I usually give an introduction to these lists, but let's just say this one's for me and my current residence.

Step 1- Make the joke an "inside joke." This will make people on the "outside" feel left out and sad. It will also make them more likely to get sick of your joke sooner since they don't understand the humor in it. Inside jokes are great to pass around amidst people who don't get them because it makes you look like the know-it all passing judgment over the imbeciles.

Step 2- Always hack your joke off of another source. No matter what you do, never develop a creative and well-crafted joke of your own. After all, every joke has probably been told already, right? Maybe it was a delivery boy in Japan who's telling what he feels is an innovative knock-knock joke. If that kid knew how widespread such humor is here in the states, he would fit in like a charm. Everyone LOVES a joke that has been told already, so the best way to kill it is to steal it and claim sole authorship.

Step 3- Perhaps the most important step to consider when methodically killing a joke can be summed up in one word: repeat. This is THE way you kill a joke. You could go through the silly steps in thinking for yourself and devising an original joke, but if you do, just repeat it and you'll kill it in no time. This mastery of murder can be illustrated by this classic example:
"Pete and Repeat were sitting on a boat. Pete fell off, who's left?"
"Repeat?"
"Pete and Repeat were sitting on a boat. Pete fell off, who's left?"
"Repeat."
"Pete and Repeat were sitting on a boat. Pete fell off, who's left?"
"Repeat!"
"Pete and Repeat were sitting on a boat. Pete fell off, who's left?"
"Repeat that again and I'll slice you from your throat to your bowels."
"Pete and Repeat were sitting on a boat. Pete fell off, who's left?"

Step 4- Volume is key when it comes to the art of joke murder. It's easy to tell a joke in a casual setting and make small talk with it, but the true test comes when you shout the joke. Imagine, if you will, a social situation with a few friends, when one says, "HEY, WHY DO FISH SWIM IN SALT WATER?!" to use a classic, "BECAUSE PEPPER MAKES THEM SNEEZE!" Like most things in life, jokes are also more effective when they're louder. This method also transfers into such communication as criticism, ethnic slurs, directions, announcements, and many more.

Step 5- If you have a Q&A joke, never give time for an answer. That levels the playing field and really puts you at a disadvantage as the stunning entertainer you really are. If you're joke isn't a Q&A, then you have to do the complete opposite. Speak the first parts of a funny phrase you stole from your favorite quirky comedian of the moment and then leave it hanging with the expectation that another person around you will finish it. To use Brian Regan as an undeserved example, "There's not a whole lot more humbling..." Experts will know right off the bat that the finishing statement is "...than striking out in slow-pitch softball." Peons will look at you wondering why you stopped mid-sentence, but what do they know? Surely the answer is "not a lot."

Step 6- Brag about your joke. If you're coming to a group of friends who are on the "outside" (see step 1), then introduce them to the joke. Do this by setting up a lengthily story for the context that the joke was originally told in. This way the friends can jump into their mental time machines and go to a place they may have never been and imagine people they may never meet and then enjoy your joke to the fullest of its potential. If you have a Q&A joke, then simply start every conversation with," Dude, check out this new joke..."

Step 7- This simple step helps to cover a few of the previous steps in one swoop. As easy as anything, add your joke/quote to your AIM (or messenger service of choice) profile. This will let people who are out of the loop and without ANY context or expression enjoy your joke under the guise of confusion and disarray.

Step 8- After a period of time and several re-tellings of your joke/quote, you have to start telling it wrong with the optional correction-of-self while telling it. While you may think this will weaken your laughs it actually builds complexity and intricacy of your joke so that only the most superior intellects may enjoy your witticisms. For example, "Why do fish-- No, why don't fish drink salt water? Because pepper water looks like poo."