# What's the joke (if any) in Jan. 28's Mr. Boffo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479 "2009-01-29T01:46:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/1 "2009-01-29T01:46:51Z")
[http://www.mrboffo.com/](http://www.mrboffo.com/) (it may disappear from the website in favor of tomorrow’s strip.) If you can’t see it, the gist of it is that two men are sitting at a bar drinking beers and watching TV, while the bartender has his back turned and is reading a newspaper. The caption says, “the Lehman Brothers on the town.” Why is this supposed to be funny? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/2 "2009-01-29T02:01:15Z")
Well, from Wikipedia, “[Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 15, 2008. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers is the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history with Lehman holding over $600 billion in assets.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankruptcy_of_Lehman_Brothers)” so… I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/3 "2009-01-29T02:42:05Z")
I think the joke is that they’re at a little neighborhood bar, not one of your fancy/trendy/expensive caviar and vodka joints or what have you. Their “on the town” now is just a cheap domestic beer in a dive. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/4 "2009-01-29T02:50:37Z")
I would interpret it as reflecting the change in the meaning of the words “Lehman brothers.” At one point not so long ago, a reference to “Lehman Brothers” would mean the venerable investment banking firm. Now, “Lehman brothers” just refers to two brothers who happen to have the last name Lehman, since the other Lehman Brothers has ceased to exist. It’s a joke about the devaluation of the words. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/5 "2009-01-29T03:38:26Z")
The joke is on you for trying to find humor in _Mr. Boffo._ ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-joke-if-any-in-jan-28s-mr-boffo/483479/6 "2009-01-29T04:49:45Z")
Isn’t it just that the only place the Lehman Brothers can now afford to hang out is a dive bar? ETA: Like **Lisa-go-Blind** said.