| Jokester: | A person who likes telling bad jokes. May be any gender. |
| Friend: | The jokester's friend. May be any gender. |
I-1-1
| SETTING: | Any location. |
| AT RISE: | JOKESTER and FRIEND are center stage. (Suggestion: Both are at a table having drinks.) |
Hey... Knock knock.
(Deadpan) No.
Come on! Just once. One joke. I promise it's good.
You promised that last time. I got “Boo who?” and you told me not to cry. I still haven’t forgiven you.
This one's new. Funnier. More... sophisticated.
Is it going to involve wordplay?
Absolutely.
I-1-2
(Sighs) Fine. Let’s get this over with.
(Perks up) Okay. Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrup-
(Loudly, jumping in) MOO!
(Silence. Blinks.) You warned me. And yet I still fell into it.
It’s classic! The timing! The surprise! The-
It’s violence. Auditory violence.
I-1-3
Okay okay. One more. A better one. We’ll build to it. Let’s treat it like... a performance. A duet.
God help me. Fine.
You start.
I thought you were telling the joke?
But if you start with “Knock knock,” I can respond. It's a twist.
So you want me to set you up for your own joke?
Exactly! It's collaborative comedy.
(Sighs again, deeply) Knock knock.
Who’s there?
I-1-4
Canoe.
Canoe who?
Canoe stop telling these jokes?
(Silence. Then a slow smile.) You made a pun.
I think I hate myself a little.
No, no - this is growth. We’re evolving. Duet, remember? Comedy is timing and trust.
Then don’t betray that trust with another interrupting farm animal.
(Solemnly) No cows. I swear.
Alright. Last one. Go.
I-1-5
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Dishes.
Dishes who?
Dishes me... asking you to laugh.
(A long pause. Then... a small, unwilling chuckle.) God, that was terrible.
But you laughed.
I smirked. Out of pity.
Victory.
I-1-6
You're lucky you're charming in a deeply annoying way.
(Sincerely) Dishes true.