The first manned expedition to Mars discovered that there is indeed humanoid life, but it had never been detected because the Martians lived underground. The Martians were al about 3 ft. tall, had 3 eyes of different color - blue, brown, and gray - four arms and five legs. Plus they all appeared to have what looked like an ornate cap or beanie on their heads.
After several months of experimentation, communication was established, and a team of Earth scientists was able to quiz a Martian for the first time:
“So do you all have three eyes of different colors?”
“Only the males. Females have three eyes, but they are all the same”.
“And do you all have 4 arms?”
“Only the males. Females have five arms”.
“And your legs. Do you all have five legs?”
“Only the males. Females have two legs like Earth females”.
“And that cap on your head. I suppose that’s only the males?”
"Well, not the goyim".
Jokes use various tricks to conjure the feeling we call “funny”. One of those tricks is subverting expectations, or exploring the unexpected. Seeing martians using Jewish concepts and lingo is something unexpected. But “unexpected” by itself doesn’t make a joke funny.
Still, an unexpected twist only has a chance to work when it does, at least in some way, make sense. Which makes me think: is there a link (that I have obviously missed) between the number of arms, legs, eyes and eyecolor on the one hand, and jews on the other? Or could the joke just as easily have ended with, for example "well, not the ‘Dutch’ "?*
I chose the Dutch so as not to accidentely offend anyone other then myself
One of my favorites, stolen from Spider Robinson’s Callahan series:
Early in the 22nd century man-kind discovered a small planet orbiting a small yellow star with obvious signs of a previous civilisation.
There were ruins of course, mostly of buildings and roads, but the most curious feature was an enormous statue of a bi-pedal humanoid which even though “sitting” was over 30’ high.
Of course as you might imagine Earths archaeologists were thrilled to have this new civilisation to study, and compare with Earths, thereby providing data to test “birth of civilisation” hypothesis.
All was going smoothly, until they started too examine the statue. When they attached their measuring devices they discovered that it was no statue at all but a life form. The thing that stumped them is that dust and other factors around the giant showed no signs of it having moved in centuries.
Of course Earth’s top biologists were called in to study this curious phenomenon, but try as they might they could not get it to move.
After years of fruitless efforts one of the biologists cried out in frustration: “How can evolution possibly produce a life form that is simultaneously so large and yet so inactive?”
At this the giant stood up rubbed it’s chin thoughtfully for a few minutes before announcing: “It can’t.”
At which it promptly sat back down, once again becoming completely immobile.
To which the biologist exclaimed: “Of course! It only stands to reason!”
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