# More fun than a barrel of monkeys?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596 "2003-12-29T16:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tracywaits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@tracywaits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracywaits)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/1 "2003-12-29T16:33:57Z")
I have done extensive research and even sent this question to Cecil. Anyone know where this term originated and why fun can now be measured against how much fun monkeys in a barrel are having? Thanks! Tracy ---
**Author:** ![OneYogini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b9e5f3/32.png) [@OneYogini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneYogini)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/2 "2003-12-29T16:54:18Z")
Cool Cats and Top Dogs by Christine Ammer This book delves into the meanings and origins of some 1200 English expressions referring to animals. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/3 "2003-12-29T19:27:34Z")
I also discovered during Halloween that “fun” can be quantified as 1" x 1/2", per the “fun size” bags of candy. “More fun than a barrel of monkeys” is more of a comparative value of fun. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/4 "2003-12-29T20:10:22Z")
Nitpick: 7/8" X 1-5/8" X 3/8" or .533 cubic inches, all dimensions roughly averaged. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/5 "2003-12-29T21:35:46Z")
The original expression was “more fun than a _four barrel_ monkey” but the change in automotive technology to fuel injection has rendered the expression meaningless to many people. Welcome to SDMB **tracywaits**. Don’t worry, we don’t always answer questions by screwing around like this but you picked a good one for your first post. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/6 "2003-12-29T22:17:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Padeye \* > \*\*The original expression was “more fun than a _four barrel_ monkey” but the change in automotive technology to fuel injection has rendered the expression meaningless to many people. \*\* Do you have a cite for this? It seems to me this expression has been around a lot longer than carburetors. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/7 "2003-12-29T23:22:48Z")
**Padeye** was joking **Fat Bald Guy.** ---
**Author:** ![adirondack\_mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@adirondack\_mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adirondack_mike)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/8 "2003-12-30T00:31:58Z")
Does anyone have a first cite? I cannot find anything about it except the Hasbro game “Barrel of Monkeys.” In a quick google I did not find anything on the age of this game, but remember playing it as a child. I have a funny feeling that the game is the source of the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![adirondack\_mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@adirondack\_mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adirondack_mike)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/9 "2003-12-30T00:33:12Z")
BTW - having more fun than a barrel of monkeys was easily accomplished. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/10 "2003-12-30T00:57:30Z")
[non sequitur] So if something can be “more fun than a barrel of monkeys”, and if something can also be “as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.” then… Would “shooting fish in a barrel of monkeys” describe something that is both easy _and_ fun? [/non sequitur] ---
**Author:** ![adirondack\_mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@adirondack\_mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adirondack_mike)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/11 "2003-12-30T01:28:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe Random \* > \*\*[non sequitur] > > … if something can also be “as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.” then… > > [/non sequitur] \*\* When I was living in Vermont (up to 1989) there was a rifle season for fish. Not quite a barrel but pretty close. IIRC it was in March in some of the tributaries to Lake Champlain. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/12 "2003-12-30T01:45:34Z")
There’s a really boring game called “Barrel of Monkeys”. The object is to pull all of the monkeys out of the barrel by linking the tales or arms. It’s really dull. I can imagine anything would be more fun that that… ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/13 "2003-12-30T02:21:38Z")
more fun than a bathtub full of otters. Otters are way fun. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/14 "2003-12-30T02:23:53Z")
Another vote for Christine Ammer and her books. Top shelf. From her _American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms_ she says cited first in 1895. Refers to “the playful behavior of these primates.” I noticed that “barrelful” such as money, was a popular late-1800’s expression meaning “much.” ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/15 "2003-12-30T04:58:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*I also discovered during Halloween that “fun” can be quantified as 1" x 1/2", per the “fun size” bags of candy. “More fun than a barrel of monkeys” is more of a comparative value of fun. \*\* Was there ever a more inaccurate name than “fun-size candy bar”? Every kid who has ever lived knows that there’s nothing fun about getting less candy. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/16 "2003-12-30T05:11:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\* > > I noticed that “barrelful” such as money, was a popular late-1800’s expression meaning “much.” \*\* It has since been replaced by “shitload”. (We’ve come a long way baby.) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-fun-than-a-barrel-of-monkeys/221596/17 "2003-12-30T05:45:23Z")
In the 1960’s, this was briefly breached by “a barrelful of junkies.” Junkies are not nearly as fun as monkeys, so the “more fun than” is easier to reach.