What's the difference between an orange?*
The Joke:
So there are these two muffins baking in an oven. One of them yells, "Wow, it’s hot in here!"
And the other muffin replies: "Holy cow! A talking muffin!"
The Question, as Posed:
Is this funny?
The Debate:
John Tierney sez "nope," and kind of takes it for granted that the joke is lame:
Did that alleged joke make you laugh? I would guess (and hope) not. But under different circumstances, you would be chuckling softly, maybe giggling, possibly guffawing. I know that’s hard to believe, but trust me
Brad deLong, agreeing with Jack Balkin, sez "is too!"
Jack Balkin even justifies his answer:
The muffin joke is funny because it is self-undermining. The punch line undermines the suspension of disbelief that the joke's narrative presumes. It is kind of like breaching the fourth wall in drama. It's like the line in Dr.Strangelove "You can't fight in here. This is the War Room!" or the Atheist Hymn we came up with in high school: "There is no God, there is no God, He told me so himself."
Now, you see, I've ruined it. The muffin joke is no longer funny. Damn the New York Times and their stupid science articles!
Sean at Cosmic Variance wonders about joke-reception demographics: "Is this some sort of Ivory-Tower Academics vs. Hard-Nosed Journalists thing?"
The Real Question:
What kind of muffin? How am I supposed to illustrate the post if I don't know what kind of muffin?
Via Shakespeare's Sister.
* ANSWER: A rhinoceros. If you're wondering why this is so, it's because ice cream has no bones. This is a funny joke too, trust me.