# 9/11 Jokes that worked **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [June 11, 2024, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736 "2024-06-11T14:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/1 "2024-06-11T14:14:41Z")
I just watched an episode of Girls5Eva and in it, they reveal on September 10, 2001, the girl band released a song called “Quit Flyin’ Planes Straight Into My Heart” and it was…unfortunate. It got me thinking of 9/11 or 9/11-adjacent jokes that didn’t immediately get “booed off the stage”, so to speak. I believe 30 Rock showed a fireworks display at Rockefeller Center that when shown from below, looked like the collapse of one of the towers. That was only 5-7 years after 9/11 and my wife and both had our jaws dropped. What other 9/11 jokes have worked? I’m not talking about jokes like Gilbert Gottfried made, which was intended to “go there” in an offensive way. About 1-2 days after 9/11, he said he missed a flight because it “took a stop at the Empire State building” or something. It was just Gilbert intentionally going there and crossing the line to get a reaction. I mean jokes that worked as genuinely funny. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/2 "2024-06-11T14:30:16Z")
The UK series _[Skins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skins_(British_TV_series))_ (which was excellent, by the way, or at least the first two seasons were) had a second-season episode in which the characters were in an original musical (written by the school’s drama teacher) about two WTC bankers in love. The chorus of the song? “Then came the day / Osama blew us away.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/3 "2024-06-11T14:31:11Z")
I couldn’t believe _The Onion_ published an issue a couple of weeks afterwards. The only headline I remember was something like “Terrorists Surprised To Find No Virgins As Reward”. eta: Oh, wait, found it, the article references virgins, but it’s better: > **[Hijackers Surprised To Find Selves In Hell](https://www.theonion.com/hijackers-surprised-to-find-selves-in-hell-1819566162)** > > JAHANNEM, OUTER DARKNESS—The hijackers who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon expressed confusion and surprise Monday to find themselves in the lowest plane of Na'ar, Islam's Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/4 "2024-06-11T14:37:32Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I couldn’t believe _The Onion_ published an issue a couple of weeks afterwards. The only headline I remember was something like “Terrorists Surprised To Find No Virgins As Reward”. They managed a few. “God clarifies that ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’ thing after 9/11.” ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/5 "2024-06-11T14:45:16Z")
I believe another headline was “American Life turns into a bad Jerry Bruckheimer movie.” ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/6 "2024-06-11T14:48:44Z")
“My name is Shazia Mirza. At least that’s what it says on my pilot’s licence.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/7 "2024-06-11T14:49:27Z")
_The Onion_ absolutely nailed their response. > **[An Oral History of The Onion’s 9/11 Issue](https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/onion-911-issue-oral-history)** > > Immediately after 9/11, humorists struggled with what many called ‘the death of irony.’ Then ‘The Onion’ returned and showed everyone the way My favorite was their rejected headline: “America Stronger than Ever, Say Quadragon Officials” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/8 "2024-06-11T14:55:42Z")
There was one Muslim-American comedian who quipped shortly afterwards to an audience: “I went to the airport and TSA asked if I had packed my own bags. I said yes - so they arrested me.” ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/9 "2024-06-11T14:55:52Z")
The first _Saturday Night Live_ episode after 9/11 was introduced by Rudy Giuliani. He was asked if it was OK to be funny. Rudy replied, “Why start now?” As much as he’s a lunatic now, I thought that was good. A step towards returning to normalcy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/10 "2024-06-11T14:57:27Z")
My favorite bit from the Onion was “Massive attack on Pentagon makes page 17 news”. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/11 "2024-06-11T15:31:57Z")
9/11 jokes that worked? I’ve never heard any. I haven’t heard jokes that didn’t work, but that’s probably the crowd I run with. > [@Velocity](#): > > There was one Muslim-American comedian who quipped shortly afterwards to an audience: “I went to the airport and TSA asked if I had packed my own bags. I said yes - so they arrested me.” Okay, that’s pretty good. And the Rudy SNL was good but that’s not really 9/11 is it. I haven’t read the linked Onion piece. Should I? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/12 "2024-06-11T19:43:30Z")
I’ve always liked this one: _Knock knock_ _Who’s there?_ _9/11_ _9/11 who?_ _But you said you’d never forget._ ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/13 "2024-06-11T20:04:55Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I haven’t read the linked Onion piece. Should I? What I linked is an oral history of writing the issue. I don’t know how interesting it will be for somebody not already interested in the issue. But it does have some screenshots. All in all, I think they brilliantly balanced catharsis, irony, anger, hopelessness, and so many other emotions that people were feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/14 "2024-06-11T20:09:25Z")
There was the New Yorker’s [“New Yorkistan”](https://www.rickmeyerowitz.com/rick-maira/new-yorkistan/) cover from December 2001, with the WTC site and environs labeled “Lowrentistan.” ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/15 "2024-06-11T20:14:03Z")
_Readers_ _Digest_ published a joke about OBL arriving in heaven only to get his ass kicked by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and several dozen others: he had misunderstood the claim that 72 _Virginians_ would be waiting for him. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/16 "2024-06-11T20:34:14Z")
I’ve got these, but I don’t know how old they are: ### Why was 10 traumatized? > Because it was in the middle of 9/11. * * * ### Why is the Tower of Pisa leaning? > Cause it has better reflexes than the twin towers. * * * ### Do you know it’s risky to make jokes about 9/11? > Not all of them land. * * * ### What’s the difference between 9/11 and a cow? > You don’t milk a cow for two decades. * * * ### What do gender and the World Trade Center have in common? > There used to be two, but now it’s an iffy subject. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/17 "2024-06-11T21:12:39Z")
I did like Jimmy Carr’s joke a couple years ago. “Remember when Zayne left One Direction? Man, that was my own personal 9/11.” :pause: “I didn’t care about that, either.” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/18 "2024-06-11T21:18:49Z")
What does WTC stand for? Need Another Seven Astronauts. Wait a minute… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/19 "2024-06-11T21:27:09Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Need Another Seven Astronauts. Wait a minute… I do NOT get it. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736/20 "2024-06-11T21:38:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I do NOT get it. After the Challenger disaster, the joke going around was, “What does NASA stand for?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-jokes-that-worked/1002736.md?page=2)