2015-01-07
Explanation
The Joke
A man attempts a pickup line on a woman: "Hey baby -- are you regrets? Because I wanna hold on to you and never let go." The format follows the classic "Are you [X]? Because [Y]" pickup line structure, but instead of comparing the woman to something flattering, he compares her to regrets -- things you cling to obsessively and can never release.
The Humor
The comedy lies in the accidental self-sabotage of the pickup line. The speaker is trying to be smooth and romantic, expressing that he wants to hold onto the woman forever. However, by choosing "regrets" as his metaphor, he has inadvertently compared the woman to one of the most negative emotional experiences a person can have. The line is technically structurally sound as a pickup line (the "hold on and never let go" part is sweet), but the vehicle of the metaphor completely undermines the intended romance. It also works as a dark joke about the human tendency to ruminate on regrets far more persistently than we hold onto positive things -- making regrets, ironically, one of the most enduring attachments a person can have.