“Drink Canada Dry” (joke)

Canada Dry ginger ale began the slogan “Drink ‘Canada Dry’—The Champagne of Ginger Ales” by at least January 1925. The United States was in a Prohibition period against alcoholic drinks, and “Drink ‘Canada Dry’” quickly became the joke “Drink Canada dry.” The joke has been cited in print since at least October 1927:
 
Waiter—“Would you like to drink Canada Dry, sir?”
Tourist—“I’d love to, but I’m only here for a week.”
 
   
Wikipedia: Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks owned since 2008 by the Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group. For over a century Canada Dry has been known for its ginger ale, though the company also manufactures a number of other soft drinks and mixers. Although Canada Dry originated in its namesake country, it is now produced in many countries around the globe, including the United States, Mexico, Colombia, the Middle East, Europe and Japan.
 
The “Dry” in the brand’s name refers to not being sweet, as in a dry wine. When John J. McLaughlin, who first formulated “Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale”, originally made his new soft drink, it was far less sweet than other ginger ales then available; as a result, he labelled it “dry”.
 
4 January 1925, Sunday Herald (Boston, MA), Rotogravure Section, col. 3 ad:
Drink
“CANADA
DRY”
The Champagne of Ginger Ales
 
11 October 1927, Middlesboro (KY) Daily News, “Allen’s Sawdust,” pg. 4, col. 6:
Waiter—“Would you like to drink Canada Dry, sir?”
Tourist—“I’d love to, but I’m only here for a week.”
 
29 January 1928, Boston (MA) Herald, Editorial-Social Section, pg. 7, col. 4:
Waiter: “Would you like to drink Canada Dry, Sir?”
Customer: “I’d love to, but I’m here for only a week.”
—Cleveland News.
 
10 March 1929, Springfield (MA) Sunday Union and Republican, pg. 3F, col. 4:
Canadian (to American)—“How would you like to drink Canada dry?”
American (parched)—“Can’t. Won’t live long enough.”
     
Jack Benny in the 1940’s
THE 1932-1933 SEASON
“THE CANADA DRY PROGRAM” ran from Monday, May 02, 1932 through Thursday, January 26, 1933 on the NBC Blue network, with the show originating from radio station WJZ in New York City.  There were 78 episodes,  and each episode was 30 minutes long.
(...)
1.  05/02/32   FIRST PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE     (29:34)
(...)
Jack:  “And she comes from a very fine family, although her father often partakes of the forbidden beverage.  It’s all right for me to mention that, as they have no radio.  In fact, her father drank everything in the United States and then went up north to drink Canada Dry….  Boy, I’m glad I thought of that joke!  You know, the one about Canada Dry.  I’m really supposed to mention it occasionally, after all, I owe it to my sponsors, and they might be listening in.”
 
Google Books
Oxford Dictionary of Humorous Quotations
Edited by Ned Sherrin
New York, NY: Oxford University Press
2008
Pg. 97:
I saw a notice which said ‘Drink Canada Dry’ and I’ve just started.
Brendan Behan 1923-64, attributed (probably not original), Nigel Rees Cassell Dictionary of Humorous Quotations (1999)
 
Twitter
Jerry Connor‏
@cherryjerry2  
When I finally make it to Montreal I’m going to drink Canada Dry. And by that I mean there will be no more beers left in the country
12:38 PM - 15 Aug 13