# The "Smart Pills" Joke... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402 "2016-01-07T09:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Major\_Matt\_Mason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Major\_Matt\_Mason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Matt_Mason)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/1 "2016-01-07T09:13:38Z")
I’m doing a survey. Are you familiar with this joke? Just answer yes or no, along with your age group and general geographic point of origin.\* The reason I ask is that I’m in the 45-54 age range, from Philadelphia originally, and, so far, three of my co-workers here in the Ozarks never heard the joke. Mind you, they liked it once they heard it, and are going to pass it on, but I thought this particular old chestnut was universal… Thanks! -MMM- \*If you’re not familiar with the joke, feel free to Google it, but no spoilers here, please, I want to keep the survey on the up-and-up. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/2 "2016-01-07T10:19:28Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/3 "2016-01-07T10:44:01Z")
Nope. I am somewhat past forty and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/4 "2016-01-07T11:47:32Z")
Moved from General Questions to MPSIMS. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/5 "2016-01-07T12:07:03Z")
Googled it, and yes, I had heard the joke before, but did not associate it with the description “smart pills joke,” so I would have said “no” beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/6 "2016-01-07T12:09:34Z")
Yes, primary school age material. Mid 50s rural NSW, Australia ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/7 "2016-01-07T12:11:58Z")
Never heard it before. 39 (in a week), Newfoundland, Canada. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/8 "2016-01-07T12:37:40Z")
Never heard it before (but now I love it). 45, Wisconsin (raised in New York). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/9 "2016-01-07T12:46:58Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Googled it, and yes, I had heard the joke before, but did not associate it with the description “smart pills joke,” so I would have said “no” beforehand. Hey! That’s _my_ answer. 57, western PA. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/10 "2016-01-07T12:55:20Z")
No, I chuckled a bit though. 45, Ontario, Canada Reminds me of the joke about the two guys hiking in the woods and one notices the other is wearing running shoes and questions him. “They’re just in case we meet up with a bear” “You idiot, you can’t outrun a bear” “I don’t have to outrun the bear…” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/11 "2016-01-07T13:25:09Z")
If you’re not going to post the actual joke, I’m sure as heck not going to google it, guess which one of 50,000 results is the joke you’re thinking of, then answer based on that. I’m smart, but I’m not Carnac the Magnificent. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/12 "2016-01-07T13:37:50Z")
heard it from my uncle around 1972; central Missouri ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/13 "2016-01-07T13:48:49Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > If you’re not going to post the actual joke, I’m sure as heck not going to google it, guess which one of 50,000 results is the joke you’re thinking of, then answer based on that. > > I’m smart, but I’m not Carnac the Magnificent. Really isn’t that hard, the first two pages of Google all had the same joke, albeit with slightly different versions of who did what, but with the same punch line. As for me, Ohio-Missouri-Alabama (USA) and can remember seeing it at one time or another, but can’t recall ever hearing anyone tell it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/14 "2016-01-07T13:51:40Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’m smart, but I’m not Carnac the Magnificent. General Curtis LeMay, the Red Baron and Carnac. Name three people who like to bomb. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/15 "2016-01-07T13:59:19Z")
Early 60s Canberra, Australia. I can actually recall the first time I heard it at Cubs one night. I know over the years I told the joke several times and it seemed the vast majority of people had never heard it. Like the OP I thought everyone would know it. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/16 "2016-01-07T14:30:56Z")
Yes Rapidly approaching 50 New England all my life ---
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/17 "2016-01-07T15:22:35Z")
Mid 30’s, also greater Philadelphia area. Never heard it before. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/18 "2016-01-07T15:29:04Z")
I can think of 2 Smart Pill jokes right off the top of my head. Out of curiosity I searched on it and found a joke that is similar to one of them, but a lot cleaner version of it. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/19 "2016-01-07T15:32:06Z")
I’m 42. Grew up in St. Louis, have lived in Kansas City, Cambridge UK, New York City, Cincinnati, and now Columbia MO. I had not heard it before. ---
**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:** [January 7, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402/20 "2016-01-07T15:34:11Z")
Really old joke. I’m 68. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-smart-pills-joke/742402.md?page=2)