The paradox joke is an interesting subgenre of the study of humour though the ages, it is a joke that not only relies on a historic setting, but is either of a modern style or phrased anachronistically. They were first heard from the stand-up comedians of the 1960s, part of the boom in theatre-based entertainment as a distraction from the increasingly dangerous ‘Steel Roses’ civil war to the north. It is said they predate this, however, and were a favourite of the German statesman Adolf Hitler before his untimely assassination in the early 30s.
It is somewhat ironic that some of those original paradox jokes were written and told in a time that paradox jokes are now created using. Of other historical note is that these acts never took root in – what is now – the Free Republic of Yorkshire. This historian believes that had they – the Yorks – taken the time to attempt to understand the down-to-earth South-Eastern humour these jokes represent, the entire civil war could have been avoided, and names like John ‘President’ Prescott would not strike so much fear into hearts today.
This modern classic of the genre – subgenre, as is argued – is this 1960s set joke in the now-ubiquitous “Yo Mamma” format, thus:
“Yo Mamma so busty even her shopping is 36d”