The image displayed consists of two separate side-by-side photographs. The left side of the image features a person with platinum blonde hair, looking somewhat disheveled, in a black suit and bow tie against a background suggesting a classy event. The right side shows a well-known humorous character from a popular film, characterized by wild, unkempt white hair, dark circled eyes, and a somewhat maniacal expression, wearing a distinctive black and white striped suit.
The text atop the image reads "Pete Davidson is what I imagine Beetlejuice looked like when he was alive." This text sets the scene for the humor by drawing a parallel between the contemporary individual shown in the photo and the fictional character, suggesting a pre-death appearance for the character.
The humor in this image arises from several factors. Firstly, the physical resemblance hinted at by the hair color and chaotic style creates a visual punchline, inviting viewers to draw a comparison between the two images. Both characters share a certain disarrayed visual aesthetic, which is exaggerated for comedic effect.
The joke also plays on public perception and familiarity with the character from the film, who is known for his outrageous and over-the-top behavior. Audiences familiar with this character might find it amusing to imagine his previous alive persona as resembling anyone specific, especially a real-life person who is known in the public eye.
Furthermore, the humor is amplified by the hypothetical nature of the comparison. Since the character is fictional and his backstory before his depicted undead state isn't Pete Davidson is what I imagine Beetlejuice looked like when he was alive