# Origin of the phrase 'Chr!st on a Pony!'

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 13, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839 "2004-04-13T19:23:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839/1 "2004-04-13T19:23:39Z")

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My friend sometimes exclaims ‘Oh, Christ on a pony!’ I’ve also heard ‘… on a pogo stick!’

It’s always appealed to me because of its absurdity.

Why do we say it?

I know that many non-obscene expletives are euphimistic for dirty things (‘darn,’ ‘flippin’,’ ‘crikey’ etc) but I can’t think of a single reason for this one.

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839/2 "2004-04-13T20:17:28Z")

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I’ve never heard the first one. Nor the second one, for that matter, although it might explain the phrase “Jumpin’ Jesus Christ!” 🙂

I _have_ heard the phrase “Christ on a crutch”, but that’s probably for the alliterative value and doesn’t actually refer to our fractured lord (should you believe in the guy’s divinity in the first place).

I suspect the phrases you are referring to are done purely for the comedic effect of the phrase, although “Christ on a pony” doesn’t exactly crack me up.

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**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839/3 "2004-04-13T20:24:46Z")

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Just seems strange that I’ve heard two, from different places (I think I may have read one on these boards, actually), and today I read something about ‘You waltz in here like Jesus on a donkey’ which sounds almost similar.

Hm.

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-chr-st-on-a-pony/239839/4 "2004-04-13T21:38:16Z")

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Jesus did ride into Jerusalem on a donkey just days before his crucifixion according to the gospels so I’m not sure why that is so absurd. I think the phrase implies arrogance rather than just trying to be funny. “Jesus H. Christ on a fucking rubber crutch,” said by Tommy Lee Jones in _Natural Born Killers_, is more for humor of the phrase.