2015-02-19
Explanation
The Joke
A bartender in what appears to be a Wild West saloon tells patrons "Dammit! I said no brawling! You got a way to pay for all this damage?" A cowboy responds that he has a way and reaches into his vest, pulling out... a handshake. The bartender objects: "Tex, you can't keep paying me in handshakes." The cowboy plaintively replies, "But I'm so good at it!"
The Humor
The comic subverts the classic Western movie trope where a tough cowboy reaches into his vest or holster -- the audience expects a gun, a wad of cash, or some other dramatic reveal. Instead, the cowboy offers a handshake as literal payment, which is absurd. The additional layer of comedy comes from the implication that this has happened multiple times before ("you can't KEEP paying me in handshakes"), and that the cowboy genuinely believes his handshaking skill has monetary value. It is a commentary on the difference between social charm and actual economic value, wrapped in a Western setting.