# So what did two guys do before walking into a bar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791 "2018-03-01T02:11:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/1 "2018-03-01T02:11:29Z")
I was flipping through a _Bathroom Reader_, and it said bar jokes have only been around since the 1950’s. Is this true? What was the archetypal joke opening before then? _Was_ there an archetypal joke opening? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/2 "2018-03-01T03:26:09Z")
Like newspaper articles, jokes seem to have gotten a lot shorter and snappier as the years go by. It seems like back in the day joke listeners were willing to tolerate a greater amount of scene-setting and buildup, which now can be contained in the short phrase “walk into a bar” or “were walking down the street”. [The London Joke Book](https://books.google.com.au/books?id=kBFAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA262&dq=%22joke%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjaxMSBlMrZAhUBlJQKHcalBfMQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=%22joke%22&f=false) or 1835 is an interesting read. Of course a lot of the jokes are a) not funny or b) too obscure for us these days but there’s a few good old standards in there (there’s a “right to bare arms” joke for instance) The most interesting thing is the number of jokes or anecdotes which come with names and personal details attached, which makes me think that a large component of joke telling was “telling about a funny thing that actually happened”. Whereas we more think about joke telling as making up crazy stories, most of which couldn’t actually happen in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/3 "2018-03-01T03:32:46Z")
Here’s a good example from that book - which is actually still sufficiently amusing, but way longwinded by our standards. > [@the London Joke Book](#): > > “Too Civil By Half” > > A learned Irish Judge, among other peculiarities, had a habit of begging pardon on every occasion. Once his favourite expression was employed in rather a singular manner. At the close of the assize, as he was about to leave the bench, the officer of the Court reminded him that he had not passed sentence of death on one of the criminals, as he had intended. “Dear me!” said his Lordship, “_I really beg his pardon_ - bring him in.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/4 "2018-03-01T04:11:56Z")
**So what did two guys do before walking into a bar?** They had to finish their studies to become a priest and a rabbi. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/5 "2018-03-01T04:35:45Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **So what did two guys do before walking into a bar?** > > They had to finish their studies to become a priest and a rabbi. I think we have an answer. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/6 "2018-03-01T04:40:28Z")
Two warriors walked into a mead festival; one a Knights Templar and the other an Israelite… Dennis ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/7 "2018-03-01T05:07:35Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **So what did two guys do before walking into a bar?** > > They had to finish their studies to become a priest and a rabbi. You win the thread. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/8 "2018-03-01T14:20:39Z")
A priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a bar. The barkeep looks up and says, “What is this, some kind of joke?” ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/9 "2018-03-01T14:55:37Z")
**So what did two guys do before walking into a bar?** Got distracted by talking to the foreman. Then _BAM_ right into the bar. Good thing they had their hard hats on. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/10 "2018-03-01T15:12:40Z")
JMHO but the “walk into a bar” setup creates a quick scenario. You have a reason for strangers to meet - ie bartender and customer(s) You have a place for them to meet - The bar You have a plausible interaction - order a drink You have a straight man - Bartender You have the comic relief - customer(s) “Walk into a bar” gives you all of this. If you were to say “walk into a building” or walk into a store it has too much vagueness in it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/11 "2018-03-01T15:23:19Z")
Jokes get shorter as the audience gets more sophisticated. Case in point, this old joke: #35! ---
**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:** [March 1, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/12 "2018-03-01T15:33:53Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Jokes get shorter as the audience gets more sophisticated. > > Case in point, this old joke: #35! I didn’t laugh. I think you told it wrong. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/13 "2018-03-01T15:40:00Z")
Jesus, a rabbi and a Roman walked out towards the crowd . . . wait, that’s not funny. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2018, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/14 "2018-03-01T15:52:43Z")
A Cro-Magnon stops by a stream to get a drink. He sees a Neanderthal with a duck on his head approaching the stream. He says to the Neanderthal “Do you know you have a duck on your head?” The Neanderthal bashes his head in with a rock. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/15 "2018-03-01T16:04:09Z")
Supposedly this is the first “walks into a bar” joke. Interesting in that it has a pretty long setup and actually requires a bar as the setting: > [@](#): > > A man walks into a bar and says he wants a very, very dry Martini at a ratio of 25 to 1. The bartender is a little startled but mixes it precisely. As he pours it into just the right glass, he asks the customer, “Would you like a twist of lemon in that?” The customer pounds the bar and shouts, "Listen buddy! When I want a goddamned lemonade, I’ll ask for it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/16 "2018-03-01T16:20:59Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > I didn’t laugh. I think you told it wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/17 "2018-03-01T19:29:13Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > **So what did two guys do before walking into a bar?** > > They had to finish their studies to become a priest and a rabbi. Sorry. I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/18 "2018-03-01T20:15:46Z")
“pull my finger”? ISTR that a most early comedy was rather scatological. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/19 "2018-03-01T20:42:34Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > > [@Just Asking Questions](#): > > > > Jokes get shorter as the audience gets more sophisticated. > > > > Case in point, this old joke: #35! > > I didn’t laugh. I think you told it wrong. I did laugh - I never heard that one before. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791/20 "2018-03-01T22:21:24Z")
In my neck of the woods Two Guys was a department store. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-two-guys-do-before-walking-into-a-bar/809791.md?page=2)