Karl Stefanovic's Dalai Lama Joke: Morning Show Anchor Bombs Pizza Shop Joke To Dalai Lama (VIDEO)

It appears that the Dalai Lama can take a joke, but not necessarily get one.

In this instant viral video, Australian "Today" show host Karl Stefanovic takes his best shot at telling his Holiness the classic Dalai Lama zinger -- "So the Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop, and says, 'can you make me one with everything?'" -- only to be met with an empty gaze from the Buddhist leader.

Unfortunately for Stefanovic, while the Dalai Lama is well versed in the intricacies of meditation and devotion, his Holiness apparently struggles to grasp the complex concept of a pizza shop.

The good news is that the intense awkwardness and blank stares from the Dalai Lama eventually gave way to laughter, but only after Stefanovic sheepishly admitted, "I knew that wouldn't work."

Stefanovic took the comedy disaster in stride, so he's got that going for him, which is nice.

WATCH:

From Stefanovic's Twitter account:

Just interviewed the dalai lama. He is one chilled out dude. Told him a gag that he didn't get. So embarrassed.less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyKarl Stefanovic
karlstefanovic

Comments

[AN2009]

10:44 PM on 07/15/2011

I was amused.

[Tulka2]

09:20 PM on 06/15/2011

It finally came to me what this reminds me of!  It reminds me of "Michael", the boss on The Office!  This is exactly the sort of goofy stunt that character would pull if he met HHDL.  lol  This guy even sort of looks and certainly blushes like him.  It's all good.

[JeanPaulSatire]

07:48 PM on 06/15/2011

A priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a bar. The bartender walks over and says, "What is this, the start of a joke?"

[rafa4700]

06:30 PM on 06/15/2011

i don't get the joke, can someone explain it to me please

[cdnman]

06:57 PM on 06/15/2011

Dalai guy considers himself and philosophy to be "one with everything" I think.

[jasonbourne23]

02:20 AM on 06/16/2011

He meant "make me one with everything" versus make me "one with everything." One with everything is for a person to be in the highest state of consciousness.

I don't think the Dalai Lama knew pizza. Some Asian cultures do not eat dairy.

[ringmaster]

05:09 PM on 06/15/2011

Did they play "Hello Dolly" when ha came out ?

[Tulka2]

04:34 PM on 06/15/2011

This is darling on so many levels. First of all, you try getting a pun in a language that is barely your second language. I love the way HHDL laughs as soon as he sees the genuine self-depreciation on the part of the reporter because it is so lovable to see self-depreciation in people of every culture. I also love the way the reporter blushes in the studio at the very thought of this. I know why he told this old joke.....It's a funny pun. If the Dalai Lama would have understood the pun, believe me he would have laughed.

[cdnman]

06:59 PM on 06/15/2011

Oz accents can be hard to understand as well.

[BustedPancreas]

08:38 PM on 06/16/2011

Whaddayatalkinaboutmate?

[robert horwitz]

04:10 PM on 06/15/2011

It's not that the Dalai Lama doesn't have a sense of humor or didn't get the joke. I am sure that he didn't laugh because that joke is older than the hills and he has probably heard it in everyone of its countless different iterations. He was probably thinking. Television host with stale material will have plenty of time for meditation when he looses job. It's just too bad that he didn't say it.

[FreedToChoose]

02:54 PM on 06/15/2011

The Dalai Lama is an exemplar of good form. He has a great sense of humor, I suspect--as with many who speak English, but think in another--Tibetan, Spanish, Italian, French, American--they don't get the joke which is, as Grady Jim Robinson liked to say, is a 'train wreck of the mind.' Translation slows the train so it derails.

[Justin Stamper]

02:49 PM on 06/15/2011

Humor is difficult to translate across culture.

[ForConsideration]

01:50 PM on 06/15/2011

Love the joke. Love the reaction. And the reaction to the reaction. And several of the comments are hysterical. I needed a good laugh today. I'm sure the DL will have a huge chuckle about it later. Man, did I need a chuckle today (Wednesdays can be like that),

[FreedToChoose]

02:55 PM on 06/15/2011

The ease with which Karl took the miscue was delightful as well.

[forestnfama]

01:42 PM on 06/15/2011

Even the jokemeister here didn't get it for a few minutes.

[petit chaton]

01:13 PM on 06/15/2011

I loved his Holiness' answer, "theoretically possible."

What a lame news anchor...Down Under's version of Steve Douchie.

[VTL]

02:48 PM on 06/15/2011

Kind of harsh, aren't you?

The guy seems to be just fine, and the entire episode was very funny...especially when he realized he was toast.

[petit chaton]

03:35 PM on 06/15/2011

Harsh? Maybe. But would he have told a Pope joke to the Pope? Probably not. Fortunately, the Dalai Lama is a pretty good guy, but this seemed a little disrespectful; especially the first 20-30 seconds after the punch-line.

[lemmyk73]

11:35 AM on 06/15/2011

That was actually a really funny joke.


The Dali Lama reminds me of Leslie Chow.

[Chris Bowers]

12:08 AM on 06/17/2011

Grover. Which is odd, because Yoda has the same voice (Frank Oz really only had two and PIggy was just Grover/Yoda without the gravel) and is the Zen Master, but for some reason, I always think of Grover

[Catch 22]

08:37 AM on 06/15/2011

Occasionally you wake up laughing 12 hrs later when you get the joke. There is still hope.

[Rador]

05:59 AM on 06/15/2011

When he gets home he'll probably have a good laugh with his crew about pretending not to get it.

[e paw]

08:39 AM on 06/15/2011

jokes!