Science explains ideas step by step; comedy deliberately misses steps for the audience to find the funny.

The Punchline-and-One Rule

When someone cracks a joke to a group of people, the maximum amount of comment jokes after the original punchline is 1 (one).

Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
...To get a Big Mac! (the punchline; the group laughs)

Person #2: And a Quarter Pounder with Cheese! (the comment; group also laughs)

Person #3: And a McNugget! (oops! one too many comment!)

Group rolls eyes.

Additional Rules:

1. The original person may have one additional comment as a reply.

Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
...To get a Big Mac!

Person #2: And a Quarter Pounder with Cheese!

Person #1: And a McNugget! (person #1 is saying to #2: you can not one-up me!)

Group laughs.

2. Better no comment than a late comment.

Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
...To get a Big Mac!

(10-second pause)

Person #2: And a Quarter Pounder with Cheese! (oops! too late!)

Group rolls eyes.

3. A late comment can be acceptable, but the longer the pause, the funnier it must be.

Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
...To get a Big Mac!

(10-second pause)

Person #2: Of course! He won't get a McNugget, that would be cannibalism!

Group laughs.

4. An additional comment is allowed only if it introduces a new element.

Person #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
...To get a Big Mac!

Person #2: And a Quarter Pounder with Cheese!

Person #3: You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Chickenville? (hurrah! introduces a new element)

Group laughs.