# Funniest line you saw coming a mile away **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 22, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760 "2008-02-22T19:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/1 "2008-02-22T19:27:57Z")
In last night’s ep of **Supernatural** , an FBI agent shot a fellow law enforcement official while possessed by a demon. When he came to, he expressed disbelief and regret, saying _“I shot the sheriff.”_ I don’t care how predictable the next line was, it still cracked me and my kids up when it was said. Got any other examples where you just knew what was coming, but loved it when it came nonetheless? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/2 "2008-02-22T19:30:44Z")
When Austin Powers met Mr. Roboto, everybody knew the joke was coming. And the movie was smart enough to own up to it. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/3 "2008-02-22T19:32:58Z")
A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a group of friends and one of them started to talk about his time in Turkey. He starts of the anecdote “So this one time I was in Istanbul…” and sort of trails off because none of us made the obvious joke. He actually _waited_ till one of us did, and I finally did after a couple seconds because I couldn’t stand the suspense! ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/4 "2008-02-22T19:36:06Z")
“I’ll have what she’s having.” _When Harry Met Sally_ Actually, a lot of time when I predict the line it cracks me up, but I’m laughing as much at myself as the line. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/5 "2008-02-22T19:40:33Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a group of friends and one of them started to talk about his time in Turkey. He starts of the anecdote “So this one time I was in Istanbul…” and sort of trails off because none of us made the obvious joke. He actually _waited_ till one of us did, and I finally did after a couple seconds because I couldn’t stand the suspense! [/QUOTE] I’ll admit it. I don’t see any joke setup here. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/6 "2008-02-22T19:43:42Z")
He was expecting someone to chime in “Not Constantinople”. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/7 "2008-02-22T19:50:00Z")
Last night, I was watching a _WKRP_ I hadn’t seen before. A group of Japanese radio execs are touring WKRP, and due to a snafu, they were assigned a Spanish interpreter rather than someone who speaks Japanese. So, no one can communicate with the Japanese guys. Mr Carlson, trying to be useful, declares, “I learned some Japanese when I was in the Marines. The accent might be a little off, but…” And everyone can see it coming like the 5 o’clock train. He clears his throat, thinks for a beat, and belts out something in Japanese. Immediately the guests put their hands in the air. I still laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/8 "2008-02-22T19:52:08Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] He was expecting someone to chime in “Not Constantinople”. [/QUOTE] Man, my brain was furiously ratcheting away trying to identify **TMBG** , but was blocked by the more recently heard **Red Elvises’ - I Wanna See You Belly Dance.** _Things are cool, in Istanbul…_ ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/9 "2008-02-22T19:54:42Z")
_Shrek 2_, when Puss jumps off Donkey in the castle to ‘hold up’ the guards. I KNEW what was coming, and when it did, I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/10 "2008-02-22T20:12:19Z")
[QUOTE=Dinsdale] In last night’s ep of **Supernatural** , an FBI agent shot a fellow law enforcement official while possessed by a demon. When he came to, he expressed disbelief and regret, saying _“I shot the sheriff.”_ I don’t care how predictable the next line was, it still cracked me and my kids up when it was said. [/QUOTE] Roughly half of all Dean Winchester’s lines are totally predictable. The actor’s skill in delivering them is priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/11 "2008-02-22T20:19:52Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] He was expecting someone to chime in “Not Constantinople”. [/QUOTE] Oh, well that clears that one up then… 😕😕😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/12 "2008-02-22T20:21:52Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Shine] Oh, well that clears that one up then… 😕😕😕 [/QUOTE] Istanbul was old Constantinople. Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople. ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/13 "2008-02-22T20:22:47Z")
In _Dumb and Dumber_ the punch-line to them successfully breeding a bulldog and a shih tzu had it’s high beams on and it’s blinkers and was screaming through a bullhorn and yet…I fell on the floor laughing before they even dropped it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/14 "2008-02-22T20:25:50Z")
It’s not a line, per se, but the chest-waxing scene in 40-Year-Old Virgin went pretty much as I was expecting it (well, maybe not the Kelly Clarkson bit!) but I was still pissing myself at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/15 "2008-02-22T20:26:30Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] Istanbul was old Constantinople. Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople. [/QUOTE] Yes, I know that. Still not seeing the joke, or why it’s ‘obvious’ ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/16 "2008-02-22T20:26:32Z")
In _My Name is Earl_ when Catalina went back to dancing to help Joy, and her dancing consisted of her jumping up and down. Even blind people could see the “jumping for joy” line coming down the freeway. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/17 "2008-02-22T20:33:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes, I know that. Still not seeing the joke, or why it’s ‘obvious’ I think what he means is, if you’ve a date in Constantinople, she’ll be waiting in Istanbul. Hey, even old New York was once New Amsterdam. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/18 "2008-02-22T20:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Shine] Yes, I know that. Still not seeing the joke, or why it’s ‘obvious’ [/QUOTE] Song by the Four Lads, later covered by They Might Be Giants- _Istanbul (Not Constantinople)_. > [@xizor](#): > > In My Name is Earl when Catalina went back to dancing to help Joy, and her dancing consisted of her jumping up and down. Even blind people could see the “jumping for joy” line coming down the freeway. Especially since it was the title of the freakin’ episode. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/19 "2008-02-22T20:40:53Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Shine] Yes, I know that. Still not seeing the joke, or why it’s ‘obvious’ [/QUOTE] Why did Constantinople get the works? [That’s nobody’s business but the Turks.](http://tmbw.net/wiki/Istanbul_%28Not_Constantinople%29) \*\*\* Ponder ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760/20 "2008-02-22T21:39:00Z")
From “Night Court”: Harry: Bull, how could you lose a dead Japanese industrialist? Bull: He outsmarted me, sir. Harry: Outsmarted you? He’s dead - a corpse is a corpse! Dan: Of course, of course. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funniest-line-you-saw-coming-a-mile-away/438760.md?page=2)