Monday, February 20, 2023

5797 - Polish lightbulb changers


Yesterday Kirk mentioned "Polish lightbulb changers" in his comment. I did a Google search on Polish lightbulb changers and there is a Wikipedia page on that topic. NO WAY! WAY TOO!

Here's the article...


Lightbulb joke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

lightbulb joke is a joke cycle that asks how many people of a certain group are needed to change, replace, or screw in a light bulb. Generally, the punch line answer highlights a stereotype of the target group. There are numerous versions of the lightbulb joke satirizing a wide range of cultures, beliefs, and occupations. 

Early versions of the joke, popular in the late 1960s  and the 1970s, were used to insult the intelligence of people, especially Poles ("Polish jokes").  For instance:

Q. How many Polacks does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Three—one to hold the light bulb and two to turn the ladder.

Although lightbulb jokes tend to be derogatory in tone (e.g., "How many drunkards..." / "Four: one to hold the light bulb and three to drink until the room spins"), the people targeted by them may take pride in the stereotypes expressed and are often themselves the jokes' originators, as in "How many Germans does it take to change a lightbulb? One, we're very efficient but not funny." where the joke itself becomes a statement of ethnic pride. Lightbulb jokes applied to subgroups can be used to ease tensions between them.  

Variations 

Some versions of the joke are puns on the words "change"  or "screw", or "light":

Q. How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None—the light bulb will change when it's ready. 

Q. How many flies does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A. Two, but don't ask me how they got in there. 

Q. How many hands does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Many. (go to the link to understand this one)

Lightbulb jokes may be responses to current events, particularly those related to energy. For example, the lightbulb may not need to be changed at all due to ongoing power outages.  Other lightbulb jokes might be responses to political power current at the time. For instance:

Q. How many Donald Trump supporters does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. Trump says it's done, and his supporters cheer in the dark.

The Village Voice held a $200 lightbulb joke contest around the time of the Iran hostage crisis, with the winning joke being: 

Q. How many Iranians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. You send us the prize money and we'll tell you the answer.

Lightbulb jokes can also be about sports, teasing about their team's past, future, etc.

Q. How many Liverpool fans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A. They don't, they just talk about how good the old one was.



8 comments:

Bilbo said...

Light bulb jokes can be really funny. The "Donald Trump supporters" one is more sad.

Ole phat Stu said...

If you polish lightbulb changers they will become shiny.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Oh yeah, there's a GAZILLION lightbulb jokes!

Kathy G said...

I had no idea there was a whole Wikipedia article on the topic.

Mike said...

Bill - And it's true.

Stu - Is it legal to polish polish bulbs?

Deb - At least.

Kathy - Good ol' Google found it.

River said...

I love those types of jokes. How many Irishmen does it take to paint a house? One to hold the brush and a hundred to move the house back and forth.
Sorry if this offends anyone.

Kirk said...

What hath Edison wrought?

Mike said...

River - There are enough lightbulb jokes to offend everyone.

Kirk - Or Tesla.