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June 12, 2018
Work/Businesses

“A contortionist in the Philippines would be a Manila folder”

Many offices use manila folders. A riddle about them is: Q: What do you call a contortionist from the Philippines?A: A Manila folder. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1974.…

June 22, 2020
Food/Drink

“A cookbook is only as good as its poorest recipe”

"A cookbook is only as good as its poorest/worst recipe" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Television chef and author Julia Child (1912-2004) said it several times, in…

June 22, 2020
Food/Drink

“A cookbook is only as good as its worst recipe”

"A cookbook is only as good as its poorest/worst recipe" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Television chef and author Julia Child (1912-2004) said it several times, in…

December 18, 2014
Food/Drink

“A cookie a day keeps the sadness away”

"A cookie a day keeps the sadness away" is a variation of the much older "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." "A cookie a day keeps the sadness away" was cited on…

February 9, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“A cop pulled me over and said, ‘Papers.’ So I said, ‘Scissors, I win!’ and drove off”

Officers who ask for "papers" aren't interested in playing rock-paper-scissors,", but there's a joke: "A cop pulled me over and said, 'Papers.' So I said,…

July 2, 2024
Food/Drink

“A corn dog is just a beef Wellington on a stick”

Beef Wellington has been compared to a corn dog. "Beef Wellington is just booshie corndog!!" was posted on X/Twitter by MadBajan 🇧🇧 on June 12, 2012. "Beef Wellington is just a…

June 12, 2024
Food/Drink

“A corn dog is just a poor man’s beef Wellington”

Beef Wellington has been compared to a corn dog. "Beef Wellington is just booshie corndog!!" was posted on X/Twitter by MadBajan 🇧🇧 on June 12, 2012. "Beef Wellington is just a…

June 13, 2024
Food/Drink

“A corn dog is just a redneck beef Wellington”

Beef Wellington has been compared to a corn dog. "Beef Wellington is just booshie corndog!!" was posted on X/Twitter by MadBajan 🇧🇧 on June 12, 2012. "Beef Wellington is just a…

July 2, 2024
Food/Drink

“A corn dog is just a white trash Beef Wellington”

Beef Wellington has been compared to a corn dog. "Beef Wellington is just booshie corndog!!" was posted on X/Twitter by MadBajan 🇧🇧 on June 12, 2012. "Beef Wellington is just a…

July 2, 2024
Food/Drink

“A corn dog is just an American Beef Wellington”

Beef Wellington has been compared to a corn dog. "Beef Wellington is just booshie corndog!!" was posted on X/Twitter by MadBajan 🇧🇧 on June 12, 2012. "Beef Wellington is just a…

January 20, 2018
Food/Drink

“A corn maze is a maize maze”

"Maize" is corn; a "maze" is a labyrinth. A "corn maze" is the same thing as a "maize maze." The terms "corn maze" and "maize maze" were…

September 7, 2016
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“A corn stalk walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A corn stalk version is: "A corn stalk walks into a bar. The bartender says,…

August 27, 2021
Food/Drink

“A corndog is just a meat lollipop”

Corn dogs have been compared to lollipops and popsicles. "Yeah, corn dogs are meat popsicles, jeez!" was posted on Twitter by Melissa & Dawn on November 3, 2009. " Someone on fb…

August 27, 2021
Food/Drink

“A corndog is just a meat popsicle”

Corn dogs have been compared to lollipops and popsicles. "Yeah, corn dogs are meat popsicles, jeez!" was posted on Twitter by Melissa & Dawn on November 3, 2009. " Someone on fb…

August 27, 2021
Food/Drink

“A corndog is just a meat Twinkie”

Corn dogs have been compared to Twinkies. "Corn dogs are meat-filled twinkies" was posted on Twitter by Duff LeBag on July 4, 2010. "'corn dogs are just meat Twinkies'…

December 5, 2010
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“A correction is when you lose money and a bear market is when I lose money”

What's the difference between a short-term "market correction" and a "bear market" or a "crash"? A joke says that the difference is not how far stocks have…

March 19, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“A country with a government” (“A government with a country”)

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) said in his inaugural address as president on January 20, 1981: "We are a nation that has a government—not the other way around. And this makes us special among the…

February 4, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“A Covid nurse asked me if I’ve had a sudden loss of taste. I told her I always dress like this”

The 2020 COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic had infected people suffer a loss of taste. "For the COVID screening, they asked if I had experienced a sudden loss of taste. 'No, I’ve been…

March 15, 2007
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse”

"A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse" is usually credited to Will James (1892-1942), a cowboy artist and author. (Will James is not to be confused with the philosopher William James.)…

June 4, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“A crab walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A crab version is: "A crab walks into a bar. The bartender says, 'Sorry, I…

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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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