: How to do reference jokes right? There is a problem with reference jokes in general, and I just couldn't figure out a solution to them. Here's a demonstration: "Watch your step, there could

Vote Up Vote Down

My opinion--no harm, no foul. Right? You go ahead and drop those allusions in there! If the allusion carries the action anyway? Why not?!

Listen, man...I've got a manuscript that has 437 reference jokes/allusions. Serious! And, to be one hunny honest--the people I've had read the story haven't gotten many of them. Maybe a .01 return on the investment.

I don't care. The people like the story! They're oblivious to my print version of the Family Guy approach, with a side reference lurking around every setting/scene and I am not bothered by it in the least. Here's my bottom line get down:

I regard my reference jokes as 'easter eggs'. They are NOT necessary, but what delightful little surprises for the rare mind that aligns with my sense of humor.

Example of an unkillbilly reference joke: In one story, I have a crew of US Army special forces trainees practicing HALO jumps in the Arizona desert take the names of the Space Marines in the movie "Aliens". With a bit of a switch in spelling, we have: Hacks for Hicks, Hutson for Hudson, Vasquoz for Vasquez...Hahaha. I know, NOT a knee slapper. But, for the people who do get it? Priceless. And when the net you cast is 437 references strong...you're gonna catch a few.

If you must, think about it as a marketing strategy. Something for the Fan Club to obsess over. "Oh, I found another unkillbilly side reference!"

(0)

Vote Up Vote Down

When telling a subtle joke, always provide your reader with enough details to research your allusion if they want to...

"Watch your step, there could be even more of these."

"More?" ████ was still puzzled. "We haven't encountered any actual defense ever since we entered. No patrols, nor gun turrets, just lava pits.

"Are you even surprised, anon?" ████ casually scoffed. "I thought that you'd notice this pattern and style, that this whole place was likely built by Kevin."

"What's a Kevin?" ████ thought. Considered asking, then remembered. The ancient 20th century training file about home protection and guerrilla tactics. The one about that child prodigy with the sadistic streak.

Re-assessing their surroundings with a new, more cautious eye, ████ marveled.
"This is what happens when a torturer tries to make fortress. Go figure."

Also, make sure that you reward your reader for their research, their existing knowledge (or even just their understanding of the joke in-context). Now that a "Kevin" is a synonym for sadistic guerrilla defenses, reuse the term later in the story, in a situation where it foreshadows an otherwise obscure upcoming event.

Returning to the others with mischief in his eyes, ████ smiled as he let them in on his recent activities, "Here comes Kevin!"

Then the explosions rocked the enemy camp from all sides.

(0)

Vote Up Vote Down

This is a basic problem with any allusion, the audience needs to understand the reference to get the full impact. If you have a narrowly targeted audience, and you aren't worried about your piece aging, you can go full on with contemporary allusions. Or, you can go the opposite route, and not include any allusions at all.

If you want to walk a middle path, you should probably be sparing with your allusions, add a little in-story context where appropriate, and stick with more universal general-knowledge allusions where you can. This also helps keep your story from feeling like a jokey parody, which is especially a danger if there's no legitimate reason the characters should know the allusions. Even Ready Player One, which built its entire plot around a plausible reason people in the future might study 80's pop culture, flirted with that danger in a way that makes it unlikely to age well.

The trade-off is between appealing to the audience that shares your references, and missing the one that doesn't. Ultimately, all you can do is try to make the rest of the work strong enough that a few missed allusions won't kill it. We still read Plato's dialogues, even though we miss all of his witty pop-culture references.

(0)