Stexit (Staten Island + exit)
"Grexit" (Greece/Greek + exit) spawned many similar terms. "Stexit" (Staten Island + exit) is a name for a possible exit of Staten Island from New York City. "Staten Island…
Archive for 06/2016
“Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the harbor?”/“Because it can’t sit down.”
"Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the harbor? is one of New York's oldest and most popular riddles. This was printed in 1926: "Why does the Statue of Liberty stand in the…
“Why did Eve want to move to New York?”/“She fell for the Big Apple!”
A "Big Apple" riddle is: Q: Why did Eve want to move to New York?A: She fell for the Big Apple! The biblical joke has been cited in print since at least 1996. Google BooksFunniest Riddle…
“Americans prefer houses with basements. They’re best cellars”
Houses with cellars are "best sellers," according to the pun. "I once read a book on how to remodel my basement. I expected a good read since it made the Best Cellars list" was…
Buchanan: Fukushima on the Hudson (Indian Point Energy Center nickname)
The Indian Point Energy Center at Buchanan, New York, has frequently been called a "Fukushima on the Hudson (River)." An energy accident occurred at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant in…
“Fishing lures are made to catch fishermen, not fish”
Manufacturers make impressive fishing lures to lure in customers, prompting the adage, "Fishing lures are made to catch fishermen, not fish." The March 1919 newspaper column "Woods…
“The best way to communicate with a fish is to drop them a line”
"Drop a line" used to be a way of saying that someone was making a telephone call. A fishing joke is: "The best way to communicate with fish is to drop them a line." "How…
“A backward poet writes inverse”
"A backward(s) poet writes inverse" is a pun that has been printed on many T-shirts and GIFs. Authorship of the joke is unknown, but the one-liner has been cited in print since at least…
Fexit (federal + exit)
"Grexit" (Greece/Greek + exit) spawned many similar terms, such as "Fexit" (federal + exit). In March 2013, "Fexit" meant the Federal Reserve's exit from certain…
Fexit (federal + exit)
"Grexit" (Greece/Greek + exit) spawned many similar terms, such as "Fexit" (federal + exit). In March 2013, "Fexit" meant the Federal Reserve's exit from certain…
Welfargee (welfare + refugee)
"Welfargee" (welfare + refugee) describes someone who comes from a third world country to a more developed country and lives off its welfare. "Welfargee" was cited in print in…
“Poor farmers grow crops, but good farmers grow soil”
"Poor farmers grow crops, but good farmers grow soil" is an adage of uncertain origin. "He (John Jeavons -- ed.) believes the goal is not simply to grow crops but to grow soil"…
Million Dollar Rain
A "million dollar rain" is a rain that helps crops (and makes farmers rich, although not necessarily by a million dollars). This rain occurs in late spring or in the summer, when the…
“A champion is someone who is willing to be uncomfortable” (“Be comfortable being uncomfortable”)
Several people have said that one should be "comfortable being uncomfortable." The book Setting Goals (1983) by John Renesch asked, " Are you willing to be uncomfortable (like any…
“My girlfriend fell in an ice cream store. She’s now a sore bae”
A pun on "sorbet" is: "My girlfriend fell in an ice cream store. She's now a sore bae." The "sore bae" joke has had many forms. "My girlfriend is mad that I…
“When I found out my microwave wasn’t waterproof, I was shocked”
A jocular one-liner about a microwave oven is: "When I found out my microwave wasn't waterproof, I was shocked." The "shocking" pun was cited on Twitter on May 21, 2012.…
“Tea is for mugs”
"Tea is for mugs" is a saying that has been printed on many mugs. "@GunstarCowboy no, tea is for mugs!" was cited on Twitter on September 3, 2009. The pun jokes of the…
“Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy”
A popular pun about cartoonists (from a hypothetical newspaper headline) is: "Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy." The joke was on the website Pun of the Day and posted on…
“The butcher who made seabird sausages took a tern for the wurst”
"The butcher who made seabird sausages took a tern for the wurst," according to a popular pun. "Tern for the wurst" has been printed on T-shirts. Associated Press writer Jay…
“My friend William changed his name to Lawrence, and that’s how a Bill becomes a Law”
"How a bill becomes a law" has been explained by the website Kids in the House. A 1976 Schoolhouse Rock song, "I'm Just a Bill," also explained the process. The site…