“How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?” (joke)
The “light bulb joke” has a New York City version:
Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None of your business!
A: Go fuck yourself!
New York City versions of the “light bulb joke” were cited in 1979 and 1980, but the “None of your business!” answer was cited in 1981.
3 July 1979, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “The laugh’s on…” by Warren Berry, pg. A8, col. 1:
New York City joke:
How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
At least eight. One to screw it in and seven onlookers to shout “I’m not gonna get involved!”
13 September 1980, The Irish Times (Dublin), pg. 12, col. 8:
The latest craze in the Unites States is telling light bulb jokes. They go something like this:
How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?
Two, one to call the electrician and the other to mix the martinis.
18 September 1981, Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), Fun mag., pg. 4, col. 5:
And more lightbulb jokes:
How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? None of your business!
20 December 1982, The Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock, AR), “Money, Mexico and other such matters” by Joe Sobran, pg. 4, col. 4:
“How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?”
“None of your damn business!”
Google Books
15 May 1984, PC Magazine, pg. 84, col. 3:
“How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb? None of your damn business.”
Google Groups: net.jokes
light bulb humor
Michaelntz
12/24/85
(...)
Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None of your goddamned business.
Google Books
Crime-victim Stories:
New York City’s Urban Folklore
By Eleanor F. Wachs
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press
1988
Pg. 77:
In this joke, one New Yorker asks another, “How many New Yorkers does it take to change a lightbulb?” The reply? “What’s it to ya?”
Google Groups: eunet.jokes
Oh No! More Lightbulb Jokes!!
Dave Kennard
5/17/89
(...)
Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: None of your fucking business!
Google Books
The Big Book of New American Humor:
The Best of the Past 25 Years
By William Novak, Moshe Waldoks and Donald Altschiller
New York, NY: HarperPerennial
1990
Pg. 243:
How many New Yorkers does It take to screw in a light bulb? None of your damn business.
Google Books
Jokes My Mother Never Told Me
By Marc Barry
New York, NY: Shapolsky Publishers
1990
Pg. 49:
How many New Yorkers does it take to change a lightbulb?
Go fuck yourself!
Google Groups: rec.org.mensa
E’ (e-prime)
Mike Steiner
5/10/92
(...)
How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?
What’s it to ya?
Google Groups: ba.singles
New Yorkers Club
Rick Ace
8/12/92
(...)
Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: What do I look like, a *#&%$@! electrician?
Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokes
How many New Yorkers does it take
SheetNFire
9/15/98
How Many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
7 : one to put in the light bulb, one to stand guard and 5 to fuck each other in the ass!
Google Groups: alt.support.loneliness
How Many does it take?
John Urie
3/31/99
(...)
2. Q: How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a light-bulb?
A: Nonayya $*^&$^@#$@!! Business!
Google Books
Man Walks into a Bar:
Over 6,000 of the Most Hilarious Jokes, Funniest Insults and Gut-Busting One-Liners
By Stephen Arnott and Mike Haskins
Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press
2007
Pg. 256:
How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a light bulb? None of your damn business!
Twitter
renee fontes
@naylyn
how many new yorkers does it take to change a lightbulb?? none of your business!! 😊
6:40 PM - 6 Apr 2009
Google Books
The Little Red Book of New York Wisdom
By Former Mayor Ed Koch with Gregg Stebben and Jason Katzman
New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing
2011
Pg. 136:
How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
None of your fucking business.
LYNNE TILLMAN, NO LEASE ON LIFE
reddit
How many New Yorkers does it take to screw in a light-bulb?
submitted April 3, 2016 by AwwHellsNo
“Go fuck yourself!”