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

February 25, 2017
Names/Phrases

“What major city is the most feminist?”/“Manhatin’.”

"Manhattan" sounds a bit like "man hating." A pun was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on February 2, 2016: Q: What city has the most feminists?A: Manhatin'. A Manhatin'…

September 7, 2018
Food/Drink

“What makes a man think about a dinner by candlelight?”/“A power failure.”

A riddle about how unromantic many men are is: Q: What makes a man think about a candlelight dinner?A: A power failure. The joke was posted on the newsgroup alt.tasteless.jokes on November 27,…

June 7, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes mandatory vaccinations not tyranny?”/“Magical fairy dust.”

"What makes mandatory vaccinations not tyranny?” is a meme that has been printed on an image: "What makes sex not rape? CONSENTWhat makes a job not slavery? CONSENTWhat makes a…

May 19, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What makes music on your head?”/“A head band.”

A head band (or "headband") is not like a rock band or a jazz band, but there's a pun: Q: What makes music on your head?A: A head band. The joke has been cited in print since at…

June 7, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes taxation not theft?”/“Imagination.”

"What makes taxation not theft?" is a meme that has been printed on many images: "What makes sex NOT rape? Consent.What makes employment NOT slavery? Consent.What makes a transaction…

June 8, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes taxation not theft?”/“Magic.”

"What makes taxation not theft?" is a meme that has been printed on many images: "What makes sex NOT rape? Consent.What makes employment NOT slavery? Consent.What makes a transaction…

June 7, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes taxation not theft?”/“Magical fairy dust.”

"What makes taxation not theft?" is a meme that has been printed on many images: "What makes sex NOT rape? Consent.What makes employment NOT slavery? Consent.What makes a transaction…

June 8, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes taxation not theft?”/“Roads.”

"What makes taxation not theft?" is a meme that has been printed on many images: "What makes sex NOT rape? Consent.What makes employment NOT slavery? Consent.What makes a transaction…

January 27, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“What makes the difference between a gang and a state is the belief that there is a difference…”

"There is no difference between a gang and a state" was posted on Twitter by Rahman Hussin on March 14, 2012. "Re gang violence: What is the difference between a gang and a state…

November 24, 2019
Work/Businesses

“What may be done at any time will be done at no time”

"What may be done at any time will be done at no time" is an adage that has been printed on many images. "What my be done at any Time, will be done at no Time" was included in…

April 19, 2024
Time/Weather

“What month do Christmas trees hate the most?”/“Septimber!”

A tree riddle is popular in September. "What month do Christmas trees hate the most? Septimber! " was printed in Newsday (Hempstead, NY) on December 15, 2002. "Q: What month do trees…

April 22, 2024
Time/Weather

“What month do trees hate the most?”/“Sep-timber.”

A tree riddle is popular in September. "What month do Christmas trees hate the most? Septimber! " was printed in Newsday (Hempstead, NY) on December 15, 2002. "Q: What month do trees…

February 4, 2025
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What music do more sophisticated frogs listen to?”/“Hopera.”

Frogs allegedly like the opera, or rather, "hopera" ("hop" + "opera"). "Where do musical frogs perform? The hopera house haha!!" was posted on X/Twitter by…

August 10, 2019
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What music do planets listen to?”/“Neptunes.”

A planetary music riddle was posted on Twitter by Holly on August 10, 2012: Q: What kind of music do planets sing?A: Neptunes! A similar riddle was posted on Twitter by Bobby Amasha on October 8,…

April 26, 2018
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“What musical instrument goes with cheese?”/“Picklelo.”

A piccolo (a musical instrument) doesn't contain any pickles, but there's a riddle: Q: What musical instrument goes with cheese?A: Picklelo. The piccolo pickle pun -- with cheese -- has…

April 27, 2018
Food/Drink

“What musical instrument goes with cheese?”/“Picklelo.”

A piccolo (a musical instrument) doesn't contain any pickles, but there's a riddle: Q: What musical instrument goes with cheese?A: Picklelo. The piccolo pickle pun -- with cheese -- has…

December 23, 2019
Holidays/Events/Parades

“What nationality is Santa Claus?”/“North Polish.”

Santa Claus is said to live in the North Pole, and there are at least two riddles about it. A language riddle is from 1938: Q: What language does Santa Claus speak?A: North Polish. A nationality is…

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

“What news on the Rialto?” (Rialto theatre district)

"The Rialto" was the 14th Street theatre district. The theatre district has long since moved uptown, and "the Rialto" is no longer used. The term was extremely popular in the…

July 11, 2016
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“What newspaper do cows read?”/“The Daily Moos.”

The Daily News (New York, NY) has a cow riddle: Q: What newspaper do cows read?A: The Daily Moos. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1979. “What newspaper do cows…

July 11, 2016
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“What newspaper do cows read?”/“The Moo York Times.”

The New York (NY) Times has a cow riddle: Q: What newspaper do cows read?A: The Moo York Times. The joke has been cited in print since at least 2009. The cow riddle was popularized on the American…

First
Previous
1329 1330 1331 1332 1333
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.