Is the "Elvis was abducted by aliens" joke EVER funny?

[Orrex]

In the past few days I've come across this joke or a close variation of it three times, with two of the incidents originating with British writers.

None of these three references is recent, but in any case none of the jokes was funny.

What's the deal? Did anyone ever find this amusing? How?

[underpants]

1. What is the joke?

that would be a good start

[Orrex]

3. Well, that's the joke--that Elvis was abducted by aliens (or close to it)

And that he did or did not return.

For the record, the three disparate sources (in this case) are:

Men in Black
Good Omens
Mostly Harmless

In each of these three the joke is presented as though funny, and in each of these three the joke is a total clunker. And how could it not be, honestly?

[MrCoffee]

4. there are no clunkers in Good Omens...

not one. that book is golden.

[Orrex]

7. Clearly you're a fundamentalist

It's a fine book to be sure, but it's not without its warts.

[otherlander]

9. Death: "I don't care what it says. I never laid a finger on him."

:D

[underpants]

6. Oh

I thought he came out of his cave and appeared on toast

:shrug:

[EstimatedProphet]

12. Well there's your problem

That joke was funny...several years ago. At this point it's turned into a cliche.

[Orrex]

13. Maybe, but...

I should have disclaimed that these were rereads; I first got my hands on Good Omens back in the early 90's and Mostly Harmless in (IIRC) 96 or so, and of course Men in Black isn't a new film...

The problem is that I "got" the joke at the time and still didn't think it was funny. I wasn't offended, mind you, but try though I might I couldn't find any humor in it. It's like there was a big meeting somewhere, and we all agreed to chuckle with mock amusement when an "Elvis Sighting" joke is put forth, but no one actually thinks that it's funny.

Contrast that with my beloved "Brazillions" which everyone knows isn't funny; the joke comes about in how the joke is deployed or in variations on the theme of the joke.

But Elvis? For pity's sake, let him rot in peace!

[PeaceNikki]

2. I heard that 3 Brazillions did.

:shrug:

I don't even know the joke.

[quip]

5. The overall "joke idea" to me is a double whammy;

1. mocking those who think Elvis is still alive, and,
b. mocking those who believe in alien abductions.

I don't find mockery particularly humorous in any event, so I'm a bad judge... :shrug:

[Orrex]

8. I don't mind mockery as long as it's not really exploitive

That is, mocking between equals (or between a "lesser" and a "superior") seems fine to me, as long as no one is unduly harmed by it.

But mockery of someone who is impaired in some way, for example, is pretty disgusting.

[quip]

11. And the problem is that that is so often how it is used

I would say that there is a fine line between stupid and clever, but that will have to wait for the 11th. ;-)

:hi:

[DarkTirade]

10. It's just connecting two kinds of conspiracy theories, that's really all there is to it.

Personally, I'm still of the opinion that Elvis WAS alive until he found out his daughter married Michael Jackson... then he had a heart attack and died.

But that's just me.