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November 19, 2024
Education/SchoolsFood/DrinkMusic/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A member of our school brass band was a dyslexic girl who played the Toblerone!”

"Trombone" (a musical instrument in the brass family) shouldn't be confused with "Toblerone" (a Swiss chocolate brand), but there are jokes. "I am so proud of my…

July 6, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A movie ticket for baby should cost at least $50”

Many people can't stand crying babies at the movies. "A movie ticket for baby should cost at least $50" -- that is, an expensive price to discourage parents from taking babies to the…

June 22, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A music store was robbed. The robbers made off with the lute”

"Lute" (a musical instrument) shouldn't be confused with "loot" (contraband, plunder), but there are jokes. This joke was printed in the Detroit (MI) Free Press on May 25,…

November 13, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A musical comedy must have good legs for a long run”

What would a musical be without its dancers? A saying (of unknown authorship) has been cited in print since at least 1928: "A musical comedy with good legs ought to have a long run." 17…

December 17, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A musician won’t judge you for trying to play a song…”

"An athlete won't judge you for working out. A millionaire won't judge you for starting a business. A musician won't judge you for trying to sing a song. It's always the…

December 18, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A musician won’t judge you for trying to sing a song…”

"An athlete won't judge you for working out. A millionaire won't judge you for starting a business. A musician won't judge you for trying to sing a song. It's always the…

September 1, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A pig’s favorite movie: The Monster That Ate New York”

A popular pig joke us: "A pig's favorite movie: The Monster That Ate New York." The joke has been cited in print since at least 2004. Lighten Up A Little!A pig’s favoriteNOVEMBER…

September 18, 2014
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A rock guitarist plays 3 chords to 3,000 people; a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords to 3 people”

"A rock guitarist plays 3 chords to 3,000 people; a jazz guitarist plays 3,000 chords to 3 people" is a popular music joke. "A blues musician plays three chords in front of a…

November 10, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A saxophone is like a lawsuit. Everyone is happy when the case is closed.”

A music joke was posted on the newsgroup wny.events on February 2, 1997: Q: Why is a viola like a lawsuit?A: Everyone is happy when the case is closed. The joke has been told about other…

July 1, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A sheep, a drum and a snake fall off a cliff. Ba-Dum-Tss”

The rimshot became famous as a drummer's support of a comedian after a (usually bad or unusually corny) joke. The drum sounds are written as "boom boom" and "ba dum tss."…

September 1, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A theater without beer is just a museum”

"A theater without beer is just a museum" is a quotation frequently credited to German playwright and director Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). The quotation has become popular since 2002 --…

October 22, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A thief entered a theatre. He stole the spotlight”

The theatre expression "to steal the spotlight" means to become the focus of attention. For example, a physically attractive actor can steal the spotlight from everyone else. The idiom…

April 2, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A tuba player walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A tuba version is: "A tuba player walks into a bar. The dent is $300 to repair."…

September 13, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A woman is accused of beating her husband half to death with his guitar collection…” (joke)

A pun about Fender guitars is: "A woman is accused of beating her husband half to death with his guitar collection. 'First offender?' asks the judge. 'No,' says the woman.…

May 24, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“A writer needs a pen, an artist needs a brush, but a filmmaker needs an army”

"A writer needs a pen, an artist needs a brush, but a filmmaker needs an army" is a saying that has been printed on many images. American actor and director Orson Welles (1915-1985) is…

January 19, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Accordion to research, most people will not notice musical instruments appearing within sentences”

"Accordion" sounds somewhat like "according." "Accordion to research, in everyday conversation a musical instrument replacing a word often goes unnoticed" was posted…

December 10, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Act before you think” (acting adage)

"Act before you think" (the reverse of the popular saying "think before you act") is an acting adage that has been printed on several images. The saying is credited to acting…

December 10, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances”

"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances" (or "Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances") is a saying that has been printed on many images.…

December 11, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances”

"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances" (or "Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances") is a saying that has been printed on many images.…

January 21, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Acting is reacting” (acting adage)

"Acting is reacting" is an old acting adage. The actor must react to what the other actors say and do, or to the conditions. The saying has been used both on the stage and in movies. The…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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