OK, so the thread about Price Albert’s illegitimate child reminded me of a joke I often hear repeated on TV and inmovies, or maybe in a joke book for kids or something, that is a prank call. For those unfamiliar with it, it goes:
Caller: Excuse me, but do you have Prince Albert in a can?
Callee: Yes. (Why they say yes I ahve no idea…)
Caller: Then you’d better let him out!
So…umm…I don’t get it. Why does the callee admit to having Prince ALbert in a can?
The way I heard it was “Count Hamilton” which is a brand of pipe tobacco around here. I imagine Prince Albert is another substance.
You’d call a store to ask the question – Prince Albert was a brand of pipe tobacco that came in cans.
IIRC, Prince Albert was once a popular brand of tobacco. It came in cans.
They say yes because its a product – pipe tobacco I believe – and it comes in both a pouch and a can.
Prince Albert is still in the can.
i’ve not heard this variation myself. when i was a kid it was “robin hood by the bag” (flour) and “olive oil in a jar”
Ahhhh. I guess I’m jsut too much of a youngin’ to know about this kind of stuff. Either that, or not enough of a smoker. 
Just out of curiosity:
Is your refrigerator running?
Oh, and before anyone brings this up, the Prince Albert in question does NOT refer to Queen Victoria’s husband, but her eldest son, Prince Albert Edward (King Edward VII). Prince Albert Sr. NEVER smoked, but his son smoked like a chimney. The illustration on the package is clearly that of Albert Jr., too.
Could you ask everyone if Amanada Hugenkiss is there? Or just got Helen Wate and ask her.
The original prank was to call a tobacconist, or more commonly a corner candy store or some other place that sold tobacco products, and ask them this question. Many places used to sell Prince Albert tobacco in a can.
We had a long thread some time ago on the proper way to phrase the question, and what the exact interpretation was supposed to be.
The question may be phrased as either “Prince Albert in a can,” or “Prince Albert in the can.” Some think that the joke is that you have Prince Albert in a small can, as implied by the first formulation. Others say this is ridiculous, since the Prince obviously couldn’t fit in a small can, and the joke is that you have Prince Albert locked in your bathroom, as implied in the second formulation.
I always though the second one was right, but apparently many others heard it the first way. YMMV
I bought a Prince Albert can. I giggled.
That’s nuthin’. I used to have a cat named Prince Albert in a Can (Bert for short).
He was grey, geneologically (and indeed, taxanomically) unrelated to the Hanovers, and he didn’t smoke. He did however, like to explore cans (and boxes, and heating ducts).
Er…what was the question again?
Stranger
Hey, is Hugh Jass there? How about Heywood Jablomee?
I once visited Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. And I definitely spent some of that time in the can.
If your Prince Albert is in your can, then you should probably sue your piercer.
Right and it had to be asked if the store had it in the can because it came in both cans and pouches. If it only came in cans there would be no need to ask.
I have a collection of joke names, and one is Anita Nothershot. A friend was sitting at the end of the bar, and she cellphoned the bartender to ask if Anita Nothershot was there. The bartender paged Anita Nothershot, and several folks at the bar raised their hands.
Does your nose run and your feet smell?
You’re built upside-down!