TIPL.

Yesterday in the comments section of the Great Lileks's Bleat, I offered TIPL to a joke. TIPL is The Inevitable Punch Line. In this case, the punch line was a modification of the gag about first prize being a week in Philadelphia, and second prize being two weeks in Philadelphia. 

TIPLs show up in any conversation where people are apt to make a comment that sounds like the set-up to a well-known joke. In this way they function as either a short version of the joke, or can even be a standalone joke.

Examples of the first sort include tidbits like this: 

"Last night the bartender threw a guy out for bringing in his dog."

"And the dog said, 'Do you think I shoulda said DiMaggio?'"

"Looks like we're heading for layoffs."
"What you mean 'we,' whitey?" 

"Geez, that guy looks like Quasimodo."

"Well, his face rings a bell."

"The ecumenical service had a priest, a minister, and a rabbi."
"And the rabbi says, 'Is this some kind of joke?'"

Examples of the standalone sort might be:

"Get the other hose. This one's isn't long enough."

"That's what she said!"

So beware, friends; if chatting in a witty group, anything you say can and will be used to trigger TIPL if it fits in any possible way. Look for the sign of the punching line!