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July 7, 2014
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you call someone who hangs around musicians?”/“A drummer.”

Drummers have been the subject of many jokes. One popular joke is: Q: What doyou call someone who hangs out with musicians?A: A drummer. It's not known who first told the joke, but the joke…

October 20, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you do when you don’t have any rubber bands?”/“See if you can find a plastic orchestra.”

A band/orchestra riddle is: Q: What do you do when you don't have any rubber bands?A: See if you can find a plastic orchestra. The joke was posted on a Laffy Taffy wrapper by at least 2005.…

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

“What do you get from a cowmedian?”/“Cream of Wit!”

A cow riddle is: Q: What do you get from a cowmedian?A: Cream of wit. A "cowmedian" is a "cow-comedian." The joke has been cited in print since at least 2007. Wikipedia: Cream…

December 18, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you get if you cross a drummer with a musician?”/“A bass player.”

A riddle about drummers is: Q: What do you get if you cross a drummer with a musician?A: A bass player. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1991. 27 July 1991, New Musical Express,…

January 12, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you get if you cross a lamp with a violin?”/“You get light music.”

A music riddle is: Q: What do you get if you cross a lamp with a violin?A: You get light music. The "light music" pun has been cited in print since at least 1999. 13 July 1999, Home News…

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

“What do you get if you cross a sweet potato and a jazz musician?”/“A yam session!”

A yam riddle is: Q: "What do you get if you cross a sweet potato and a jazz musician?A: A yam session> The joke has been cited in print since at least 1996. 24 December 1996, Chicago (IL)…

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

“What do you get if you cross a trumpet and a serpent?”/“A snake in the brass.”

A trumpet riddle is: Q: What do you get if you cross a trumpet and a serpent?A: A snake in the brass. "What do you get if you cross a python with a saxophone? A snake in the brass" --…

January 1, 2021
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you get if you drop a piano on a child?”/“A flat minor.”

A piano riddle is: Q: What do you get if you drop a piano on a child?A: A flat minor. "RT @nessie111: Drop a piano on a kid and you've a flat minor" was posted on Twitter by…

March 8, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you get when you do the Irish jig at McDonald’s?”/“A Shamrock Shake.”

McDonald's fast food restaurants have offered green "Shamrock Shakes" for St. Patrick's Day since 1970. A riddle is: Q: What do you get when you do the Irish jig at…

June 20, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?” (joke)

A popular piano joke is: Q: What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?A: A flat miner. The "miner"/"minor" pun has been cited in print since at least 1975. “What…

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

“What do you get when you drop a piano on an army base?” (joke)

A popular piano riddle is: Q: What do you get when you drop a piano on an army base? A: A flat major. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1977. "What do you get when you drop a…

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

“What do you get when you play a country song backwards?”

A joke about country music (cited in print since at least 1991) illustrates the sadness of much of the lyrics. "What do you get when you play a country song backwards? You get your job back,…

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

“What do you get when you play a new age song backwards?”

New age music is incomprehensible to many people, hence the joke: Q: What do you get when you play a new age song backwards?A: You get a different new age song. The new age music joke has been…

September 3, 2015
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What do you think of the musician’s execution?”/“I’m in favor of it.”

A popular joke appeared in 1894 and was reprinted in many newspapers: "What did you think of my daughter's execution, Professor?" asked the fond mamma, as her fair daughter pounded…

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

“What do you use to fix a broken tuba?”/“A tuba glue.”

"Tuba" sounds like "tube of." A riddle was printed in many newspapers in 1994: Q: What do you use to fix a broken tuba?A: A tuba glue! The riddle is often worded as this: Q: How…

May 17, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What does a Broadway actor do when he has the flu?”/“Eight shows a week.”

Broadway actors (and many in regional theatre) are expected to perform eight shows a week. Stars are pushed to perform even when not fully healthy. American film actor Tom Hanks helped out at the…

June 9, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What does a drummer use for contraception?”/” His personality.”

A drummer riddle is: Q: What does a drummer use for contraception?A: His personality! The joke was posted on the newsgroup rec.music.christian on February 7, 1996. Google Groups:…

August 5, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What does it say on a blues singer’s tombstone?”/“I didn’t wake up this morning…”

Many blues songs contain the lyric, "I woke up this morning," A popular blues riddle is: Q: What does it say on a blues singer's tombstone? A: "I didn't wake up this…

May 31, 2026
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What generation does Forrest Gump’s son belong to?”/“Gen A.”

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is artificial intelligence (AI) that uses generative models to generate text. GenAI is usually pronounced like "jen-ay-eye." In the movie…

September 8, 2017
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/CircusPets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“What happened when the dog went to the flea circus?”/“It stole the show!”

A joke about a flea circus is: Q: What happened when the dog went to the flea circus?A: It stole the show! The joke has been cited in print since at least 1935, when it was credited to New York…

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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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