Whats the name for this type of non-sequitur "humor" I see on podcasts/vlogs as of late?

Cafe Society
1

I know it’s been around forever but this specific type is all over the place lately for reasons that will become obvious.

Basically whenever there’s a brief aside where after somebody says something mundane they immediately say something related like a pun. Like say somebody says “One of the Witnesses was named MacDonald” and somebody immediately replies “I heard he had a farm”. However nowadays the humor is basically just find the latest political thing and immediately associate it with what was just said, like this week alone I’ve heard all the following “jokes” on completely different podcasts

Host 1: Apparently the character worked at the New York Times
Host 2: The failing New York Times…

Host 1: The ship was made out of a heavy steel
Host 2: I hear we’re putting tarrifs on it soon

Host 1: The song was written about a coal miner
Host 2: I hear those jobs are coming back soon

I don’t get the point of any of those jokes, as they aren’t really jokes unlike the McDonald one which is sort of a pun? They’re just political buzzwords thrown into discussions for no reason. It’s very obnoxious because I’ve been noticing this humor is appearing more and more now and it really adds nothing to the conversation or humor.

2

It sounds like it’s just a joke. If you had to put a name on it, maybe a sarcastic comeback.

It also sounds a bit like Wendy Leibman’s shtick, but not totally. If you don’t know her, go on youtube and watch some of her old 90’s stuff. It’s really good. She basically makes a joke or statement, but then makes a second and/or third punchline in the form of a usually self denigrating comment ‘under her breath’

Also, what you’re describing is a pretty straight forward Double Act/Straight Man Routine. Essentially one person lobbing setup lines to another person.

3

“Topical allusion”?

Your “Old MacDonald” model doesn’t quite work for that concept but the real-life examples you quoted do.