The Unexpected Borough (Staten Island)
Staten Island, New York City's least populated borough, has been called the "forgotten borough" since at least the 1920s. To remedy this, in December 2018, Staten Island promoted…
“What country doesn’t take cash or credit?”/“The Czech Republic.”
"Czech" sounds like "check," and there are puns. "'A place where citizens don't deal with cash or credit.' ~ Czech Republic" was posted on Twitter by…
“Good food = good mood” (“Good food equals good mood”)
"Good food" and "good mood" has been printed on many images. "Good Food Brings Good Mood" was printed in the St. Joseph (MI) Herald-Press on June 15, 1922. "Good…
LGBTQQWERTY (LGBTQ + QWERTY)
"LGBTQ" (or LGBT) are too many confusing letters for some people, who add the first six letters on the left side of a keyboard ("QWERTY") to it, forming "LGBTQWERTY."…
“That’s a spicy meatball!”
"Mama Mia, that's a spicy meatball!" became a national catchphrase thanks to a 1969 commercial for Alka-Seltzer. The actor Jack Somack played an Italian who was eating meatballs in a…
“Your mother wears combat boots!” (insult)
"Your mother wears army boots/shoes!" (or "Your mother wears combat boots!") is a mild insult that was popular in the 1950s among teenagers, but is now historical or used for…
“Your mother wears army shoes!” (insult)
"Your mother wears army boots/shoes!" (or "Your mother wears combat boots!") is a mild insult that was popular in the 1950s among teenagers, but is now historical or used for…
“It was so hot in New York that fat guys were making their own gravy”
Television's Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2015) was based in New York City, and there were many New York City jokes. David Letterman told this joke in July 1994: "It was so hot in…
“It was so hot in New York that I saw two people give each other personal space”
A joke about the heat in New York City was posted on Twitter by Mark Agee on August 13, 2016: "It's so hot in New York that I saw two people give each other personal space."…
Gay Greenwich Village
The term "Gay Greenwich Village" and the name "Gay Street" have both contributed to the understanding -- or misunderstanding -- of the word "gay." GAY GREENWICH…
Gay Paree
Paris is often called "Gay Paree," with "gay" meaning happy, joyful and lively. The musical Can-Can (1953), with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, included the song "Who…
“Your mother wears army boots!” (insult)
"Your mother wears army boots/shoes!" (or "Your mother wears combat boots!") is a mild insult that was popular in the 1950s among teenagers, but is now historical or used for…
The Six (Toronto, Canada nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Other Toronto nicknames include "Big Smoke," "Broadway North," "Centre of the Universe," "Hogtown," "Hollywood North,"…
“Bread and cheese are slang terms for money. So, I’m stacking grilled cheese sandwiches”
The food terms "bread" and "cheddar" and "cheese" are also slang terms meaning "money." There are several jokes. "Bread is money. Money is Gouda.…
“The best time to exercise is whenever you can”
"The best time to exercise (work out) is whenever you can" is basic advice. "What's the best time to exercise? The best time is whenever you can find the time" we printed…
“There’s no ‘I’ in team, but there are two in schizophrenia”
“There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’” is a popular saying about teamwork, first cited in 1960. "There's no 'I' in team, but there are two in schizophrenia" is a jocular…
“I have a pen that can write underwater! It can also write other words, too”
"I've got a pen that can write underwater. And lots of other words" is a joke that was posted on Twitter by Miles Watts on September 19, 2014. "I just got a pen that can write…
“The best time to work out is whenever you can”
"The best time to exercise (work out) is whenever you can" is basic advice. "What's the best time to exercise? The best time is whenever you can find the time" we printed…
“Kitchens and baths sell houses” (real estate adage)
"Kitchens and baths/bathrooms sell houses" is a popular real estate adage of unknown authorship. Kitchens and baths have a lot of features to them, and updated equipment helps to sell a…
“Come on up and I’ll show you my etchings” (sexual trope)
"Come on up and I'll show you my etchings" is an old veiled language joke that has been printed on many images. The speaker (usually a man) wants to lure a person (usually a woman)…