“Insert coffee to begin”
"Insert coffee to begin" is a jocular coffee saying that has been printed on many images. The joke is that a human needs coffee to begin (a day) like a vending machine needs coins to…
Cotton-pickin’ Minute (Cotton-picking Minute)
"Now wait just a cotton-picking minute!" means the same as "Now wait just one damned minute!" There is no exact measure of time. "Well, here I am. Hey, just a…
Pea-pickin’ Minute (Pea-picking Minute)
"Now wait just a pea-picking minute!” means the same as “Now wait just one damned minute!” There is no exact measure of time "Wait a pea pickin' minute" was printed in The…
“Go for the gusto”
"Gusto" means "taste," "liking" and "pleasure." The word "gusto" was featured in many ads for Schlitz beer. "The beer with the real…
Pump and Dump (stock scheme)
A "pump and dump" scheme occurs when someone "pumps" the stock (such as an executive or an influential financial analyst in the media), the stock price goes up because of the…
“Exactly how long is a cotton picking minute?”
"Now wait just a cotton-picking minute!" means the same as "Now wait just one damned minute!" There is no exact measure of time. "Well, here I am. Hey, just a…
“Here’s mud in your eye” (toast)
"Here's mud in your eye" is a toast that has been cited in print since at least 1911. Origin of the toast is unknown. The book Dictionary of Word Origins (1997) by Jordan Almond…
“What do Mexicans eat on the beach?”/“Buried toes.”
"Buried toes" sounds a little like "Burritos." "The Mexicans must be cannibals. I mean, who goes and eats buried toes?" was posted on Twitter by Sudhamshu Hebbar on…
“What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?”/“Nacho cheese.”
Nachos is a Tex-Mex dish dating from about 1940. In 1966, Doritos tortilla chips were created by Frito-Lay (a Texas company). A popular Doritos flavor (since 1972) is "nacho cheese." By…
Whatchamacallit (what you may call it)
"Whatchamacallit" (what you may call it) is the name of a candy bar introduced in 1978 by The Hershey Company. The slang name is of unknown authorship. "Whatchamacallit" was…
Tuna Tetrazzini
Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940) was an Italian lyric coloratura soprano who had an enormous popularity in America from the 1900s-1920s. Several dishes were named after her, including: . Turkey…
Hindoo or Hindu (a do-over)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Chinese handballChinese handball (known in its 3-or-more-player forms as Ace-King-Queen, King(s), Down the River or Slugs), is a form of American handball…
Two-Sewer Man (stickball term)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Newspapers.com26 April 1967, Daily News (New York, NY), "When You and I Were Young, Kiddo!" by Bill Gallo, pg. 38, col. 2:A TWO-SEWER MAN -- When you hit the…
Chinese Handball
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Chinese handballChinese handball (known in its 3-or-more-player forms as Ace-King-Queen, King(s), Down the River or Slugs), is a form of American handball…
“An electrician arrives home at 3 a.m. His wife asks him, ‘Wire you insulate?’”
There are many electrician puns. A "Wire you insulate?" joke has been cited in print since at least 1890. 21 July 1890, Buffalo (NY) Courier, pg. 5, col. 1:Said the electrician's…
“Big Apple” T-shirts from the Daily News (1975)
The Daily News newspaper popularized "Big Apple" by selling T-shirts, sweat shirts and beach towels in 1975 and 1976. The first ad was printed on July 13, 1975, and the last ad on August…
Steak Murphy
Steak Murphy is a New Jersey dish of unknown origins. "STEAKS, Scampi or Murphy, with Mushrooms, Hot Peppers & Wine" was an ad by Andrew's Club 35 in the Asbury Park (NJ) Evening…
“That’s what cheese said”
"That's what cheese said" is a pun on "That's what she said" that has been printed on many images. It's just a cheesy pun and has no special meaning.…
Shrimp Tetrazzini
Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940) was an Italian lyric coloratura soprano who had an enormous popularity in America from the 1900s-1920s. Several dishes were named after her, including: . Turkey…
Chicken Murphy
Steak Murphy is a New Jersey dish of unknown origins. "STEAKS, Scampi or Murphy, with Mushrooms, Hot Peppers & Wine" was an ad by Andrew's Club 35 in the Asbury Park (NJ) Evening…