About this quote

Humor thrives on taking a common cliché and twisting it until it breaks. We often praise sensible people by saying they have their heads screwed on straight. Stripping away the metaphor exposes the sheer absurdity of the physical image. It forces us to look at how we use language to build expectations. Sometimes, the best way to deal with rigid social standards is to laugh at how ridiculous they sound when taken literally.

When to use it

• I know he is great, but he has one bizarre dealbreaker that ruins everything. It reminds me of the joke about liking a head on shoulders but hating necks.
• We need to make this comedy sketch much more absurd. Let's twist a normal phrase into a surreal image, like the joke about hating necks.
• My uncle was listing his incredibly specific demands for a perfect wife at dinner. I cracked up and asked him if he also hates necks.