Quasi-clever plays on words were the meat and drink of music hall stand-up comedian double acts.

as in:-

"Are you the front end of an ass?"
"No!"
"Are you the front end of an ass?"
"No!"
"Then you must be no end of an ass!"

or

"My dog has no nose."
"How does he smell?"
"Terrible!"

or

"My wife's gone to the West Indies."
"Jamaica?"
"No, she went of her own accord."


They have a long and honourable role in the history of joke telling.


DC