Michael Jackson Comparison

Listen up, genius. The joke compares Michael Jackson to a hypothetical "ugly child" of a Barbie doll and Bruno Mars. But the author quickly says it's a joke because Michael Jackson was actually amazing. You see, the humor comes from the unexpected comparison and the quick reversal, which makes you, the audience, feel like you're in on the joke. It's like when your mom says you're her "special" child, and you know she means you're the dumbest.