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December 28, 2015
Time/Weather

“It was so cold in New York that the flashers were only describing themselves”

"It was so cold in New York, flashers were only describing themselves" is a classic New York City joke about cold weather. The joke has often been credited to late night television…

February 14, 2016
Time/Weather

“It was so cold in New York that they canceled the ice festival”

"It was so cold in New York that they canceled the ice festival" is not just a joke -- it really did happen in February 2016. On February 12, 2016, the Central Park Conservancy canceled…

July 3, 2019
Time/Weather

“It was so cold in New York that, in Central Park, I saw a squirrel salting his nuts”

Television's Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2015) was based in New York City, and there were many New York City jokes. David Letterman told this joke on January 23, 2004, as posted to…

February 14, 2016
Time/Weather

“It was so cold in New York the Statue of Liberty put the torch under her dress”

"It was so cold in New York City that the Statue of Liberty put the torch inside/under/up her dress" is a jocular line that has been printed on T-shirts. Many late night television…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold outside that I farted snowflakes”

"It was so cold outside that I farted snowflakes" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on many images. "It was so cold that winter so I farted snowflakes until the…

January 4, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that Dunkin’ Donuts was serving coffee on a stick”

Coffee is usually -- but not always -- served hot. A winter joke is: "It was so cold that Dunkin' Donuts (or Starbucks or a local coffeehouse) was serving coffee on a stick."…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that grandpa’s teeth chattered—and they were still in the glass”

"It was so cold that false teeth chattered -- and they were still in the glass" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on several images. "It was so cold last week that…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that hitchhikers were holding up pictures of thumbs”

"It was so cold that hitchhikers were holding up pictures of thumbs" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on an image. "It was so cold...hitchhikers were holding up…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I chipped a tooth on my soup”

Could it be so cold that people eat frozen food? "Top Ten Signs It's Too Damn Cold (...) 3. President Clinton chipped a tooth on a french fry" was broadcast on the New York…

January 7, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I enjoyed it when someone spilled hot coffee on my lap”

The Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants (1994) "hot coffee lawsuit" resulted from McDonald's restaurants serving very hot coffee, but what if it's very cold outside?…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I saw a chicken with a cape on”

"Capon" sounds like "cape on." "It's so cold out there today, I saw a chicken with a cape on" is a joke that was printed in a 1976 newspaper. "It was so cold…

January 4, 2018
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I saw a Greyhound bus drive by and the dog was on the inside”

A Greyhound bus usually has an illustration of a greyhound dog on the outside. "I didn't know it was this cold in Cleveland. I saw a Greyhound bus, the dog was on the inside," Cedric…

January 7, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I saw chickens lined up for KFC’s deep fryer”

"It was so cold that I saw chickens lined up for KFC's deep fryer" is a joke about extremely cold weather that has been printed on many images. "It was so cold in New York City…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that I was drinking hot sauce instead of coffee”

Many people drink hot coffee in winter, but suppose that's not hot enough? "I think it is easier to be a bicycle messenger in Buffalo or Boston in wintertime and in addition drink a…

January 8, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that opticians were giving away ice scrapers with every new pair of eyeglasses”

"It was so cold...the optician was giving away free ice scrapers with every new pair of eyeglasses!" is a one-line saying about extremely cold weather that has been cited in print since…

January 8, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that pickpockets were sticking hands in strangers’ pockets to keep them warm”

"It was so cold pickpockets were sticking their hands in strangers' pockets just to keep them warm!" is a one-line saying about extremely cold weather that has been cited in print…

January 7, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that the cops were tasering themselves”

"It was so cold that the cops were tasering themselves" is a joke that is sometimes said about extremely cold weather. "It was so cold...the cops were tasering themselves" was…

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that the Times Square hookers charged $20 just to blow on your hands”

The New York City-based television program Late Show with David Letterman contained the segment "Top 10 Signs It's Too Damn Cold" on January 19, 1994, and this was Number 6:…

January 7, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that we didn’t clean the house—we just defrosted it”

"It was so cold that we didn't clean the house -- we just defrosted it" is a joke about extremely cold weather. The joke was posted on the

January 6, 2018
Time/Weather

“It was so cold that when we milked the cows, we got ice cream”

Milk doesn't turn into ice cream when it's cold, but that's an old joke. "It was so cold that when I milked old Betsy I got ice cream," a 1959 newspaper printed. Chocolate…

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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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