# Can anyone explain this light bulb joke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2010, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322 "2010-11-20T11:15:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/1 "2010-11-20T11:15:35Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by_ **[Mefco’s Random Joke Server:](http://www.randomjoke.com/topiclist.html)** > > How many anti climaxes does it take to change a light bulb? > > ``` > About four. > > ``` 😕 OK, I am thinking that “About four” is not a relevant or humorous punch line, which makes it an anticlimax, which makes it (sort of) relevant, which makes not an anticlimax (or, at least, rather less of one), which makes it not so relevant after all, so it is an anticlimax after all, so … That is, I can see a possible logical paradox of self-reference here, but it is tenuous at best, and not at all funny. Or am I overthinking and missing something? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/2 "2010-11-20T11:24:23Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > OK, I am thinking that “About four” is not a relevant or humorous punch line, which makes it an anticlimax, which makes it (sort of) relevant, which makes not an anticlimax (or, at least, rather less of one), which makes it not so relevant after all, so it is an anticlimax after all, so … > > That is, I can see a possible logical paradox of self-reference here, but it is tenuous at best, and not at all funny. > > Or am I overthinking and missing something? You’ve got the joke just fine. It doesn’t really work in a written medium, but imagine telling it - excited voice and a wry grin as you ask the question - then deliver the punchline in a downbeat, offhand way. That would be funny I think. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/3 "2010-11-20T11:30:47Z")
Might be a reference to Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which had about four endings (complete with a fade to black each time) and then it ended for real. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/4 "2010-11-21T04:16:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > You’ve got the joke just fine. > > It doesn’t really work in a written medium, but imagine telling it - excited voice and a wry grin as you ask the question - then deliver the punchline in a downbeat, offhand way. That would be funny I think. See, I told it out loud to myself just the way you said to, and I made myself giggle. Could be the bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/5 "2010-11-21T14:42:24Z")
You got the joke, and I think it’s funny. I’m going to tell it to somebody first chance I get. I love jokes like that. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/6 "2010-11-21T23:06:48Z")
That is the first new and funny lightbulb joke I’ve heard in years. Good one! ---
**Author:** ![DWSKAMS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b3f665/32.png) [@DWSKAMS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWSKAMS)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/7 "2010-11-22T12:46:18Z")
I’ve always loved this one… “How many Buddhist monks does it take to change a light bulb?” - Four. One to change a light bulb. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/8 "2010-11-22T14:17:04Z")
> [@DWSKAMS](#): > > I’ve always loved this one… > > “How many Buddhist monks does it take to change a light bulb?” > > - Four. One to change a light bulb. I don’t get it at all. I still laughed. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/9 "2010-11-22T15:04:04Z")
I was looking for a change comes from within punchline… ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/10 "2010-11-22T17:26:18Z")
Q: How many members of a certain demographic group does it take to perform a specified task? A: A finite number: one to perform the task and the remainder to act in a manner stereotypical of the group in question. (Props to wikipedia’s entry on [Meta-joke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-joke)) ---
**Author:** ![DWSKAMS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b3f665/32.png) [@DWSKAMS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWSKAMS)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/11 "2010-11-23T12:34:20Z")
I was going for a “sound of one hand clapping” sort of thing… I know. Not funny if it has to be explained. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/12 "2010-11-23T14:27:20Z")
I had to explain a (science) joke recently to a friend. But the friend didn’t have the background to comprehend the explanation. So we stopped for coffee at a place that had free wifi and I found a web-page that explained the necessary stuff to understand the original explanation. Hours after the original telling of the joke, he laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/13 "2010-11-23T18:05:40Z")
How many interrupting cows does it take to screw in a lightbulb? etc… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/14 "2010-11-23T18:09:52Z")
I told this joke as described in my earlier post at work today, and got a huge laugh. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/15 "2010-11-23T18:28:09Z")
There’s a similar anti-climax joke from where I come from. Following is quick translation: * * * An American, a German and a local guy are on an island in the middle of the ocean. Just 50 feet away is another small island and there, a gorgeous blonde, all alone. They would love to go over but the shark is patrolling the waters. Finally, an American jumps in and swims very fast, he’s way ahead, more than half way through when suddenly, shark lunges from the deep and eats him up. A German is watching and thinking maybe shark is now filled up he might give it a try. He jumps and on his way, swimming even faster and he`s almost there on the other island but, again, the shark comes out of nowhere and eats him up. A local guy is watching and thinks the shark is now really filled up and heavy maybe he can make it. He jumps in and…… he drowns! * * * It’s usually funny after hudreds of jokes where local guy beats everyone 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/16 "2010-11-23T22:37:54Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Q: How many members of a certain demographic group does it take to perform a specified task? > > A: A finite number: one to perform the task and the remainder to act in a manner stereotypical of the group in question. > > (Props to wikipedia’s entry on [Meta-joke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta-joke)) He he he he! Can we use to thread to post lightbulb jokes now? Please? Please? Pretty please? I love lightbulb jokes. How many dyslexics does it take to change a glitblub? ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/17 "2010-11-23T23:15:02Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Can we use to thread to post lightbulb jokes now? Please? Please? Pretty please? > > I love lightbulb jokes. Well, since you asked nicely … How many Californians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? None. Californians screw in hot tubs. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/18 "2010-11-23T23:34:22Z")
How many Klingon warriors does it take to change a light bulb? None! A _Klingon warrior_ isn’t afraid of the dark! ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/19 "2010-11-23T23:42:44Z")
How many Marxists does it take to change a lightbulb? None! The lightbulb contains the seeds of its own revolution! ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322/20 "2010-11-23T23:53:08Z")
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb. Only one, but the light bulb has to really WANT to change. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-explain-this-light-bulb-joke/561322.md?page=2)