# Jokes that, nowadays, need explaining **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [September 25, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466 "2020-09-25T02:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 38
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/742 "2020-11-20T17:55:59Z")
One of the first things I do in one of my classes is to show that scene to my students, and I pause right as they put the paper to their noses. I often have older students in my classes who laugh at that, and I ask if anyone knows what this refers to. If so, I tell them that is one way to know how old they are. The number of students who recognize ditto sheets (which is what we called them) has gone down year by year. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/743 "2020-11-20T18:29:03Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > And rewatching it, not only will people now not get all of the celebrity references, I barely remember them. Speaking of celebrity references, I re-watched _The Muppet Movie_ recently, a film that came out the year before I was born. I later realized I didn’t recognize many of the celebrity cameos until I looked up the movie on IMDB. I think Steve Martin and Mel Brooks are the only ones I immediately recognized. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/744 "2020-11-20T21:21:02Z")
I suspect the movie _UHF_ will need explaining for younger people soon, if it doesn’t already. Since the switch to digital broadcasting how many people remember the old VHF and UHF bands, and the independent, local TV stations that usually lived high up on the UHF dial? Even not that long after the movie came out most of those stations had become Fox, UPN, or WB affiliates. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/745 "2020-11-20T21:29:43Z")
There have been numerous bits about old antenna TVs, with the indoor rabbit ears and roof top antennas also. I remember my kids asking what those things on top of houses were. Long after cable took over there were plenty of roof top antennas that were never taken down. I also had to tell my kids about the old days when you had to get up and walk across the room if you wanted to changed the channel on the TV. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/746 "2020-11-20T21:37:24Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Long after cable took over there were plenty of roof top antennas that were never taken down. I actually take note of all the rooftop antennas in the neighborhood when I go for a walk. That is one obvious sign that this is an older neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/747 "2020-11-20T21:42:34Z")
Coming soon, stock scene for a creepy old abandoned house: it _has a TV antenna_ … ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/748 "2020-11-20T21:46:52Z")
Come to think of it, in the early seasons of _The Simpsons_ wasn’t the family’s TV portrayed as having a coat hanger for an antenna? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/749 "2020-11-20T21:54:07Z")
0001 Cemetery Lane [![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M28zzstbEBc/WQ_e3dY22YI/AAAAAAAAKwI/EEZ1O9IxGG4P6KoV5I2LHuDdTDnPSaAFgCLcB/w640-h477/24.png) ](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M28zzstbEBc/WQ_e3dY22YI/AAAAAAAAKwI/EEZ1O9IxGG4P6KoV5I2LHuDdTDnPSaAFgCLcB/w640-h477/24.png) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/750 "2020-11-20T21:54:17Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I also had to tell my kids about the old days when you had to get up and walk across the room if you wanted to changed the channel on the TV. With some sets I had, sometimes you had to stand at a particular spot in the living room to get reception. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/751 "2020-11-20T22:15:56Z")
Married with Children had their running gag about everybody getting into Fox viewing position. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/752 "2020-11-20T22:18:07Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I suspect the movie _UHF_ will need explaining for younger people soon, if it doesn’t already. And how many of them will recognize either _The Beverley Hillbillies_, or _Money For Nothing_. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/753 "2020-11-20T22:24:40Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > And how many of them will recognize either _The Beverley Hillbillies_ , or _Money For Nothing_ . As I recall, many of the gags in _UHF_ referenced TV shows or commercials that would have been known to a late 1980s audience. Now I really need to rewatch that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/754 "2020-11-20T23:58:03Z")
Reminds me of this old Peanuts gag: [![](http://snoopyandthegang.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/0/3/1403090/5693686.gif?600x124) ](http://snoopyandthegang.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/0/3/1403090/5693686.gif?600x124) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/755 "2020-11-21T01:55:04Z")
What’s yellow, and sticky, and ice skates? Peggy Phlegm. What’s yellow, and sticky, and shoots a rifle really fast? Mucus McCain How to they fill up the Olympic pool in Munich? Mark Spitz. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/756 "2020-11-21T03:22:10Z")
What’s yellow and sticky, carries a doctor’s bag, and slides across the operating room floor? Mucus Welby, M. D. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/757 "2020-11-21T16:06:27Z")
In the fifties - “Say it - it’s your nickel” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/758 "2020-11-21T16:36:28Z")
I was listening to the Travis Tritt song “Here’s a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares” and it got me wondering if that would make any sense to kids these days. I know my husband has absolutely stymied some of his child clients with “broken record” so it seems plausible they would have never heard of payphones. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/759 "2020-11-21T16:40:27Z")
I doubt kids would understand: A Polish immigrant jumps on a garbage truck and says ‘fly me to Havana’. We were rich Okies, we had two mattresses on top of our car ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/760 "2020-11-21T18:33:07Z")
They also wouldn’t get the reference in the _ **Simpsons** _ parody of _ **CSI: Miami** _, where Horatio Caine says “Maybe he reached out … and _killed_ someone!” [![](https://static.simpsonswiki.com/images/4/4b/Horatio_Caine.png) ](https://static.simpsonswiki.com/images/4/4b/Horatio_Caine.png) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466/761 "2020-11-21T18:51:55Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I was listening to the Travis Tritt song “Here’s a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares” and it got me wondering if that would make any sense to kids these days. Never heard the phrase “Dropped a quarter on him” to mean ratting someone out to the police. Maybe just once did I hear any reference to a pay phone based on a quarter even though it went up from a dime well before payphones became extinct. I imagine they only cost a nickel some time in the past but it wouldn’t be useful to distinguish a pay phone call that way because everything cost a nickel back then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jokes-that-nowadays-need-explaining/921466.md?page=39)