The Big Apple
About Archives Categories Index Search
About Archives Categories Index Search

September 11, 2009
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If Hitler’s still alive, I hope he’s out of town with a musical” (Larry Gelbart)

Larry Gelbart (1928-2009) wrote the book for the successful Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and achieved great success writing for the television show M*A*S*H, but…

March 7, 2020
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If I put a guitar pick in my pocket, does that make it a pickpocket?”

Many people put a guitar pick in their pocket, especially the small pocket in their jeans that was originally meant for a watch. "RETWEET if you use this pocket solely for guitar picks!…

April 29, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusTransportation

“If I talk to you while I’m driving, I genuinely like you. Because that’s supposed to be my music time”

Many people usually listen to music while driving. "If I talk to you while I'm driving, I genuinely like you. Because that's supposed to be my music time" is a saying that has…

November 19, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If I were a trumpet player I would constantly borrow other people’s trumpets…” (joke)

"Toot one's own horn" (to promote one's self) is an idiomatic expression. It has little to do with actually playing horns, but there are jokes. "I don't like to toot…

January 12, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage” (theatre adage)

"If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage" (or, "If it's not on the page, it's not on the stage") is a popular drama adage, used both on Broadway and…

May 25, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If it’s too loud, you’re too old” (music adage)

"If it's too loud, you're too old" is a rock music saying that has been put on gift items such as T-shirts and bumper stickers. A record ad from February 1978 stated, "Ted…

March 9, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If Korean pop is KPop, is Chinese rap Crap?

"If Japanese pop is JPop, then is Chinese rap Crap?" is a jocular one-liner that has been printed on many images. The joke became popular in 2012. "Asian music is called JPOP, CPOP,…

September 11, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If lightning strikes an orchestra, who is most likely to get hit?”/“The conductor.”

An orchestra riddle is: Q: If lightning strikes an orchestra, who is most likely to get hit?A: The conductor. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1996. “My uncle was a great…

December 3, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?”

"If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?" is a joke on police Miranda warnings that has been printed on many images. The saying has been cited in…

August 8, 2013
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If they liked it once, they’ll love it twice” (Broadway adage)

"If they liked it once, they'll love it twice" is a philosophy of Hollywood and Broadway, resulting in many sequels, revivals and copycat productions of a successful original.…

March 19, 2023
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If we become less white who’s gonna play that funky music?”

"Play that funky music, white boy" is a line in the song "Play That Funky Music" (1976) by Wild Cherry. The line had been suggested to the band while playing to a predominantly…

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

“If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance”

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance" is an inspirational saying that has been printed on many images. The saying means that if you're on thin ice (in a…

July 29, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you breakdance you buy dance”

“If you break it, you bought it” is sometimes called the Pottery Barn rule. This usually doesn't apply to breakdancing, but there are jokes. "I don't care if you are a cop, in my…

July 29, 2022
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you breakdance, you boughtdance”

“If you break it, you bought it” is sometimes called the Pottery Barn rule. This usually doesn't apply to breakdancing, but there are jokes. "I don't care if you are a cop, in my…

August 15, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you can remember Woodstock, you probably weren’t there”

The decade of the 1960s was known in the United States for drug use and music festivals such as Woodstock (held August 15–18, 1969, in Bethel, New York). "EXIT LINE: Comedian Charlie…

May 4, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you can talk, you can sing” (music adage)

Entry in progress -- B.P. "If you can walk, you can dance" is a similar expression. OCLC WorldCat recordIf you can talk, you can sing : cantata : scored for students' voices, claves,…

May 5, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you can walk, you can dance” (dance adage)

Entry in progress -- B.P. "If you can talk, you can sing" is a similar expression. OCLC WorldCat recordIf You Can Walk: You Can Dance!Author: Drayton E MarshEdition/Format: Article…

September 23, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you can’t dance, don’t blame the dance floor”

"A bad workman blames his tools" is an old proverb that has many variations. "If you can't dance, don't blame (it on) the (dance) floor" is a modern version of the…

November 9, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If you eat enough beans, any chair can be musical”

A joke on the game of "musical chairs" was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on November 9, 2019: "If you eat enough beans, any chair can be musical." The joke is that eating…

September 18, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusTransportation

“If you get in my car then congratulations, you’ve just won a free ticket to see me live in concert”

Many people sing while driving in a car. "If you get in my car then congratulations, you've just won a free ticket to see me live in concert" is a saying that has been printed on…

First
Previous
18 19 20 21 22
Next
Last

About the Website and Editor

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.

Read more About the Website and Editor
About
Privacy Policy
RSS

© 2026 Barry Popik. All rights reserved.