From: utzoo!dciem!mmt
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Title: Shaggy Dog vs Extended Pun
Article-I.D.: dciem.147
Posted: Wed Jan 19 17:25:48 1983
Received: Wed Jan 19 21:00:12 1983

There are two types of joke that depend on a long story followed by
some kind of consequent (inconsequent) punchline. In one case
(extended pun) the punchline is a pun on a familiar phrase,
wheras in the other (shaggy dog) it is an unexpected return to
the normal universe from a universe with strange rules, such as
talking animals. I have sent a Shaggy Dog to net.jokes under the
heading "Shaggy Horse Story". There was another good one that
arrived here yesterday, as well as a few extended puns that came
under the title Shaggy Dog. Personally, I like both. Maybe it is
unimportant to segregate them, but I think they rely on different
processes for their humour.