Improv

The Ladybug: Hey dad, wanna hear a joke I made up?

Me: Sure.

LB: What did the man say when his wife went on vacation?

Me: I don’t know.  What did the man say when his wife went on vacation?

LB: Bon voyage!

Me: ….

LB: …

Me: … I don’t get it.

LB: “Bon voyage?” That’s so funny sounding.

Me: It’s French for “Have a good trip.”

LB: Oh.

Me: If you want to make a joke out of that, you’ll have to make a play on the words…  Something that sounds like “bon voyage,” but has a second meaning that references the characters in the joke.

LB: What?

Me: Let me give you an example.   What did the stick of dynamite say when his wife went on vacation?

LB: What?

Me: Bomb voyage.

LB: Ohhh… it’s a joke because dynamite is used for making bombs.

Me: Correct.  Or: what did the chocolate candy say when his wife went on vacation?

… Bon-bon voyage.

LB: Good one.  Or how about: what did Flynn say went Quorra went on vacation?

… Tron voyage!

Me: Now you’re getting it.  How about: what did the stoner day when his girlfriend went on vacation?

… Bong voyage!

LB: What’s a stoner?

Me: Right. Comedy lesson over.