Visit to the museum

Why makes this Joke funny?

• "That one`s called a mirror."

  This joke uses misdirection and plays on the unexpectedness of the punchline, alongside a dash of self-deprecating humor:
  
  - Misdirection: Initially, the lady’s dialogue sets up the audience to think she is criticizing a piece of modern art, which is a common scenario considering that modern art can sometimes be perceived as challenging or difficult to understand. The audience expects a certain type of response from the attendant, perhaps a defense or explanation of the art.
  
  - Unexpectedness: The punchline "That one`s called a mirror" subverts the expectation, revealing that the lady was not looking at a piece of art but at her own reflection. The surprise comes from this unexpected twist and the realization that the lady was unknowingly criticizing her own appearance.
  
  - Self-Deprecating Humor: The lady becomes the unwitting butt of the joke by criticizing what she perceives to be "hideous" modern art, when in fact, she`s inadvertently referring to her own reflection.
  
  It’s funny because it plays with expectations and then flips them in an unexpected and humorous way, by introducing a situation where the critic unknowingly becomes the subject of her own criticism. This self-targeted unexpected outcome is a common and effective mechanism to generate laughs.