# What classic question do you use to illustrate what the SD is all about? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2002, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470 "2002-10-09T02:33:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/1 "2002-10-09T02:33:27Z")
Some unfortunate sod has never heard of the Straight Dope column, et al. What classic question do you use to illustrate what it is that Cecil does? I always use the “Whatever happened to Channel 1?” question. I think it’s a great question and exemplifies the spirit of the SD pretty well. What classic questions come to your mind? ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/2 "2002-10-09T02:38:10Z")
Why don’t men have nipples? ---
**Author:** ![bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bee_with_an_itch)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/3 "2002-10-09T02:47:26Z")
it kinda/sorta/maybe has something to do with the OP: “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” The answer: the rooster _think about it_😉 ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/4 "2002-10-09T02:47:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jello \* > \*\*Why don’t men have nipples? \*\* :: looks down, lifts shirt, double-checks, scratches head :: [sub]whuh?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/5 "2002-10-09T02:50:23Z")
The one about Shroedinger’s Cat. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/6 "2002-10-09T02:58:27Z")
Why don’t they make the whole airplane out of the black box material? ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/7 "2002-10-09T03:16:26Z")
“How many calories are in sperm?” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/8 "2002-10-09T03:24:55Z")
Because I’m into the classics and because I’m a little strange: What is it about Gerbils? (or something like that.) where good ole Cec lists the things found up people’s butts in emergency rooms. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/9 "2002-10-09T03:29:21Z")
What happened to the missing dollar? \*\*no, wait, scratch that \*\* ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/10 "2002-10-09T03:36:52Z")
“Calories in sperm” and “Schroedinger’s Cat”. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/11 "2002-10-09T05:11:31Z")
Why is there an intestate, I’m sorry, interstate freeway in Hawaii? ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/12 "2002-10-09T05:41:21Z")
“How many calories in sperm?” “Is it true pigs have corkscrew-shaped penises?” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/13 "2002-10-09T05:48:31Z")
“If you dove into a swimming pool filled with jello, would you be able to swim back out?” is what I use to demonstrate the goofier questions. To paint a picture of the kinds of facts that get checked out, I go with the one about how sex changes are performed. ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/14 "2002-10-09T05:50:47Z")
I have to go with the OP… I used the “What happened to Channel 1?” example when talking about the first Straight Dope compilation book I found while in college. When I found the SD online I was ecstatic…I can still point my browser to the “archive” page and have a friend who has never seen the SD disappear for an hour or more and finally resurface wondering what in the world is left to ask! Great fun! ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/15 "2002-10-09T05:56:16Z")
Why do pigeons bob their heads when walking? ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/16 "2002-10-09T13:42:16Z")
“a duck’s quack echos, nobody knows why: BS” ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/17 "2002-10-09T14:05:58Z")
I have to go with the question from the first book about what would happen if all the people in China stepped onto chairs and jumped off at the same time - would the stepping on or jumping off affect the Earth’s orbit? Not only do I love the inane question - but I love Cecil’s response “Strange as it may seem, but I am actually going to answer this extremely retarded question” I use it to explain what Cecil does and how he does it. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/18 "2002-10-09T14:20:51Z")
“What was the Big Bopper’s real name?” So far, I haven’t made too many converts. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/19 "2002-10-09T14:24:37Z")
The duck’s quack, the Korean grocery stores and the Mohawk skyscraper workers. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470/20 "2002-10-09T14:50:45Z")
I can’t believe nobody’s yet mentioned the one about finding the third word in the English language that ends in “gry”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-classic-question-do-you-use-to-illustrate-what-the-sd-is-all-about/131470.md?page=2)