# Lampshade on the head **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703 "2004-06-10T20:34:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrunlucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/1 "2004-06-10T20:34:07Z")
The cliche involves some drunkard at a party who ends up with a lampshade on their head. Where did this originate? Why do people think this is funny? I never understood this as a kid, and I don’t understand it as an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/2 "2004-06-10T23:08:42Z")
If it’s wider than it is tall, lampshade = fake Chinese conical hat. And no, it’s still not funny. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/3 "2004-06-10T23:21:26Z")
I always assumed that when you were super-drunk, you’d feel the urge to put even vaguely hat-like object on your head. Has anyone ever seen someone actually do this? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/4 "2004-06-10T23:22:31Z")
I’ve seen it used as an evasive disguise in quite a few cartoons, including, I think, some really early ones of the cat and mouse variety. ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/5 "2004-06-10T23:48:37Z")
having worn a lampshade on several occaisions i can answer the last half of the OP. its not that people think the lampshades funny, thought the drunk usually thinks he’s a hoot, its usually the people laughing at how much of an idiot the sot is. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/6 "2004-06-11T00:19:01Z")
C’mon. It beats puking in the avocado dip, feeling up the hostess, or being led away in a police car. And it has a certain 50s sitcom charm. It’s anti-funny and therefore funny. I can handle that. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/7 "2004-06-11T02:20:08Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > C’mon. It beats puking in the avocado dip, **feeling up the hostess** , or being led away in a police car. I can’t completely agree. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/8 "2004-06-11T03:29:15Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > C’mon. It beats puking in the avocado dip, feeling up the hostess, or being led away in a police car. “And” or “or”? [Emperor’s New Groove] Well, which is it? Seems like a pretty crucial conjunction. [/ENG] ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/9 "2004-06-11T03:48:04Z")
Maybe it’s their way of doing an impression of [Dumb Donald](http://www.tvparty.com/satfat/donald.html). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/10 "2004-06-11T18:26:55Z")
Something that occurred to me for the first time, reading the thread title – one (older) slang term for drunk is “lit.” Maybe it’s a kind of visual pun on that? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lampshade-on-the-head/249703/11 "2004-06-11T18:57:57Z")
I think the point is that putting a lamp shade on your head is so lame that only a truly drunk person would think that it’s funny.