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March 19, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you know when a drummer is at your door?” (joke)

One popular drummer joke (among many) is: Q: How can you tell when there's a drummer at your door?A: The knocking speeds up. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1993. Google…

February 21, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you know when the stage is level?”/“Drool comes out of both sides of the drummer’s mouth.”

A popular joke about drummers is: Q: How do you know when the stage is level?A: When drool comes out of both sides of the drummer's mouth. "How can you tell if the stage is level? If the…

October 6, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a bandstand?”/‘Take away their chairs.”

There's an old joke told about bandstands: Q: How do you make a bandstand?A: Take away their chairs. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1976. "How do you make a hot dog…

April 7, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a blonde laugh on Monday?”/“Tell her a joke on Friday.”

A popular "dumb blonde" joke demonstrates how long it takes a blonde to process a joke. The St. Louis (MO) Post-Dispatch, on August 14, 1991, had this as just a day: Q: How do you make a…

April 7, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a blonde laugh on Saturday?”/“Tell her a joke on Wednesday.”

A popular "dumb blonde" joke demonstrates how long it takes a blonde to process a joke. The St. Louis (MO) Post-Dispatch, on August 14, 1991, had this as just a day: Q: How do you make a…

February 9, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a musician complain?”/“Give him a gig.”

Musicians are seldom satisfied. An old joke is: Q: How do you make a musician complain?A: Give him a gig. The joke has been cited in print since at least the 1990s. A variation was cited on Twitter…

January 30, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a tissue dance?”/“Put a little boogie in it.”

"Booger" and "boogie" aren't the same, but there's a popular riddle: Q: How do you make a tissue dance?A: Put a little boogie in it. The joke has been cited in print…

October 26, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a violin sound like a viola?”/“Play in the low register with a lot of wrong notes.”

A viola joke is: Q: How do you make a violin sound like a viola?A: Play in the low register with a lot of wrong notes. The joke was posted on the newsgroup rec.humor on July 8, 1992. “How do you…

October 24, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make a violin sound like a viola?”/“Sit in the back and don’t play.”

A joke about the viola is: Q: How do you make a violin sound like a viola?A: Sit in the back and don't play. The joke was posted on the newsgroup alt.music.filk on April 10, 1992. “How do…

August 7, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you make an actor moan?”/“Give them a job.”

Actors aren't happy when they're out of work, and many still complain when they do find work. "Here's a joke: How do you make an actor bitch? Give him a job." was printed…

August 24, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How do you protect a valuable instrument?”/“Hide it in an accordion case.”

An accordion riddle is: Q: How do you protect a valuable instrument?A: Hide it in an accordion case. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1999. 4 September 1999, Great Falls (MT)…

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

“How do you tune a fish?”/“With its scales.”

A tuna fish riddle is: Q: How do you tune a (tuna) fish?A: With its scales. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1916. “You can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish” is a related…

April 21, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How does a jazz musician end up with a million dollars?”/“By starting out with two million dollars.

A jazz musician riddle has been cited in print since at least 1996: Q: How does a jazz musician end up with a million dollars? A: Give him ten million and wait a couple of months. "How does a…

August 16, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How is a drum solo like a sneeze?” (ioke)

There have been make jokes about drummers. A popular riddle is: Q: How is a drum solo like a sneeze?A: You can tell it's coming, but you can't do anything about it. The joke has been…

March 6, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How late does the band play?” (joke)

Drummers often play to their own beat. A popular joke involves a bar customer who is listening to a jazz band: BAR CUSTOMER (to bartender): Hey buddy, how late does the band play?BARTENDER: Oh,…

September 21, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How long does it take to tune a 12-string guitar?”/“Nobody knows.”

The classic musical instrument joke is: Q: How long does it take to tune a 12-string guitar?A: Nobody knows. It's never been done. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1998, when it…

September 7, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How many actors does it take to change a light bulb?” (joke)

A popular actor "light bulb" joke was told by American actor Matthew Broderick in 1985: Q: How many actors does it take to change a light bulb?A: One hundred. One to do it, and 99 to say…

March 10, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How many altos does it take to screw in a light bulb?” (joke)

Singers have popular jokes on how many it takes to screw in a lightbulb: Q: How many altos does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: None, they can't get up that high. The joke has been cited…

January 14, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How many dance instructors does it take to change a light bulb?”/“Five!...Six!...Seven!...Eight!”

A popular dancer "light bulb" riddle is: Q: How many dance instructors dies it take to change a light bulb?A: Five!...Six!...Seven!...Eight! The joke has been cited in print since at…

January 26, 2023
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“How many guitars does a guitar player need?”/“Just one more.”

A guitar player often likes to have many guitars. "How many guitars does a guitar player need? Just one more" is a popular joke that has been printed on many images. "Q. How many…

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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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