"I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry"

Rita Rudner’s witty observation draws a parallel between the experiences of having a pierced ear and the realities of marriage. Her humor hinges on the notion that the act of piercing an ear, a decision often made for style or personal expression, involves willingly embracing pain as well as the ritual of selecting and purchasing jewelry. By stating that men with pierced ears are better prepared for marriage, she pokes fun at the stereotypical dynamics involved in married life, especially from a woman’s perspective.

Experiencing pain, in the context of this joke, can be seen as a metaphor for the emotional and practical challenges that can arise in marriage. Just as piercing an ear requires enduring a brief moment of discomfort, marriage also involves instances where one must confront and work through difficulties. It suggests that someone accustomed to tolerating pain, however minor or symbolic, might be more resilient or adaptable within the ups and downs of a committed relationship.

The second part of the joke, about buying jewelry, taps into another familiar trope: the expectation that men in relationships, particularly husbands, will purchase gifts such as jewelry for their partners. By combining the two actions, enduring pain and buying jewelry, Rudner playfully asserts that men who choose to have their ears pierced have already demonstrated a willingness to undertake actions commonly associated with maintaining harmony and affection in marriage.

Beyond its surface-level humor, Rudner’s comment gently satirizes the expectations society places on men within relationships and the way acts of consumption (like jewelry buying) are often entwined with expressions of love or duty. It also hints at the absurdity underlying these rituals, highlighting how both marriage and personal adornment come with their own unique discomforts and demands. The joke endures because it exposes human vulnerability and the lengths to which individuals go to secure connection, all with a lighthearted, self-aware punchline.