People
My ex-girlfriend was very sexy. She reminded me of the Sphinx because she was very mysterious and eternal and solid and her nose was shot off by French soldiers.
— Emo Philips
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The comparison starts with admiration and increasingly strange qualities before arriving at a violent, absurd punchline. Treating the missing nose as another shared trait collapses the apparent compliment. The reference to French soldiers belongs to the joke's story, rather than establishing how the Sphinx was damaged.
Context reviewed