Althouse: "I get mail twice a day, once from the mailman and once from the neighbors putting mail in the right boxes."

October 16, 2013

"I get mail twice a day, once from the mailman and once from the neighbors putting mail in the right boxes."

A wisecrack by rhhardin in such perfect one-liner-joke form that I had to Google to see if it was an old joke, even though it's not believable that rh would copy and paste some comedian's old joke.

23 comments:

MadisonMan said...: I don't see George Burns saying something like this. A little too anti-Government for him.

I voted for Charlie Weaver.; 10/16/13, 8:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Bob Newhart; 10/16/13, 8:31 AM
Matt Sablan said...: There's a scene in Cheers where Cliff is talking with Woody while filming a day in the life of Woody to send to Woody's parents, where they follow Cliff delivering mail through a hallway at an apartment building. After Cliff and Woody leave, everyone comes out of their apartments trading to get the right mail.

So, I think, like a lot of comedy, the sentiment is there beneath the surface, waiting to be exploited.; 10/16/13, 8:33 AM
Anonymous said...: I "hear" it in Steven Wright's voice, myself.

I Can Also Hear it as Gilbert Gottfried. And Christopher Walken, Holding a Clutch of Envelopes, Head Cocked to the Side...; 10/16/13, 8:34 AM
Matt Sablan said...: I do feel like it isn't George Carlin. Not enough swearin'.; 10/16/13, 8:36 AM
Meade said...: Will Rogers.; 10/16/13, 8:39 AM
Henry said...: Early Seinfeld. This kind of stuff.; 10/16/13, 8:44 AM
Bob R said...: I picked Burns (and could have picked Skelton) just because of the rhythm of the joke. It's an old Vaudeville rhythm that invites a rim shot. Later comedians could all do jokes like that, but that's not what, say, Carlton was known for.; 10/16/13, 9:04 AM
Bob R said...: Will Rogers is also a good choice since if fits the style and is closer to his kind of content.; 10/16/13, 9:06 AM
rhhardin said...: There's a new mailman who was a lot slower than the former mailwoman until he decided to just work faster.; 10/16/13, 9:09 AM
policraticus said...: Not Bruce, too good natured and "one line."
Not Carlin, no f-bombs, no word play, not contextual.
Not Keillor, it denigrates a small town institution, they are always "above average."
Not Burns, He was the straight man, he'd ask, "How is it that you get mail delivered twice a day, Gracie? "
Weaver... I really thought about him, but this seems like more of a town or city joke, so no.
So that leaves Skelton. Corny, but still well observed. Given with a good deal of warmth and a wink.; 10/16/13, 9:37 AM
FleetUSA said...: My Dad was always praising the USPS as he said he got the bills a day early.; 10/16/13, 9:38 AM
Biff said...: I don't know which comedian would be the best fit, but my neighbors and I often joke that our letter carrier is the glue that holds the neighborhood together, since we bump into each other so often while re-delivering our mis-delivered mail.

Our last few letter carriers have been so awful that I started renting a mailbox at the local UPS store, on the belief that USPS does a reasonable job of getting mail to the right neighborhood, but that UPS employees (who can be fired if they are not good at their jobs) are much better at ensuring that mail reaches its correct destination. I haven't missed a bill or an important package since.; 10/16/13, 9:44 AM
Gabriel Hanna said...: It's not dirty, so I'd rule out Bruce or Carlin. It's critical of government, so I'd rule out Keillor. I voted for Burns, and saw that so did lots of others.; 10/16/13, 9:52 AM
Anonymous said...: Keillor for sure.; 10/16/13, 10:43 AM
Mr. D said...: I agree with LarsPorsena -- Bob Newhart, all the way.; 10/16/13, 11:51 AM
Pettifogger said...: For whatever reason, when I ran my eyes down the list of comedians and saw George Burns's name, a vision of him saying that while gesturing with a cigar came to my mind.; 10/16/13, 12:40 PM
Carol said...: Keillor does cut against the liberal grain occasionally. That's when he's truly funny.

Maybe it's just me.; 10/16/13, 1:25 PM
Ann Althouse said...: My answer was Charley Weaver (note the proper spelling, which I've corrected in the quiz).

He always talked about his folksy town, Mount Idy.; 10/16/13, 1:43 PM
Ann Althouse said...: But Cliff Arquette was actually from Ohio (whence rh comments).; 10/16/13, 1:44 PM
Rockport Conservative said...: No women comedians are listed. This sounds to me like a Phyllis Diller or Roseanne Barr comment.; 10/16/13, 2:02 PM
J Lee said...: Burns. The line would work as part of a bit from the TV or radio show, because both included as a semi-regular the neighborhood postman -- who, especially in the TV version, was always getting perplexed by Gracie.

Having the postman delivering George and Gracie's mail to Blanche and Harry Morton would make perfect sense on the show's own terms.; 10/16/13, 3:38 PM
rcocean said...: Pretty much every joke has been told all ready.

You just don't know it.; 10/16/13, 6:47 PM

But if it were some old comedian's old joke, which old comedian would it be?
	Lenny Bruce
	George Carlin
	Garrison Keillor
	George Burns
	Red Skelton
	Charley Weaver

pollcode.com free polls

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October 16, 2013

"I get mail twice a day, once from the mailman and once from the neighbors putting mail in the right boxes."

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October 16, 2013

"I get mail twice a day, once from the mailman and once from the neighbors putting mail in the right boxes."

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