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March 28, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“People often ask me why I wanted to be a film editor. Well, to cut a long story short”

"To cut a long story short" is a common conversational expression. "When I was asked at the job interview 'Why do you want to be a Film Editor?' I replied 'Well, to…

March 26, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusTransportation

“People who drive without music are actually psychopaths”

"People who drive without music are actually psychopaths" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Some people cannot image how others can drive a vehicle without listening to…

March 26, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusTransportation

“People who drive without music are psychopaths”

"People who drive without music are actually psychopaths" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Some people cannot image how others can drive a vehicle without listening to…

April 24, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Performing since the Dead Sea was only sick” (a long time)

An old joke or an old person is truly old if it or he had been around "since the Dead Sea was only sick." "You was born before the Dead sea was taken sick" was cited in print in…

June 27, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Persistent practice of postural principles promises perfection” (ballroom dancing adage)

Good posture is important in ballroom dancing. "Persistent practice of postural principles promises perfection" is a saying that has been printed in several books on ballroom dancing. The…

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

“Pickpocket: that little pocket inside the right pocket on jeans that you put guitar picks in”

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!…

September 28, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Pie rates of Penn’s aunts” (pun)

The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, opened at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on December 31,…

January 28, 2012
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Plays aren’t written, they’re rewritten” (theatre adage)

"Plays aren't written, they're rewritten" is an old theatre adage meaning that many changes are usually made during the rehearsal process, before the play officially opens. Dion…

April 25, 2024
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Please refrain from making music puns”

The word "refrain" has two meanings, and there are music jokes. "Please refrain from making music puns" was posted on Facebook by Eric Hackl to The Punsters on April 26, 2022.…

November 23, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Plumbers sing in a faucetto”

"Falsetto" has nothing to do with a faucet, but there are some jokes. "Plumbers sing in a faucetto" was posted on Twitter by Mike H on May 3, 2011. "2nd #PUN FOR THE DAY:…

December 1, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Poetry is proof that rhyme doesn’t pay”

"Why are poets poor? Because rhyme doesn't pay," an old joke has it, punning on "crime doesn't pay." "Afterthought: Who said rhyme doesn't pay?" was…

December 27, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Promises are like crying babies in a theater. They should be carried out at once”

"Promises are like crying babies in a theater. They should be carried out at once" is a popular saying that has been printed on GIFs. What can be so annoying to so many as a crying baby…

May 7, 2006
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” (1929)

"Puttin' on the Ritz" was written by the legendary New York songwriter Irving Berlin in 1929. Another New Yorker, Mel Brooks, featured the song in his movie classic Young…

November 21, 2025
Holidays/Events/ParadesMusic/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusWork/Businesses

“Quit complaining about stores playing Christmas music in November and start writing some Thanksgiving songs…”

Stores often play Christmas music in November. What about Thanksgiving songs? This was posted on X/Twitter by soul nate on November 24, 2021, and it received over 58,000 likes: "quit…

January 15, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Rap is 75% crap”

"Rap" is a three-letter word and is 75% of the four-letter word "crap." "Rap is 75% (of) crap" is said by some rap detractors. "Also thinks rap is 75% crap"…

May 18, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Rap is all about poor people bragging about being rich”

"If country lyrics are all about being poor and rap is all about being rich, what is the middle class of music genre’s?" is an jocular line that was cited on Twitter on August 9, 2011.…

July 27, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Rappers pretend they have more money than the really do; country singers that they have less”

Rappers often like to flash money. showing off success. Country music singers often like to stay humble. A saying was posted on Reddit -- Shower Thoughts on June 27, 2017: "Rappers pretend…

June 18, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Rapping about how the Big Apple is outta sight” (The Last Poets, 1969-1970)

The Original Last Poets (later called The Last Poets) formed on May 19, 1968 (Malcolm X's birthday), at Mount Morris Park (now known as Marcus Garvey Park) in East Harlem. The Last Poets…

March 7, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Rated G - The good guy gets the girl; R - The bad guy gets the girl; X - Everyone gets the girl”

A jocular explanation of the movie rating system has been printed on several images. It was explained like this in February 1973: "If a movie is rated G, the hero gets the girl; if R, the…

October 26, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Real barrel of laughs” (someone/something not funny)

An entertainment is sometimes said to be "a barrel of laughs" (to have a lot of laughs) or "a barrel of fun" (to have a lot of fun). The "barrel" term was popular in…

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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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