“The team that gets the best player wins the trade”
"The team that gets the best player wins the trade" is a sports adage meaning that trading for quality ("the best player") is better than trading for quantity (several good…
Archive for /P30620
Do-Nothing Congress
The 80th United States Congress (March 3, 1947-January 3, 1949), controlled by the Republicans, was frequently called by the minority Democrats as the "Do-Nothing Congress." The term…
“I’m on a whiskey diet. I’ve lost three days already!”
"I'm on a whiskey diet. I've lost three days already!" is a joke that has been credited to British prop comedian and magician Tommy Cooper (1921-1984). "I'm on a…
“Summer has arrived when the rain is warm”
An old joke is told in places where it rains much of the time: "Summer has arrived (in Seattle/ Vancouver/ Ireland/ Scotland/ Wales/ England) when the rain is warm." "You can tell…
“There, I guess King George will be able to read that!” (John Hancock?)
John Hancock (1737-1793) was president of Congress when the Declaration of Independence was adopted; he signed the document with a large signature in the center, supposedly saying: "There, I…
“The first draft of anything is shit”
Arnold Samuelson, a young aspiring writer from North Dakota, met up with his idol, American author Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), in Key West in 1934. Samuelson became Hemingway's "boat…
“Soccer is America’s sport of the future—and always will be”
"Soccer is America's sport of the future -- and always will be" is an old joke about a sport that has long been predicted to explode in popularity in the United States. "Brazil…
“The rich have advantages that money cannot buy”
American economist Larry Summers wrote an opinion in the Financial Times on June 8, 2014, titled "The rich have advantages that money cannot buy." Summers pointed out that income…
“What do you call a fake noodle?”/“An impasta.”
A popular pasta joke is: Q: What do you call a fake noodle?A: An impasta. "Impasta" appeared in a pasta advertisement in 1991. "Q: What do you call a ravioli that pretends to be a…
“When is soup musical?”/“When it’s piping hot.”
A popular soup joke is: Q: When is soup musical?A: When it's served piping hot! "When is water musical?" was cited in print in 1995 and "When is a plum pudding musical" was…
“What did the baby corn say to its mom?”/“Where’s my pop corn?”
Popcorn is the subject of a frequently told joke: Q: What did the baby corn say to its mom? A: Where's pop corn? The joke has been cited in print since at least 1977. “Who called them dad…
“What if soy milk is just regular milk introducing itself in Spanish?” (joke)
"What if soy milk is just regular milk introducing itself in Spanish?" is a popular food joke. The Spanish word "soy" means "I am." although the word "milk"…
Subway Acrobat
A "subway acrobat" is someone who performs gymnastic moves on the subway, often using the subway's poles (or straps). The show is done for free, but the performer usually asks for…
Benchslap (judicial bench + bitchslap)
A "benchslap" (judicial bench + bitchslap) is when a judge slaps down someone (such as a lawyer, another judge or the government) orally in court or in a written judicial opinion. The…
“Eisenhower Doll—wind it up and it does nothing for eight years”
A popular joke was said by Democrats about U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (a Republican) in January 1961: "And in Washington they're laughing about the 'Eisenhower Doll.'…
Texas Chicken (ship-passing maneuver)
"Texas chicken" is a procedure that occurs when two shipping vessels face each other on a collision course -- a frequent occurrence in the Houston Ship Channel. The vessels must quickly…
“If you have one day left to live, let it be at a swim meet because they go on forever”
Swim meets have such a reputation for lasting a long time that a popular joke has been put on T-shirts: "If you have one day left to live, let it be at a swim meet because they go on…
Jimmy Award (National High School Musical Theater Award)
The Jimmy Awards are also called the National High School Musical Theater Awards. The annual award is named after James M. Nederlander, chairman of the Nederlander Organization (owner of several…
The Beautiful Game (soccer)
Brazilian soccer star eléP titled his autobiography, My Life and The Beautiful Game: The Autobiography of Pelé (1977). Pelé popularized "The Beautiful Game," but there have been some…
“I was an honor student—I don’t know what happened” (bumper sticker)
"I was an honor student -- I don't know what happened" is a popular bumper sticker. The bumper sticker is a parody of the "My child is an honor student" bumper stickers.…