[Last week was I going to publish this post about a joke by old-school stand-up comedian Shecky Greene, but then I put it off. Now I wish I had published it, while at the same time being glad I didn’t, because Shecky died today.]
It’s a perfect joke for multiple reasons:
-
- It was based on an actual event
- It’s very short, with a minimum of only ten words, maybe even nine
- It requires a certain knowledge, albeit dated, but perfect for its intended Las Vegas audience
- It’s self-deprecating while also sticking it to someone else
- It isn’t dirty and there’s no swearing.
- It’s funny in a way that could have made management uncomfortable
The joke:
Frank Sinatra saved my life…
He said, “that’s enough, boys.”
Ten words. Boom. Perfect.