# Explain this joke: "The rabbit got better"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 21, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364 "2007-11-21T20:50:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/1 "2007-11-21T20:50:30Z")
I was watching _Three’s Company_ today and observed the following joke which seemed to get quite a laugh:
> [@Three's Company](#):
>
> Jack: Come on, Larry, haven’t you ever thought about getting married?
> Larry: Yeah, but the rabbit got better.
Maybe I’m overlooking something obvious, but I don’t get it. I asked a couple friends of mine and they don’t understand it either. Does it rely on some contemporary reference that none of us is familiar with, or are we all just thick?
---
### Author:  [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/2 "2007-11-21T20:53:32Z")
It refers to the old expression “the rabbit died” for a positive pregancy test. The rabbit got better, so the shotgun wedding got called off.
For _Three’s Company_, it’s practically Wildean.
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### Author:  [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/3 "2007-11-21T20:53:53Z")
The Rabbit died is an euphemism for a positive pregnancy test. Since, the bunny got better he didn’t have to get married.
Also, Larry’s shirt was probably garish. Which is very funny.
pat
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/4 "2007-11-21T20:54:02Z")
A rabbit used to be used to test for pregnancy. I fhte rabbit died then the woman was pregnant. Presumably Jack was going to marry someone because they thought the rabbit died and the woman was pregnant, but then it got better and he didn’t have to get married.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/5 "2007-11-21T20:54:08Z")
“The rabbit died” is an expression that means that a woman isn’t pregnant. The expression came about because of an urban legend that a woman’s urine would be injected into a rabbit and if the rabbit died it meant that the woman was pregnant.
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### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/6 "2007-11-21T20:54:35Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut]
I was watching _Three’s Company_ today and observed the following joke which seemed to get quite a laugh:Maybe I’m overlooking something obvious, but I don’t get it. I asked a couple friends of mine and they don’t understand it either. Does it rely on some contemporary reference that none of us is familiar with, or are we all just thick?
[/QUOTE]
Yep, in the old days they used rabbits to test if a woman was pregnant. Presumably if she was the rabbit reacted to the urine/blood sample? badly.
As I was pipped, here’s [the Rabbit Test](http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/rabbit.asp) on Snopes.
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### Author:  [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/7 "2007-11-21T20:54:57Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut]
I was watching _Three’s Company_ today and observed the following joke which seemed to get quite a laugh:Maybe I’m overlooking something obvious, but I don’t get it. I asked a couple friends of mine and they don’t understand it either. Does it rely on some contemporary reference that none of us is familiar with, or are we all just thick?
[/QUOTE]
In the days before one pissed on a little stick, questions of pregnancy required what was called “the rabbit test,” which necessitated the death of said rabbit.
Thus, if one wanted to indicate relief at having avoided a pregnancy scare, you would say the rabbit lived or got better.
Having drained all the humor out of an old joke, my work is done.
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### Author:  [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/8 "2007-11-21T20:55:42Z")
There’s a story about an old pregnancy test where a woman’s urine was injected into a rabbit; if the rabbit died, she was pregnant.
ETA: Drats, I pause to back it up with the Internet and I’m beaten to the punch… mercilessly, over and over.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/9 "2007-11-21T20:55:48Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus]
A rabbit used to be used to test for pregnancy.
[/QUOTE]
> **[The Rabbit Test](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-rabbit-test/)**
>
> The 'rabbit test' for pregnancy didn't actually mean that if the rabbit died, you were pregnant.
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### Author:  [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/10 "2007-11-21T20:57:11Z")
Eight responses in five minutes! I’ve never had such an overwhelming response to a question of mine! 🙂 It sure is different here than in GQ… Thanks to everyone.
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### Author:  [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/11 "2007-11-21T20:57:34Z")
This has to be some kind of record for “most simulposts”.
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### Author:  [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/12 "2007-11-21T21:00:18Z")
[QUOTE=pricciar]
Also, Larry’s shirt was probably garish. Which is very funny.
[/QUOTE]
You said it. In all seriousness, one of the main reasons I watch the show is to gawk at the characters’ wardrobes. (See my recent thread on [Mr. Furley’s mysterious garment](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=443002).)
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### Author:  [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/13 "2007-11-21T21:04:07Z")
[QUOTE=Roland Orzabal]
This has to be some kind of record for “most simulposts”.
[/QUOTE]
I can’t remember how things went in that storied Duran Duran - Rio thread. Does anyone have a link?
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/14 "2007-11-21T21:05:36Z")
I guess it is too late to talk about the Rabbit Test. Man you all are fast.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/15 "2007-11-21T21:07:06Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable]
I can’t remember how things went in that storied Duran Duran - Rio thread. Does anyone have a link?
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but there’s no way to determine how many of those were sincere before the obvious jokes started. I think all the posts in this one are genuine.
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### Author:  [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/16 "2007-11-21T21:07:45Z")
Aerosmith sang of the dead rabbit in “Sweet Emotion”
> [@Aerosmith](#):
>
> I pulled into town in a police car
> Your daddy said I took you just a little too far
> Ya tellin’ me things but your girlfriend lied
> You can’t catch me 'cause the rabbit done died
(I hope this doesn’t violate the board rules about posting lyrics, I’ve been warned for posting more than a stanza before)
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### Author:  [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/17 "2007-11-21T21:08:33Z")
[QUOTE=Roland Orzabal]
Yeah, but there’s no way to determine how many of those were sincere before the obvious jokes started. I think all the posts in this one are genuine.
[/QUOTE]
True. Still, I imagine it would be fair to take most of the posts from, say, the first minute as sincere. At any rate, I’d be curious to revisit it.
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/18 "2007-11-21T23:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut]
I asked a couple friends of mine and they don’t understand it either. Does it rely on some contemporary reference that none of us is familiar with, or are we all just thick?
[/QUOTE]
So… how old are you guys? Too young to remember when the show was actually on the air, I’m betting. I think I’ll ask my little brother (24) tomorrow if he gets the joke.
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### Author:  [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/19 "2007-11-21T23:08:23Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477]
So… how old are you guys? Too young to remember when the show was actually on the air, I’m betting. I think I’ll ask my little brother (24) tomorrow if he gets the joke.
[/QUOTE]
I’m 21 and I get it, but I watch a lot of M_A_S\*H, so I’m used to dated references. Plus I’m weird.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-joke-the-rabbit-got-better/427364/20 "2007-11-21T23:28:41Z")
There’s also Joan River’s movie [Rabbit Test](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078133/), about the first pregnant man.
Everybody used to know that joke, but it vanished in recent years.
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