"I think that the joke and the ghost story both have a similar set up in that you kind of set something up and pay it off with a laugh or a scare"

Simon Pegg's quote recommends that both jokes and ghost stories have a comparable structure. Both types of stories involve establishing a situation and then delivering a punchline or a scare. This structure is what makes both jokes and ghost stories so effective. Jokes rely on the surprise of the punchline to make the audience laugh, while ghost stories rely on the surprise of the scare to make the audience dive. Both types of stories need a certain level of thriller and anticipation in order to be successful. By setting up the circumstance and then providing the punchline or scare, the audience is continued the edge of their seat. This structure is what makes both jokes and ghost stories so enjoyable.