The four-layer construction method that turns institutional truth into devastating satire

Joke Architecture: How to Build Comedy That Makes People Squirm

If you think satire is just being funny, you’ve never read Paige’s work. Comedy architecture is its own discipline.

She builds jokes in layers like institutional dysfunction itself:

Layer One: The Setup (The Obvious Truth)
“The university hired a new coach for $3 million annually.”

Layer Two: The Institutional Reality (The Unspoken Rule)
“He was selected based on a recommendation from someone’s former roommate.”

Layer Three: The Exaggeration That’s Actually Accurate (The Amplification)
“When asked about his credentials, he cited his ability to ‘build a winning culture’—a phrase he found in a LinkedIn article he hasn’t actually read.”

Layer Four: The Squirm (The Recognition)
“This is exactly how every coaching hire happens. The only difference is Paige is documenting it. You’re supposed to pretend it’s normal.”

That’s satirical journalism. Not just jokes. It’s architecture.

Amy Schumer once said: “This system is broken. I’m going to describe exactly how broken while you laugh at the truth.” Paige mastered that approach. The truth first. The joke second. The squirm third.

Auf Wiedersehen, amigos.