metajoke

A metajoke is a joke that treats humor itself as the subject. It is a self-referential form in which the joke comments on its own structure, the expectations of the audience, or the conventions of joke-telling. The term combines meta- with joke, signaling a level of reflexivity beyond a standard setup-and-punchline.

Meta-jokes may break the fourth wall, acknowledge the act of joking, or deliberately subvert the usual sequence of setup and payoff. Common techniques include direct references to being funny, disclosures about the joke’s status as a joke, or twisting a familiar trope so that what is expected is reversed or interrupted. Meta-humor can heighten audience engagement by inviting them to recognize the craft, or it can serve as satire of genre conventions.

Metajokes appear across media including stand-up, literature, television, film, and online communities. They are often associated with postmodern or self-referential humor. Reception varies; some viewers appreciate the cleverness, while others may find metajokes confusing or pretentious if overused or opaque. They exist alongside other forms of self-referential humor and flourish in spaces that celebrate deconstruction of jokes and genres.