Guess the glasses advert

I've started playing a new game, when I'm watching television…  It's called Guess The Glasses Advert…

I thought the point of advertising was to make your company stand out from the competition…  This doesn't actually work, though, if all the major competitors in one field seem to be using the same advertising concept to sell themselves!

There are several major chains of opticians in the UK, and these days, all their adverts seem to go along the same lines…

They go something like this -

• People in a normal situation
• Comic confusion obviously caused by myopia occurs
• Embarrassment and awkwardness ensue
• Optician's logo and slogan appear on screen

If you can guess whether the advert is for SpecSavers, Boots Opticians, Vision Express, or whatever, before you get to Step Four, you win eleven points!

Check your jokes

It is my belief that a joke can only be funny if it is also factually accurate...

Allow me to share a joke which I feel illustrates this point rather well -

Why did the mushroom go to the party?
Because he was a fungi!

(This joke was particularly popular, I remember, when I was at high school...  Something about it bothered me, even then - now, I can explain what, exactly, that is...)

So, initially, this seems like a nice idea...  Y'know, fungi - mushrooms, etc - and fun guy - a pleasant, sociable chap who'd probably enjoy a good party...  Could be good, right?

But there's a problem with this, isn't there?  The problem being that "fungi" is a plural, while "a fun guy" is a singular person...

In order to make the joke work, you'd have to say -

Why did the mushroom go to the party?
Because he was a fungus!

Now, that would simply draw blank looks and bemused hand gestures, because it simply isn't funny...  "A fun gus"...?  That would only work if the name of this fun guy were Augustus - or Gus, for short!  And for that to be apparent, you'd have to point it out beforehand, which would rather ruin the joke...

On the other hand, you could say this -

Why did the mushrooms go to the party?
Because they were fungi!

Again, that's not funny!  "Because they were fun guy"...?  What tosh!!

So yes - in my opinion, unless a joke can be accurate, it simply isn't going to amuse...  If you're trying to write a joke, and you end up in a situation like this, please, just give up!  It was a lovely thought, but it just isn't going to work - so try to forget it, and move on...