The Dead Chipmunk

A pun-like any mousetrap joke is what we might call a one-alarm joke. The brain jumps out of bed, slides down the pole, races to the scene, and “gets it” i.e., sees both meanings at once, resolves the ambiguity, thus restoring order and security. It’s a kind of infection control. This activity of our Cognitive First Responders is experienced as pleasure, whether or not it is based in abject fear.