"I saw a sign: ‘Rest Area 25 Miles.’ That’s pretty big. Some people must be really tired” is a joke about driving down a highway. The rest area is coming up in 25 miles; it isn’t 25 miles long.
American stand-up comedian Steven Wright has used the joke in his act since at least February 10, 1990, when it was printed in the Muncie (IN) Star.
Wikipedia: Steven Wright
Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and film producer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes, paraprosdokians, non sequiturs, anti-humor, and one-liners with contrived situations.
Newspapers.com
10 February 1990, Muncie (IN) Star, “Absolutely Wright: Deadpan Comic Makes Some Noise With Emens Crowd” by Rodney Richey, pg. B-6. col. 2:
“I saw a sign on the highways that said, ‘Rest Area: 25 Miles.’ I though, ‘Wow, that’s pretty big.’”
Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokes
jokes (Steven Write)
ChricChris
3/31/96
(...)
I was traveling along a long road and I noticed a sign that read “ Next Rest Area 25 Miles”, I thought “Wow, that’s pretty big”, “People must really get tired around here.”
Twitter
gardenorganic
@gardenorganic
I saw a sign"rest area 25 miles”.. That’s pretty big. Some people must be really tired… lol
12:49 AM · Feb 16, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
comedybot
@comedybot
I saw a sign: “Rest Area 25 Miles”. That’s pretty big. Some people must be really tired. -Steven Wright
5:23 PM · May 7, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Brice Kluth
@kluthbrice
Love this: “I saw a sign: Rest Area 25 Miles. That’s pretty big. Some people must be really tired.” (Steven Wright)
12:30 AM · Aug 20, 2019·Mobile Web (M2)
Reddit—Dadjokes
Posted by u/shdchko October 27, 2019
I saw a sign that said “Rest area 25 miles”...
I thought,wow, that’s pretty big
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.
This site is edited by Barry Popik.