{
  "id": 8220154,
  "title": "AI is the butt of the joke",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/ai-is-the-butt-of-the-joke",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T09:44:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-butt-of-the-joke-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Comedians shared a common rule for AI jokes: The technology itself has to be the punchline. The reason behind this joke's popularity is its ubiquity, according to them. It's not a high-quality joke, though. Stand-up comedian Sabrina Jalees shared her own experience with pee-based joke material. She found a potential economic opportunity in using her urine to address data centers, an idea she pitched to ad agencies like Liquid Death and Garage Beer. The companies turned her gag into a viral ad campaign, including an $18 pee jar. This trend in comedy reflects audiences' desire for relief amidst the growing tension between AI and data centers. Comedians unanimously agreed that in jokes about AI, the technology must be the butt. Ohio-based comedian Barack explained that positive comments about AI typically receive boos, while mocking AI prompts a positive reaction. A successful joke often involves picking out a well-dressed person in the crowd and implying they own a data center, thereby connecting the audience's experience to the tech. The absurdity of AI is a shared experience, making it an excellent subject for humorous commentary. As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, comedians anticipate the need to adapt their jokes to remain relevant and relatable.",
  "summary": "Business Insider spoke to several stand-up comedians about tech jokes. They say audiences have one rule: make fun of AI.",
  "key_points": [
    "AI technology serves as punchline in popular jokes",
    "Comedians note ubiquity as key reason for popularity",
    "Pee-based joke leads to viral ad campaign with $18 jar"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}