The Big Apple: “A dyslexic man walks into a bra” (bar joke)

A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps.

Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.

Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.

Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.

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Entry from February 10, 2015

“A dyslexic man walks into a bra” (bar joke)

“A guy walks into a bar...” is a typical form of what has been called the “bar joke.” “A dyslexic man walks into a bra” is a joke about a joke, or a “meta-joke.”

“So this dyslexic walks into a bra” was cited in print in 2001 and “Dyslexic man walks into a bra....” was cited in 2002.

“A drunk dyslexic wanks into a jar” is another “dyslexic” joke.

Wikipedia: Meta-joke
Meta-joke refers to several somewhat different, but related categories: self-referential jokes, jokes about jokes (also known as metahumor), and joke templates.

Self-referential jokes
This kind of meta-joke is a joke in which a familiar class of jokes is part of the joke. Examples of meta-jokes:
(...)
. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

Google Books
Notes on a Beermat:
Drinking and Why It’s Necessary
By Nicholas Pashley
Toronto, ON: Polar Bear Press
2001
Pg. 195:
So this dyslexic walks into a bra.

MetaFilter
A dyslexic walks into a bra.
posted by transient at 9:35 AM on December 20, 2001

Google Groups: rec.humor.jewish

Andi Stephens
10/13/02
(...)
Dyslexic man walks into a bra....

Google Groups: alt.wisdom
A few Groaners
Linda
8/5/04
(...)
5. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

Google News Archive
2 February 2006, Defuniak Springs (FL) Herald, “Points to ponder” by Ron Kelley, pg. 4A, col. 1:
A dyslexic man walks into a bra…

Google Groups: rec.boats
OT: Top 50 Jokes of All Time
Wayne. B
10/26/10
(...)
3. ‘’Dyslexic man walks into a bra’’

OCLC WorldCat record
A dyslexic walks into a bra : a compendium of the best jokes, gags and one-liners
Author: Nick Harris
Publisher: London : Michael O’Mara, 2011.
Edition/Format: Book : Humor, satire, etc. : English
Database: WorldCat
Summary:
It’s the classic gags that keep people laughing time after time, and Nick Harris has collected together a bumper batch of the best jokes that are guaranteed to have anyone rolling in the aisles.

Google Groups: alt.usage.english
The Legendary Bar Jokes Thread
Anton Shepelev
12/1/11
(...)
(8) [James Hogg] A metathesis walks into a bra
(...)
67) [Reinhold {Rey} Aman] A dyslexic walks into a rab.

Posted by Barry Popik
New York City • Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores • Tuesday, February 10, 2015 • Permalink