running joke

running joke
running joke
A joke or humorous element that is introduced early on in a story and then appears or is referred to again repeatedly.
There's this weird running joke throughout the novel about the protagonist's dislike of avocado, but it falls flat every single time.
What was supposed to be a silly once-off gag in the pilot episode turned into a running joke.
See also: joke, running
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
See also:
inside joke
in on the joke
crack a joke
lame joke
be beyond a joke
be/get/go beyond a joke
get beyond a joke
don't make me laugh
Don't make me laugh!
good one

butt of all jokes

butt of a joke
the butt of a/the joke
The target of a joke; the person or subject being mocked or ridiculed.
My big brother loves to tease me—every time he opens his mouth, I'm the butt of the joke.
No one likes being the butt of a joke, but the best thing to do is just laugh with them.
See also: butt, joke, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
butt of a joke
the reason for or aim of a joke, especially when it is a person. Poor Fred was the butt of every joke told that evening.
See also: butt, joke, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
See also:
the butt of a/the joke
rib (one)
sport with
sport with (someone or something)
put (one) on
put on
put someone on
take the rise (out of) (someone or something)
take the rise out of someone/something
give somebody grief

laughing stock

laughing stock (noun)
a person subjected to general mockery or ridicule:
"she was the laughingstock of her class"
SIMILAR:
figure of fun
object of ridicule
dupe
butt
fool
joke
standing joke
everybody's fool
stooge