A shy guy goes into a pub and sees a beautiful woman sitting at the bar.
After an hour of gathering up his courage, he finally goes over to her and asks, tentatively, “Um, would you mind if I chatted with you for a while?”.
She responds by yelling, at the top of her voice, “NO! I will not sleep with you!”.
Everyone at the bar is now staring at them. Naturally, the guy is extremely embarrassed and slinks back to his table.
After a few minutes, the woman walks over to him and apologises. She smiles and says quietly “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. You see, I’m a psychology student and I’m studying how people respond to embarrassing situations”.
To this, the man responds at the top of his voice “WHAT DO YOU MEAN £800?”
This joke is an excellent example of humor derived from unexpected twists, psychological cleverness, and social dynamics. It plays on the tension between embarrassment, misunderstandings, and the natural human instinct to seek social validation.
Breaking Down the Joke:
The Setup
The story begins with a shy man entering a pub and noticing an attractive woman sitting at the bar. The man’s shyness is relatable to many people—approaching someone you’re interested in can be nerve-wracking, especially for someone who lacks confidence. The detail that he spends an entire hour working up the courage to approach her emphasizes his nervousness and makes his eventual approach a significant moment for him.
When he finally asks, tentatively, if he can chat with her, it’s a simple, polite question, showing his awkward but genuine attempt to start a conversation. The audience is likely rooting for him because of how much effort it took him to overcome his hesitation.
The Twist
The woman’s response is what flips the story on its head. Instead of replying politely, she yells, “NO! I will not sleep with you!” This reaction is shocking, completely over-the-top, and intentionally misinterprets his innocent question. The loudness of her response draws everyone’s attention, amplifying the man’s embarrassment as the entire pub now believes he made an inappropriate advance.
The humor here stems from the contrast between the man’s polite approach and her exaggerated, absurd reaction. It also highlights the social horror of public humiliation, something many people can relate to or sympathize with. The audience feels bad for the shy man, yet the situation is so absurd that it’s funny.
The Resolution
After the initial shock, the woman approaches the man to explain her behavior. She reveals that she is a psychology student conducting an experiment to observe how people react to embarrassment. This adds an intellectual twist to the story and reframes her earlier outburst as part of a “scientific study.” While this softens her actions slightly, the audience may still find her behavior rude or unnecessary, which creates a layer of tension.
But just as the audience expects the man to react awkwardly or forgive her, he delivers the final punchline: yelling, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN £800?” This is a brilliant comedic reversal, as the man takes control of the situation and humiliates her in return. By loudly implying that she’s negotiating a price for something inappropriate, he turns the tables and ensures that she is now the subject of public embarrassment.
Why This Joke Works
1. The Element of Surprise
Both the woman’s initial outburst and the man’s comeback are unexpected, catching the audience off-guard. Comedy often thrives on the element of surprise, and this joke delivers not one, but two twists: first, the woman’s overreaction, and then the man’s witty retaliation.
2. Relatability
The shy man’s nervousness is highly relatable. Many people have experienced fear or embarrassment when trying to start a conversation with someone they find attractive. Similarly, the social anxiety of being humiliated in public resonates with audiences, making the scenario both uncomfortable and funny.
3. Reversal of Power Dynamics
The joke cleverly shifts the power dynamics. Initially, the woman has all the power; she embarrasses the man and makes him feel small. However, the man’s witty comeback flips the situation, making her the subject of public scrutiny. This reversal is satisfying to the audience, who likely sympathize with the man after the woman’s unnecessary public humiliation.
4. The Psychological Angle
The woman’s excuse that she’s conducting a psychology experiment adds an intellectual layer to the joke. It satirizes how some people justify bad behavior under the guise of “science” or academic curiosity. Her explanation feels hollow and self-serving, making the man’s response even more justified and satisfying.
5. Wordplay and Implications
The man’s final line—“WHAT DO YOU MEAN £800?”—is masterfully crafted. It doesn’t explicitly state what he’s accusing her of, but the implication is clear: he’s suggesting she’s negotiating something inappropriate. The ambiguity of the accusation makes it even funnier, as it allows the audience to fill in the blanks with their imagination.
6. Embarrassment as Comedy
Embarrassment is a universal emotion, and humor often comes from seeing others in awkward or cringeworthy situations—especially when they recover in a clever way. The man’s quick thinking not only redeems him but also provides the audience with a cathartic laugh at the woman’s expense.
