been struggling to enlist millenials.

scene: a ship description: A sailor hoists up multiple flags, each one showing an emoji. The other sailor looks on with a thoughtful look on his face. uncanny: Sailors in the navy do not use emojis as the design for their flags because it would look ridiculous. entities: Flag, Emoji. caption: We've been struggling to enlist millenials.

The sailors are trying to recruit millennials using these new flags. Millennials are broadly tech savy because they grew up with the internet, and so the sailors think the best way to communicate with them is using emojis.

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a city

People are pushing statues of a bull and an ostrich with its head in the sand. Some men stare at them.

There are people pushing huge statues down the street. The ostrich with its head in the stand is unusual for a statue.

If we just ignore it, maybe it'll go away.

scene: a city description: People are pushing statues of a bull and an ostrich with its head in the sand. Some men stare at them. uncanny: There are people pushing huge statues down the street. The ostrich with its head in the stand is unusual for a statue. entities: Ostrich_effect, Bull. caption: If we just ignore it, maybe it'll go away.

A joke about financial collapse on wall street. Wall street has a famous statue of a bull which "represents the courage and can-do spirit of Americans," but the cartoon suggests that sometimes, for the stock market crashing, a more appropriate mascot might be an ostrich hiding its head in the dirt, as a representation of ignoring problems and hiding from them.

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an island

A woman has been stranded on a small island. A plumber is walking out of the ocean onto the island.

The plumber is out of place since the island doesn't have any plumbing.

There's water everywhere

scene: an island description: A woman has been stranded on a small island. A plumber is walking out of the ocean onto the island. uncanny: The plumber is out of place since the island doesn't have any plumbing. entities: Plumber, Castaway. caption: There's water everywhere

Someone might call a plumber to fix a leak in their house --- leaks usually result in flooding and "water everywhere." But here, while the same concern is stated, the water is the ocean. it's funny because it's not clear what the plumber is supposed to do to fix it.

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a call center

A dirty man crawls on the ground towards a group of people sitting down. They are looking at him in astonishment with a sign above them that says "Emergency Hotline".

People usually call a hotline for help and not crawl to the place.

This better be good. That floor was waxed last night!

scene: a call center description: A dirty man crawls on the ground towards a group of people sitting down. They are looking at him in astonishment with a sign above them that says "Emergency Hotline". uncanny: People usually call a hotline for help and not crawl to the place. entities: Emergency, Queue_area. caption: This better be good. That floor was waxed last night!

A joke about a surprisingly callous emergency hotline office. The people answering calls are presumably trying to help people with emergencies. But, when presented with someone in an emergency directly in front of them, the crawling man needing help, they react without empathy, saying that their office was just cleaned and the person asking for help better have a good reason for messing up their floor.

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lab

A man experimenting in his lab is interrupted by his butler. He was experimenting on a monstrous man at a table.

It is illegal to do experiments on people without consent.

Will the gentleman be alive for dinner, sir?

scene: lab description: A man experimenting in his lab is interrupted by his butler. He was experimenting on a monstrous man at a table. uncanny: It is illegal to do experiments on people without consent. entities: Frankenstein, Butler. caption: Will the gentleman be alive for dinner, sir?

A joke about a butler preparing dinner for a scientist and his subject. The scientist is trying to bring the monster back to life; the butler is wondering if the monster will be alive in time for dinner, and if he should prepare extra food for this potential dinner guest.

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the sidewalk

Two men are standing together on the sidewalk. One of them is being flanked by two drones, who are holding his pants up.

It is an odd use for a drone and an odd way to keep your pants up.

I wear the pants but my wife controls them.

scene: the sidewalk description: Two men are standing together on the sidewalk. One of them is being flanked by two drones, who are holding his pants up. uncanny: It is an odd use for a drone and an odd way to keep your pants up. entities: Unmanned_aerial_vehicle, Garter. caption: I wear the pants but my wife controls them.

A joke that plays on two marriage tropes: who "wears the pants" in the relationship (i.e., who takes on the traditionally masculine role) and who is really in control (i.e., the trope is that women exert most of the control behind the scenes). But here, these tropes are literal: the man is literally wearing weird pants held up by drones, and the wife is literally controlling the contraption via remote control access of the drones.

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a bar

A prisoner comes up from breaking out of prison to have a drink at a bar. There is a pick ax and a hole to show that he went strait to the bar. The bartender is nonchalant about him being there.

If a prisoner were to do this he would be caught immediately and the bartender would be calling the police.

If anybody calls, I'm not here.

scene: a bar description: A prisoner comes up from breaking out of prison to have a drink at a bar. There is a pick ax and a hole to show that he went strait to the bar. The bartender is nonchalant about him being there. uncanny: If a prisoner were to do this he would be caught immediately and the bartender would be calling the police. entities: Prisoner, Prison_escape. caption: If anybody calls, I'm not here.

People are often bashful about being caught at their local bar drinking when they should be elsewhere, e.g., with their families. Sometimes people looking for bar regulars will call and ask if the person they are looking for is at the bar. But --- here, the person is an escaped prisoner, and the person calling would be the guard looking for him, so he has extra incentive to not be found.

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the ocean

A fish and a bird are staring at each other. It is not clear from the image if bird is in the water or if fish is in the air.

Both bird and fish are in a state that does not seem to be too intense, which indicates that fish is in the water and bird is in the air, but both can't be true.

One of us is about to die.

scene: the ocean description: A fish and a bird are staring at each other. It is not clear from the image if bird is in the water or if fish is in the air. uncanny: Both bird and fish are in a state that does not seem to be too intense, which indicates that fish is in the water and bird is in the air, but both can't be true. entities: Columbidae, Fish. caption: One of us is about to die.

The fish can't breathe in the air and the birds can't breathe underwater. The joke plays on the ambiguity of the situation because it's not clear whether this scene is taking place under water (the bird will die) or in the air (the fish will die).

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office

Two men are carrying a big snake into a building. Another man approaches them with a paper in his hand.

Snakes don't get that big.

No, what I said was we need more stakeholders.

scene: office description: Two men are carrying a big snake into a building. Another man approaches them with a paper in his hand. uncanny: Snakes don't get that big. entities: Snake, Herpetology, Ophidiophobia. caption: No, what I said was we need more stakeholders.

"Stakeholders" sounds like "snakeholders": stakeholders would be a normal office request, but the two people holding a snake have surprised their boss by becoming literal snakeholders instead.

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work office

Two men are entering an office. No one is there, but there is a sword stuck in a desk.

The sword is out of place in an office.

The pen is mightier, but that looks awesome.

scene: work office description: Two men are entering an office. No one is there, but there is a sword stuck in a desk. uncanny: The sword is out of place in an office. entities: Sword, Desk. caption: The pen is mightier, but that looks awesome.

A reference to the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword" which says that laws/written words are more powerful than physical force in the modern world. These people are questioning that saying: upon seeing the sword out-of-place in the desk, they are in awe of its physical appearance/strength. This is a funny push-back on the common adage.

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plains

Two giraffes are outside talking. Their necks are all tangled together.

Giraffes don't get tangled up like that.

I always knew we'd wind up together.

scene: plains description: Two giraffes are outside talking. Their necks are all tangled together. uncanny: Giraffes don't get tangled up like that. entities: Giraffe, Knot. caption: I always knew we'd wind up together.

A play on the phrase "wind up together," which is usually a figurative expression to describe two lovers who get married, but did so without an intentional plan. Here, however, the two giraffes have their necks literally wound together.

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a meeting room

Office workers are dancing on a table at an office. One man looks angrily at them.

There are office workers dancing on a table. That is frowned upon and not professional.

Honestly, I’m not sure you’re partner material.

scene: a meeting room description: Office workers are dancing on a table at an office. One man looks angrily at them. uncanny: There are office workers dancing on a table. That is frowned upon and not professional. entities: Twist_(dance), Meeting. caption: Honestly, I’m not sure you’re partner material.

A play on the word "partner" --- in the context of a law firm, a "partner" is a high ranking lawyer at the firm. But here, everyone at the law firm is dancing on a table, and so "partner" takes on the second meaning of dancing partner. Here, the lawyer might not achieve law partner possibly because he isn't a good dancing partner.

357ad9b2c30cd3d19ac82555c562dee2

a stage

A man is juggling chainsaws. A second man is whispering to a third man behind a podium.

The juggler is doing something very dangerous in front of people.

Wave to him.

scene: a stage description: A man is juggling chainsaws. A second man is whispering to a third man behind a podium. uncanny: The juggler is doing something very dangerous in front of people. entities: Juggling, Chainsaw. caption: Wave to him.

While his political opponent is putting on an impressive show, if the politician getting advice were to wave to the juggling politician, it might distract him enough such that the chainsaws would kill him by sawing into his body. If his political opponent was dead, he would win the election, which makes it good practical (albeit dark) advice

eba609c7ace295f470f09bbfa9b12d50

an office building

There are two businessmen, both wearing suits and carrying briefcases. The man on the right is walking down the hallway carrying an inflatable sex doll under his arm.

The businessman has a sex doll in a work environment.

I couldn't find a real naked woman to ride with me in the H.O.V. lane.

scene: an office building description: There are two businessmen, both wearing suits and carrying briefcases. The man on the right is walking down the hallway carrying an inflatable sex doll under his arm. uncanny: The businessman has a sex doll in a work environment. entities: Sex_doll, Businessperson. caption: I couldn't find a real naked woman to ride with me in the H.O.V. lane.

The H.O.V. lane is a prioritized traffic design that allows cars with multiple occupants their own lane. Here, the man wants to go in the lane, but only with a naked woman passenger. Possibly because of the oddity of this request, no one took him up on it, and so, he has a naked doll instead to trick police offers to not giving him a ticket for illegally driving alone in the H.O.V. lane.

c2364f0d4a4808c7f9f8cd73e2303a87

office

A man is at the computer in an office. Two other men are watching him.

The men on the computers are wind-up toys.

Backstabbing was already prevalent--we just added a twist.

scene: office description: A man is at the computer in an office. Two other men are watching him. uncanny: The men on the computers are wind-up toys. entities: Cubicle, Wind-up_toy. caption: Backstabbing was already prevalent--we just added a twist.

A play on the terms "backstabbing" and "twist". Figuratively, backstabbing in an office would refer to betrayal, e.g., by passing someone over for a promotion. But here, the backstabbing in the office is literal. Furthermore, the "twist" is indeed a figurative twist, i.e., an unexpected turn of events. But, it's also a literal twist added to the backstabbing: instead of stabbing with knives, employees are backstabbed with literally twistable "keys" that are usually used to wind up, e.g., toys.

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the bedroom

Two people are laying in bed. They are looking at numerous holes in the bedroom floor.

There are a lot of holes in the floor.

Why don't you get the coffee this morning?

scene: the bedroom description: Two people are laying in bed. They are looking at numerous holes in the bedroom floor. uncanny: There are a lot of holes in the floor. entities: Fissure_vent, Earthquake. caption: Why don't you get the coffee this morning?

This bedroom is quite dangerous --- there are holes in the floor that would be easy to fall into. These two people are apparently taking turns navigating these hazards, and one is saying it's the other person's turn to brave them to grab them both coffee to bring back to the safe bed. It's funny because it's not clear why they are trying to live normally in this overtly dangerous place.

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a kingdom

There are two medieval guards in the throne room of a castle. One guard is standing next to the throne with spear in hand. The other guard has a hammock set up between two columns and he is lounging in it. The guard in the hammock is talking.

It is unusual for a king's guard to be lounging in a hammock while on duty.

Technically, I'm guarding two posts.

scene: a kingdom description: There are two medieval guards in the throne room of a castle. One guard is standing next to the throne with spear in hand. The other guard has a hammock set up between two columns and he is lounging in it. The guard in the hammock is talking. uncanny: It is unusual for a king's guard to be lounging in a hammock while on duty. entities: Hammock, Royal_guard. caption: Technically, I'm guarding two posts.

A play on words: to guard a "post" usually means to patrol a location, but here, the guard in the hammock is just relaxing and not working. However, in another sense he is guarding the two literal posts his hammock is attached to, which he argues means that he's technically doing twice the expected work.

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a bedroom

Two people are laying in bed. They are looking at numerous holes in the bedroom floor.

There are a lot of holes in the floor.

Why don't you get the coffee this morning?

scene: a bedroom description: Two people are laying in bed. They are looking at numerous holes in the bedroom floor. uncanny: There are a lot of holes in the floor. entities: Earthquake, Sleep. caption: Why don't you get the coffee this morning?

This bedroom is quite dangerous --- there are holes in the floor that would be easy to fall into. These two people are apparently taking turns navigating these hazards, and one is saying it's the other person's turn to brave them to grab them both coffee to bring back to the safe bed. It's funny because it's not clear why they are trying to live normally in this overtly dangerous place.

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stage

A man is doing a magic trick. He is putting paper in a shredder as a woman helps him.

The man is doing a magic trick with a shredder, which is odd.

It's not magic. It's a Georgia ballot box.

scene: stage description: A man is doing a magic trick. He is putting paper in a shredder as a woman helps him. uncanny: The man is doing a magic trick with a shredder, which is odd. entities: Paper_shredder, Magic_(illusion). caption: It's not magic. It's a Georgia ballot box.

A jab at the US state of Georgia's election processes. Historically, Georgia has a reputation for enacting policies that cause voter suppression. Here, the magician is making a ballot disappear (similar to a common magic trick of making a rabbit disappear), but instead of it being a trick he's just shredding ballots, and alluding to the idea that, in effect, this is what might as well happen to ballots when they are cast in unfair Georgian elections.

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a meeting room

There are five people sitting around the table in a board room. Outside there is a huge monster looking in and showing its teeth. The people are frightened.

There is a monster outside the office window.

I wish they would just go back to tapping our phone lines.

scene: a meeting room description: There are five people sitting around the table in a board room. Outside there is a huge monster looking in and showing its teeth. The people are frightened. uncanny: There is a monster outside the office window. entities: Godzilla, White-collar_worker. caption: I wish they would just go back to tapping our phone lines.

Governments sometimes tap phone lines (as in: the patriot act). But this goes a step further: instead of just listening in via tapping the phone lines, the government has literally deployed an army of monsters to watch everyone to make sure everyone is behaving.

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a meeting room

There is a boardroom with several people sitting at a conference table. On one side of the table are several men seated with hands on the table. On the other side, and at the head of the table, are several women with one hand raised.

Only women in the scene are raising their hands, while the men are watching, seemingly confused.

Well, then, it's unanimous.

scene: a meeting room description: There is a boardroom with several people sitting at a conference table. On one side of the table are several men seated with hands on the table. On the other side, and at the head of the table, are several women with one hand raised. uncanny: Only women in the scene are raising their hands, while the men are watching, seemingly confused. entities: Woman, Sexism. caption: Well, then, it's unanimous.

The caption plays on the idea that men aren't listened to in decision making processes in romantic relationships. This company board vote isn't actually unanimous (because only the women have raised their hands), but if you don't listen to the men, it is.

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a bedroom

A couple are lying on a bed together. The man is dressed in sporting equipment. The woman is wearing a dress and has a hairband with some fuzzy-tipped antennae attached

It's unusual for a man to be lying in bed dressed in sporting equipment

Okay. Now you be the naughty mosquito, and I'll be the tormented sporting goods salesman.

scene: a bedroom description: A couple are lying on a bed together. The man is dressed in sporting equipment. The woman is wearing a dress and has a hairband with some fuzzy-tipped antennae attached uncanny: It's unusual for a man to be lying in bed dressed in sporting equipment entities: Sexual_fetishism, Fly-killing_device. caption: Okay. Now you be the naughty mosquito, and I'll be the tormented sporting goods salesman.

A literal enumeration that pokes fun at the specificity of some people's sexual kinks --- here, the combination of items in the bedroom (helmet, racket, fake bug antenna) are seemingly irreconcilable, but the caption simply verbosely explains them away as a woman's very specific interest. It's funny because this is probably not an interest that anyone has (even though people do have specific interests).

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the living room

A man and a woman are sitting on a couch. They are surrounded by numerous monkeys.

Monkeys are found in jungles or zoos, not in houses.

Then maybe you should just tell me what you want for your birthday instead of saying you don't care.

scene: the living room description: A man and a woman are sitting on a couch. They are surrounded by numerous monkeys. uncanny: Monkeys are found in jungles or zoos, not in houses. entities: Monkey, Amazon_rainforest, Amazon_(company). caption: Then maybe you should just tell me what you want for your birthday instead of saying you don't care.

People often claim they "don't care" what others get them for their birthday, but this isn't literally true: if someone got them a dozen monkeys (as pictured), they probably would be mad because dealing with the monkeys is a lot of work.

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a barber shop

A man walks into a barbershop with a bird in his hair. The barber looks perplexed at the situation.

Birds do not nest in people's hair but some people's hair resemble a bird's nest.

Could you trim the sides but leave it feathered on top?

scene: a barber shop description: A man walks into a barbershop with a bird in his hair. The barber looks perplexed at the situation. uncanny: Birds do not nest in people's hair but some people's hair resemble a bird's nest. entities: Barber_chair, Bird_nest. caption: Could you trim the sides but leave it feathered on top?

A play on the word "feathered" --- it's possible to cut and style hair in a "feathered" fashion, which refers to a particular look. Here, "feathered" takes a literal meaning, because there's a pigeon on the man's head: in this case, "leave it feathered on top" is a request to the barber that humorously means that the bird should be left alone.

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the middle of a desert

There are two cowboys on horses in the desert. One cowboy is talking while the other watches him. In the foreground there are remnants of a campsite with a fire still burning next to a cappuccino machine, coffee cups and pitcher.

It is unusual for anyone who is camping to bring a large cappuccino machine.

Decaf. They can't be far away.

scene: the middle of a desert description: There are two cowboys on horses in the desert. One cowboy is talking while the other watches him. In the foreground there are remnants of a campsite with a fire still burning next to a cappuccino machine, coffee cups and pitcher. uncanny: It is unusual for anyone who is camping to bring a large cappuccino machine. entities: Cowboy, Espresso_machine. caption: Decaf. They can't be far away.

A joke about the impact of caffeine. The two wild-west police officers have encountered the previous night's hide-out of the criminals, but because the criminals drank decaffeinated coffee instead of caffeinated, they likely have less energy to be on the run because caffeine energizes people. So: because they drank decaf, they aren't as far as if they had caffeniated.

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the sidewalk

There are people on a street. A woman has a baby carriage with huge monster-truck wheels on it. A man with a normal stroller stares at her.

The baby carriage has monster truck wheels on it, which is not normal.

The rear-facing camera let's him know I'm here.

scene: the sidewalk description: There are people on a street. A woman has a baby carriage with huge monster-truck wheels on it. A man with a normal stroller stares at her. uncanny: The baby carriage has monster truck wheels on it, which is not normal. entities: Baby_transport, Tire. caption: The rear-facing camera let's him know I'm here.

A joke about child-rearing technology becoming over-complicated --- here, the mom has all the latest technology for her baby, including a monster-truck-esque baby carriage. The carriage itself is quite complicated, and the baby can't even directly see the mom: the baby can only see the mom via a rear-facing camera. It's funny in part because it comments on how technology might be separating us more than connecting us.

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city

There are a bunch of people lined up on the street. A devil has opened up a hole in the ground and people are coming out. Fire erupts from the hole.

There are devils in the street and a hole in the ground with fire coming out.

Watch your step, I think this street is paved with Good Intentions.

scene: city description: There are a bunch of people lined up on the street. A devil has opened up a hole in the ground and people are coming out. Fire erupts from the hole. uncanny: There are devils in the street and a hole in the ground with fire coming out. entities: Devil, Sewerage. caption: Watch your step, I think this street is paved with Good Intentions.

A play on the figurative saying "The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions" --- this saying means that good intentions, left unchecked, can often lead to the worst outcomes. But here, the street is literally a path to hell, and so the man is saying it must be the street from the saying.

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a courtroom

A man is on trial in a courtroom. The man is being questioned by an attorney while a judge watches. The man has a hook for a hand.

The man with a hook for a hand is likely to be a pirate, and it's unusual that a pirate would be on trial in a modern courtroom, as pictured; this is because pirates of this sort are mostly associated with colonial times.

When did you first encounter my client's balloon?

scene: a courtroom description: A man is on trial in a courtroom. The man is being questioned by an attorney while a judge watches. The man has a hook for a hand. uncanny: The man with a hook for a hand is likely to be a pirate, and it's unusual that a pirate would be on trial in a modern courtroom, as pictured; this is because pirates of this sort are mostly associated with colonial times. entities: Piracy, Defendant. caption: When did you first encounter my client's balloon?

A man with a hook for a hand is on trial. Apparently, his crime was popping a balloon, which he did either purposefully or accidentally, with his hook. It's funny partly because it's unclear what type of balloon popping crime would be significant enough to put him on trial.

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prison

A couple is sleeping together in a bed. Their bed is upright in a jail cell.

It is not normal for a couple to sleep together in a jail cell. It is usually in a bedroom.

How about we just stay in tonight?

scene: prison description: A couple is sleeping together in a bed. Their bed is upright in a jail cell. uncanny: It is not normal for a couple to sleep together in a jail cell. It is usually in a bedroom. entities: Prisoner, Sex. caption: How about we just stay in tonight?

To "stay in tonight" usually means for a couple to relax/get take-out food/stay in bed instead of going out to restaurants and bars. But here, the people don't have a choice of going out: they are in prison. The funny part is that the statement implies that they had a choice and are simply selecting this of their own free will when they're not.

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the courtroom

A lawyer is questioning a witness in court. A judge looks on.

Nothing is out of place.

When did you first encounter my client's balloon?

scene: the courtroom description: A lawyer is questioning a witness in court. A judge looks on. uncanny: Nothing is out of place. entities: Interrogation, Witness. caption: When did you first encounter my client's balloon?

A man with a hook for a hand is on trial. Apparently, his crime was popping a balloon, which he did either purposefully or accidentally, with his hook. It's funny partly because it's unclear what type of balloon popping crime would be significant enough to put him on trial.

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a pirate ship

Some pirates are standing around a plank on a pirate ship. The man they were executing is diving into the water.

The man is diving off the plank like an Olympic diver.

I can't believe my eye!

scene: a pirate ship description: Some pirates are standing around a plank on a pirate ship. The man they were executing is diving into the water. uncanny: The man is diving off the plank like an Olympic diver. entities: Walking_the_plank, Piracy, Diving_(sport). caption: I can't believe my eye!

A person doing a fancy dive off the end of a plank is unusual, because this is usually used as a method of execution; so pirate on the ship is surprised, but instead of saying "I can't believe my eyes," a normal expression indicating surprise, he says "my eye" because he's a pirate wearing a traditional pirate eyepatch, which causes him to only be able to see out of one eye.

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a party

There are a bunch of people at a party. A drunk woman is approaching two astronauts.

There are guys dressed like astronauts at a party.

You two seem oddly suited.

scene: a party description: There are a bunch of people at a party. A drunk woman is approaching two astronauts. uncanny: There are guys dressed like astronauts at a party. entities: Alcohol_intoxication, Astronaut, Space_suit. caption: You two seem oddly suited.

Two people being "oddly suited" usually means that their personalities are surprisingly compatible, despite having many differences. But here, they are literally "oddly suited," i.e., they are wearing odd suits for a party (diving suit, space suit).

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water

Two men are holding onto a sinking boat in a cup of coffee. The seas in the coffee mug are very rough.

There is a sinking boat in a coffee cup.

Throw us a doughnut!

scene: water description: Two men are holding onto a sinking boat in a cup of coffee. The seas in the coffee mug are very rough. uncanny: There is a sinking boat in a coffee cup. entities: Teacup, Shipwreck. caption: Throw us a doughnut!

A play on the word "doughnut." On the one hand, a doughnut is a sweet food that is often eaten with bitter coffee/teas for balance. But also, a doughnut looks like a life preserver, which is a flotation device that could be quite useful during a shipwreck, which is why the people in trouble are requesting it.

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office

Several people are walking through the lobby of an office building. On one side of the office a man is restrained in the stocks, possibly as some type of punishment.

A man is being restrained in a way that has not been used for hundreds of years and it is happening in a modern environment.

It was a very hostile takeover.

scene: office description: Several people are walking through the lobby of an office building. On one side of the office a man is restrained in the stocks, possibly as some type of punishment. uncanny: A man is being restrained in a way that has not been used for hundreds of years and it is happening in a modern environment. entities: Pillory, Punishment. caption: It was a very hostile takeover.

A hostile takeover in the business world happens when a company attempts to acquire another against the boards wishes. But here, the hostility of the takeover is literal and exaggerated: the old board members are put in the pillory as a form of public humiliation, in addition to having their company taken over.

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an office

A stick figure is at a job interview. The person interviewing him seems to be pleased by the meeting.

Stick figures are animated drawings that do not come to life.

I'm sorry, this is Tic-Tac-Toe—applications for Hangman are down the hall.

scene: an office description: A stick figure is at a job interview. The person interviewing him seems to be pleased by the meeting. uncanny: Stick figures are animated drawings that do not come to life. entities: Stick_figure, Job_interview. caption: I'm sorry, this is Tic-Tac-Toe—applications for Hangman are down the hall.

A stick figure, out of place in an otherwise normal office scenario, might be interviewing for the job of the stick figure from the word game "hangman". This building apparently offers interviews for various game roles, e.g., Tic-tac-toe.

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farm

A horse is wearing shoes on its hooves. The rancher is looking at the horse in disbelief.

Horses can't wear shoes because they have hooves instead of feet.

I don't need your approval. I just need you to tie the laces.

scene: farm description: A horse is wearing shoes on its hooves. The rancher is looking at the horse in disbelief. uncanny: Horses can't wear shoes because they have hooves instead of feet. entities: Horse, Cowboy. caption: I don't need your approval. I just need you to tie the laces.

The joke is about an indignant horse insisting that they should be allowed to wear these unusual shoes, despite the cowboy's skepticism. The horse needs the cowboy to tie the shoelaces because its physically unable, but the cowboy is skeptical if the shoes should be allowed. It's funny in part because the horse is acting like a teenager asserting its independence, rebelling against a parent by wearing unusual clothing.

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road

Two people are riding on a single bike that is stretched out massively. Each person has their own pedals, seat, and steering wheel but they only have one wheel each. They are both on their phones.

It is weird to have a bike that extended and to have the parts split up in such a way. It is also strange how the two people are mirroring each other with the phone and hand placement.

Look, you agreed to a trial separation.

scene: road description: Two people are riding on a single bike that is stretched out massively. Each person has their own pedals, seat, and steering wheel but they only have one wheel each. They are both on their phones. uncanny: It is weird to have a bike that extended and to have the parts split up in such a way. It is also strange how the two people are mirroring each other with the phone and hand placement. entities: Tandem_bicycle#:~:text=A%20tandem%20bicycle%20or%20twin,not%20the%20number%20of%20riders., Road_cycling. caption: Look, you agreed to a trial separation.

A play on the idea of trail separation not being as definitive as divorce. This couple agreed to live apart temporarily without becoming divorced, but are still attached both by marriage, and in this case, literally by a tandem bike. The bike is a somewhat awkward not-full-separation, just like a trial separation.

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a restaurant

People are at a table playing games, reading, and working on the computer. A woman is reading a book and talking to a man.

People are doing many things at a table and are very busy.

Your availability comes off as desperation.

scene: a restaurant description: People are at a table playing games, reading, and working on the computer. A woman is reading a book and talking to a man. uncanny: People are doing many things at a table and are very busy. entities: Chess, Laptop. caption: Your availability comes off as desperation.

A joke about the distractions of the modern world. A common complaint is that people can't sit down and have a conversation without doing something else like being on a phone or reading. In this world, the only one being present is chastised: if you don't have a distraction in this world, you're too desperate and socially available/needy.

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the outdoors

There are two giant human-sized hornets who are pulling a woman from her fallen lawn chair. She has a shocked look on her face. There is another man next to her who sits in his lawn chair looking calm and is now talking to the woman.

It is unusual to see hornets the size of a human being. It is also unusual for the man to be acting so calm.

To be fair, Martha, you did just kill one of their kids.

scene: the outdoors description: There are two giant human-sized hornets who are pulling a woman from her fallen lawn chair. She has a shocked look on her face. There is another man next to her who sits in his lawn chair looking calm and is now talking to the woman. uncanny: It is unusual to see hornets the size of a human being. It is also unusual for the man to be acting so calm. entities: Mosquito, Gigantism. caption: To be fair, Martha, you did just kill one of their kids.

A joke about mosquito parents being enormous --- it's common for people to kill mosquitoes by slapping them before they bite, but if mosquito parents were very large as depicted, they might try to beat up the person who killed their kid; the man nonchalantly says that this is an expected and justified outcome for a benign action.

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a kitchen

Two people are in a kitchen. One of them is in a hazmat suit and cooking.

You don't need a hazmat suit in the kitchen.

Is that a new outfit?

scene: a kitchen description: Two people are in a kitchen. One of them is in a hazmat suit and cooking. uncanny: You don't need a hazmat suit in the kitchen. entities: Space_suit, Cooking. caption: Is that a new outfit?

This is an oddly nonchalant thing to say if one's partner was dressed in a hazmat suit. Usually: this is the sort of comment one would make if someone had a new shirt or a new pair of shoes, not a hazmat suit. Given that the woman is probably wearing the suit for a good reason, it's partly funny because the man's nonchalance/ignorance might be putting him in literal danger.

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a field

A bunch of angry ship are lined up staring at some wolves. The wolves are in business suits. They are talking.

The wolves are in suits. Wolves don't wear suits.

It seems you promised them herd immunity, sir.

scene: a field description: A bunch of angry ship are lined up staring at some wolves. The wolves are in business suits. They are talking. uncanny: The wolves are in suits. Wolves don't wear suits. entities: Sheep, Wolf. caption: It seems you promised them herd immunity, sir.

A play on words: "Herd immunity" refers to a group immunity to a virus, but here -- the herd refers to a herd of sheep, and the immunity isn't viral: it's legal immunity, as evidenced by the two wolves dressed as lawyers. The sheep are mad because they are in unexpected legal trouble.

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bedroom

A woman and man are in bed together. The woman is reading while the man is sleeping and being pummeled by heavy rain.

There is rain coming down inside a house over the main.

An optimist would see the room as half dry.

scene: bedroom description: A woman and man are in bed together. The woman is reading while the man is sleeping and being pummeled by heavy rain. uncanny: There is rain coming down inside a house over the main. entities: Rain, Intimate_relationship. caption: An optimist would see the room as half dry.

A play on the "glass half full/empty" thought experiment, which is used to identify optimists (who see a glass as half full) vs. pessimists (who see a glass as half empty). The wife who is on the dry side is telling her spouse to look on the bright side/be optimistic and stop complaining about the rain on his half. It's funny because her dismissiveness is partly driven by the fact that she's not experiencing the rain, so doesn't really understand where he's coming from.

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a beach

A woman and a large shark are sitting on a desert island, while a man, presumably her husband, is off of the island in the water. The giant shark is looking at the man, as if it's defensively protecting the woman from him. The woman watches on nervously.

The shark being solely interested in the man is odd --- most sharks don't discriminate based on gender.

An optimist would see sushi.

scene: a beach description: A woman and a large shark are sitting on a desert island, while a man, presumably her husband, is off of the island in the water. The giant shark is looking at the man, as if it's defensively protecting the woman from him. The woman watches on nervously. uncanny: The shark being solely interested in the man is odd --- most sharks don't discriminate based on gender. entities: Shark, Guard, Infidelity. caption: An optimist would see sushi.

A joke about making the best of a bad situation. The man and the woman are struggling to survive on the island, when a massive shark beaches itself: the sharks looks scary and the man jumps in the water. The woman quips that the man is being unhelpful, and he should instead see opportunity in the shark's presence: they could kill and eat it (sushi). The shark looks pretty intimidating though, so this could be a difficult task.

7c14a3d467d7533862cdf27fb597ac3b

forest

Adam and Eve are naked in a garden. A hand is coming out of the clouds pointing at them. They are running away from it and Adam is carrying a cellphone.

Adam is talking on a cellphone. Cellphones were not around in biblical times.

Listen, Satan, can I call you back?

scene: forest description: Adam and Eve are naked in a garden. A hand is coming out of the clouds pointing at them. They are running away from it and Adam is carrying a cellphone. uncanny: Adam is talking on a cellphone. Cellphones were not around in biblical times. entities: Adam_and_Eve, Book_of_Genesis. caption: Listen, Satan, can I call you back?

Adam and eve, when they were kicked out of the garden of eden, sided with satan's temptation; in this case, adam is literally talking on a cell phone to satan, which unusual/humorous for the literal beginning of time.

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a restaurant

There are two waiters in a restaurant kitchen having a conversation. Meanwhile a chef with a kitchen knife is chasing another chef around a kitchen island. A third, female chef stands on top of the island playing a viola.

It is unusual that two waiters would have a casual conversation while a chef chases another chef with a knife. It's also unusual that someone would be playing the viola while a fight is happening.

Let Table Seven know that there will be a slight delay on the risotto.

scene: a restaurant description: There are two waiters in a restaurant kitchen having a conversation. Meanwhile a chef with a kitchen knife is chasing another chef around a kitchen island. A third, female chef stands on top of the island playing a viola. uncanny: It is unusual that two waiters would have a casual conversation while a chef chases another chef with a knife. It's also unusual that someone would be playing the viola while a fight is happening. entities: Double_bass, Knife. caption: Let Table Seven know that there will be a slight delay on the risotto.

The chefs in this kitchen are in a state of chaos --- there's nudity, a knife fight, a mess everywhere, etc. The waiter nonchalantly says in response that the risotto will be slightly delayed, which is technically true, but presumably, there would be much bigger problems to attend to like the ongoing knife chase.

faa50bdbb40a4d0e5ab3b74c4394bc13

alleyway

A baker is luring someone to try pancakes. He creepily in the ally as someone walks by.

A baker doesn't need to be sketchy about selling baked goods because baked goods are legal.

It's alley mode.

scene: alleyway description: A baker is luring someone to try pancakes. He creepily in the ally as someone walks by. uncanny: A baker doesn't need to be sketchy about selling baked goods because baked goods are legal. entities: Chef, Pancake. caption: It's alley mode.

A play on the words "a la mode", which means "served with ice cream." Instead of this cake being served with ice cream (a la mode), it's served "alley mode", which sounds similar, but literally means in the modality of a street alley, as depicted.

25439479e4c01cfc24efa07103270649

Work

Two men in suits are having a conversation with each other. One has his arms folded across his chest, and is looking down at the other man's belly, which looks to be pregnant.

It's unusual for men to become pregnant.

She told me she had protection.

scene: Work description: Two men in suits are having a conversation with each other. One has his arms folded across his chest, and is looking down at the other man's belly, which looks to be pregnant. uncanny: It's unusual for men to become pregnant. entities: Abdominal_obesity, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/colleague. caption: She told me she had protection.

A reversal of traditional gender roles: usually, women are the ones who become pregnant after unprotected sex, but here, the man is pregnant. He laments that his partner claimed to be using protection so he didn't expect to become pregnant. It's funny because it's not clear what sort of protection he thought she had, or how the couple reproduced in the first place.

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