# Questionable Content Joke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710 "2009-10-13T22:05:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/1 "2009-10-13T22:05:16Z")
There are three jokes in the [fourth panel](http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=691). What is the third one? Or am I the third one? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/2 "2009-10-13T22:12:29Z")
1. Marten noticing the poetic meter == you’re hired. 2. The pun on Dewey == “do we”. 3. Tai’s “oh joyous day” is a Caroll reference (“calhoo! callay!”) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/3 "2009-10-13T22:14:17Z")
Well, I see two, but am, like you, missing out on teh third. Curiously, this weekend, I reread the entire strip, so I knew exactly which one it was before I clicked the link. My daughter thinks its a bit creepy that I read and get this comic. She claims to know all of these people personally - although she doesn’t live in the same state, much less city. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/4 "2009-10-13T22:15:17Z")
Isn’t that “Oh, frabjous day?” ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/5 "2009-10-13T22:18:39Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Isn’t that “Oh, frabjous day?” Yes, you’re right. I think Jeph meant it to be Jabberwocky reference, but misquoted. If that’s _not_ the third joke, I don’t know what would be. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/6 "2009-10-13T22:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Marten noticing the poetic meter == you’re hired. > 2. The pun on Dewey == “do we”. I agree with those two. There is also a sign that says, “shut up.” which could be the third or possibly a fourth joke. But I’ve read from 0 - 700 pages since Sunday 🙂 Part of me thinks it sucks, and the rest of me can’t stop reading the damn thing! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/7 "2009-10-13T22:21:53Z")
One might count the “shut up” sign, or the misspelling of the school’s name on the librarian’s shirt. But I don’t think ANY of the examples mentioned so far rise to the level of “joke.” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/8 "2009-10-13T22:28:48Z")
Apparently, we aren’t nerdy enough – which is saying something! ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/9 "2009-10-13T22:30:59Z")
Perhaps my next post should be, “where can I find a board nerdier than SDMB?” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/10 "2009-10-13T22:32:15Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Part of me thinks it sucks, and the rest of me can’t stop reading the damn thing! The artwork steadily improves, and the characters are great! The storylines range from pretty good to a decent excuse to hang the jokes on. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/11 "2009-10-13T22:35:36Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > 1. Tai’s “oh joyous day” is a Caroll reference (“calhoo! callay!”) More to the point, isn’t that whole bit in iambic pentameter? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/12 "2009-10-13T22:42:58Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > The artwork steadily improves, and the characters are great! The storylines range from pretty good to a decent excuse to hang the jokes on. The font is a little annoying though. I don’t think there has been a single instance of the word “if” that I haven’t read as “IP.” ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/13 "2009-10-13T22:51:29Z")
If it were _Winston_ Library at Smith College, there would be an obvious 1984 reference there (you’d be really stretching it to call it a joke though)…I admit I’m clutching at straws here. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/14 "2009-10-13T23:25:09Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > One might count the “shut up” sign, or the misspelling of the school’s name on the librarian’s shirt. But I don’t think ANY of the examples mentioned so far rise to the level of “joke.” I’m going with the “Shut up” sign unless we see better - it’s only revealed in the 4th panel, while the shirt is seen clearly before that. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/15 "2009-10-13T23:55:33Z")
One might count the “shut up” sign, or the misspelling of the school’s name on the librarian’s shirt. But I don’t think ANY of the examples mentioned so far rise to the level of “joke.” ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/16 "2009-10-14T00:03:59Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > More to the point, isn’t that whole bit in iambic pentameter? I thought her words were in the first joke’s realm. But if you see her words apart from his, then certainly it’s just another joke, and his, plus hers, plus “dewey” equals three. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/17 "2009-10-14T00:10:27Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > More to the point, isn’t that whole bit in iambic pentameter? That may be the actual joke. I’ll go with that or the misquoted Jabberwocky reference. Note what Jeph wrote in the notes: > [@Jeph](#): > > To the 5% of my audience who gets all three jokes, I salute you **and your English degrees**. So based on that, its definitely something literary; both the meter of Tai’s response, per **Waldo** above, or a Caroll reference (or both) seem to fit that bill. In re Tai’s response referring to Caroll, note that Jeph thought that the Magna Carter was signed [in 1066](http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1066), so misquoting Jabberwocky isn’t out of character. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/18 "2009-10-14T00:26:19Z")
Another vote for the three jokes being: 1. Marten seeing the job application is in iambic pentameter 2. Tai talking in iambic pentameter 3. The Dewey/do we pun Play the Questionable Content game. Hit the random strip button and marvel at the changing appearances of the characters. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/19 "2009-10-14T01:09:31Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > The font is a little annoying though. I don’t think there has been a single instance of the word “if” that I haven’t read as “IP.” Oh, yeah! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710/20 "2009-10-14T01:33:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Play the Questionable Content game. Hit the random strip button and marvel at the changing appearances of the characters. I’ve never seen the strip before, so I just hit Random to see if there’s any female character I wouldn’t want to bang. No luck yet… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questionable-content-joke/513710.md?page=2)