“Man with one chopstick go hungry”

The joke about “eating with one chopstick” has several variations. “Who eats with one chopstick goes hungry” was cited in print in 1967. “I’ve got a sure-fire diet now, though. Eat all the desserts you want—with one chopstick” was cited in 1972.
 
“Man with one chopstick go hungry” has spread on the Internet in a group of “Confucius says”/“Chinese proverbs” jokes since at least 1996.
 
 
4 August 1967, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ), pg. 20, col. 1:
Honorable Mao Says…
“Who Eats With One Chopstick Goes Hungry”
Los Angeles Times Service
(...) (Col. 5—ed.)
Step 4: Serve with 400,000 chopsticks.
 
It must be remembered that “he who eats rice with one chopstick soon forgets the whole thing.”
 
Google News Archive
15 February 1972, Windsor (Ontario) Star, “In Shopsy miles: 3 million weiners to reach Montreal” by R. J. Anderson, pg. 16, col. 6:
“I’ve got a sure-fire diet now, though. Eat all the desserts you want—with one chopstick.”
 
19 January 1973, Bedford (PA) Gazette, “Blondie” comic strip, pg. 11, col. 1:
Chef: HERE YOU ARE—ONE ORDER OF CHOW MEIN
Dagwood Bumstead: YOU GAVE ME ONLY ONE CHOPSTICK!
Dagwood Bumstead: I WON’T BE ABLE TO EAT THE CHOW MEIN WITH ONLY ONE CHOPSTICK
Chef: YOU’LL THANK ME FOR THAT
 
Google News Archive
3 September 1975, The Blade (Toledo, OH), “Off the Grapevine” by Earl Wilson, Peach Section, pg. P-3, col. 1:
TODAY’S BEST LAUGH: Artrie Schindler of Gatsby’s has a sure-fire diet—eat all the Chinese food you want, but with one chopstick.
 
Google Groups: alt.humor
Carla A. Codorniz
7/31/97
 
————- Forwarded message—————
Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 10:13:56 -0500 (CDT)
From: Spiff
To: Carla

Cc: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Subject: Fwd: Confucious say (fwd)

ConFuSciouS SayS:
(...)
“Man with one chopstick go hungry.”
 
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of Humor
Edited by Geoff Tibballs
New York, NY: Carroll & Graf
2000
Pg. 470:
Man with one chopstick go hungry.
 
17 November 2004, Providence (RI) Journal, “URI’s Mack welcomes role as a tri-captain‎” by Paul Kenyon, pg. D2:
“My proverb was, ‘The man that tries to eat with one chopstick will always go hungry,’” Mack related.
 
Google Books
E-Mail Humor
By Louis Morton
Victoria, BC: Trafford
2005
Pg. 67:
Man with one chopstick go hungry.
 
Google News Archive
16 November 2006, The Northern Star (Clinton, MN), “Some Thoughts From My Desk…” by Dave Torgerson, pg. 9, col. 2:
Received some “Chinese Proverbs” from Twin Cities friends—though you may enjoy them…
(...)
Man with one chopstick go hungry.
 
Google Books
All Kinds of Humor:
Jokes, Quips, and Fun Stuff for Many Occasions
Book 1
By Frank Verano
Xlibris Corporation (Xlibris.com)
2012
Pg. 14: (“Chinese proverbs”):
Man with one chopstick goes hungry.