I know that it’s hard to believe, but even though I’m a man, I don’t require a separate room for my male friends and me to watch sports, watch action movies, drink beer, play poker, hang deer heads, and play pool, with a sign hanging on the door that says “no women allowed.” In other words, I don’t require what is so often referred to as a man cave, man room, or guy’s room. And I’m not saying that because I’m a lousy pool player and don’t watch many movies.
It’s not just because it’s a gender joke (maybe we’ll rid ourselves of those by 2108?), but it’s also because it’s a trite, boring, and predictable gender joke. Poker, deer, sports, action movies–there’s nothing new in that kind of humor even if it’s put in the form of a room instead of a generic comment. It’s also trendy, meaning that it’s said too often. If I were a real estate agent, I’m sure I’d tire of this one pretty quickly…but…with 6% commission, I guess they’re happy to play along with the joke.
I don’t have to.
–Paul
Paul’s book–Literally, the Best Language Book Ever;
Everything Language and Grammar 