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The punchline is the witty conclusion to a joke that generates the most laughs from the audience. It can be a tongue-in-cheek twist, a witty observation, or a jarring non sequitur. The origin of the term punchline is a mystery, but one theory suggests it refers to emphasizing certain lines during a speech or monologue. Some believe it comes from the medieval puppet team Punch and Judy, but a plausible theory is that it comes from the act of telling a joke and punctuating it with light taps or punches on the listener’s arm or shoulder.
In the traditional joke structure, the comedian begins with a setup or premise; “A man walks into a bar carrying a duck…”, then builds on the premise with a few more details; “The bartender asks ‘Where did you find that nasty old thing?’ The man says, “To the pet store.” The joke ends with a witty quip: “The bartender says, ‘I was talking to the duck!'” The punchline of a traditional joke is known as the punchline, and should be the joke that generates the most laughs from the audience.
A punchline can be a tongue-in-cheek twist, a witty observation, or a jarring non sequitur. Few jokes are inherently funny out of context, but when a comedian creates the premise and builds audience expectations, the punchline is often hilarious. Professional stand-up comedians may appear to be telling furry dog stories without any point on stage, but in reality they are preparing the audience for a tremendous punchline or putting together little jokes with the classic “set-up, punchline” format.
Not all jokes have a punchline in the classic sense. Some comedy sketches just end abruptly or fade to black without a conclusion. Slapstick humor often relies more on comedic action and reaction than a punchline, but a pie in the face or a silly joke can still function as a comedic conclusion to a premise.
The origin of the term punchline is actually a mystery to etymologists. Some sources suggest that the first published use of “punchline” or “punch line” to describe the payline of a joke did not appear until the 1920s or 1930s. However, comedians had used the classic “setup, premise, punchline” format for many years prior to that point.
One theory is that the word punchline refers to the practice of emphasizing or “repeating” certain lines during a speech or monologue. Actors and broadcasters are trained to read their scripts with an ear toward the high and low points of audience interest. It is possible that the punchline of a bar is called a punchline because the performer is expected to place greater emphasis on it, or vocally “punch” it.
Some believe the term comes from one half of the medieval puppet team Punch and Judy. The modern punchline of a joke would be delivered the same way Punch delivered his slapstick jabs to Judy. There is little compelling evidence to make such a connection, however, and the Punch and Judy comedies were not based on the same punning style as mainstream modern jokes.
A plausible theory centers around the very act of telling a joke or sharing a story. Quite often, a narrator would punctuate the story by giving him a few light taps or punches on the listener’s arm or shoulder. This gesture usually occurred during or after the punchline, thus becoming the punchline.
