Punchlines in jokes can be traced back a long way, but the term “punchline” first came onto the scene in the early twentieth century. While it is usually attributed to the British humor magazine Punch, the term itself was first used by a Wisconsin newspaper, The Racine Journal News, in 1912, when a review of a play described a “punch in every line.” The New York Times talked about “punch lines” the following year. “Punchline” then gained traction and usage in reference to performances and finally appeared in the Merriam Webster Dictionary in 1921
"I'm the cool dad. That's my thang. I'm hip. I surf the Web. I text. LOL: Laugh Out Loud. OMG: Oh My God. WTF: Why the Face?" Phil Dunphy (TY Burrell) On Modern Family (ABC, 2009)
Some Like it Hot
“Osgood, I’m gonna level with you. We can’t get married at all.”
“Why not?”
“Well, in the first place, I’m not a natural blonde.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“I smoke! I smoke all the time!”
“I don’t care.”
“Well, I have a terrible past. For three years now, I’ve been living with a saxophone player.”
“I forgive you.”
“I can never have children!”
“We can adopt some.”
“But you don’t understand, Osgood! Ohh… I’m a man!”
“Well, nobody’s perfect!”
What is your Punchline?
A Punchline through a dissonant image and sound.
Further Reading
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