Traffic outside of a popular retirement home in Sioux Falls was shutdown for a couple of hours so emergency personnel could attend to residents mostly for light heads and shortness of breath.

The incident happened after mayoral candidate Paul TenHens told his first stump speech joke of the campaign season.

Many residents can’t recall if the quip was funny, because they were so taken back with his sudden sense of humor.

Resident Annie Mae was totally shocked, “He was in full campaign mode, talking about crime, leadership and roads, than all of sudden he partially grins, puts out a soft kitten like snort, and says something that seemed like a joke. The entire crowd gasped. Even old nappy time Morty woke up.”

Since most residents were still being attended to when I showed up on the scene it was hard to find someone who could actually tell me what the joke was.

A staffer who didn’t want their name used told me, “It was something about taking the door off the mayor’s office to use at a new skatepark. It was confusing because it started out with a line about a Priest, a Rabbi and a city director at Monk’s bar at 4 PM on a Friday afternoon.”

We tried to reach out to the TenHens campaign for comment, and they released this statement, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the residents and we are thankful there was no serious injuries. We want to apologize for such a good Christian like Paul to attempt to tell a joke. Campaign staff has been counseling him since the incident and reminding him to always be serious and never show comedic emotion.”

On a positive note, maybe TenHens supports the new skatepark, city hall transparency and city employees drinking beer? I just hope he stops reading Dr. Allen Unruh’s clean joke books. Any casualties at our local retirement homes could totally kill his chances of being mayor.

By l3wis

3 thoughts on “Traffic shutdown after mayoral candidate tells a joke”
  1. Now, now, being a fundamentalist is serious business, however. Just imagine having to double check everything with the Old Testament before you act…. But this new concept of “Mulligans” should make life easier, however, for a fundamentalist; or how about just relying on the New Testament and the teachings of the Savior instead. Faith is suppose to uplift and inspire us all and not be used to oppress and judge, especially when you claim to have already been saved…..

  2. If there’s TenHens in the mayor’s office, it could be a good place to buy farm fresh eggs.

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