A typical “mother-in-law joke” involves her coming to the son-in-law’s house. “Pat told his mother-in-law to make herself at home. She did. She sold it” was printed in the Evening Herald (Shenandoah, PA) on March 15, 1960. “I told my mother-in-law to make herself at home...SHE SOLD THE HOUSE hahahahahahaha” was posted on Twitter by Bob Gilland on July 21, 2011.
“I told my mother-in-law to make herself at home, so she sold the place” was posted on Reddit—Oneliners on May 6, 2019.
15 March 1960, Evening Herald (Shenandoah, PA), “Short and Snappy” by Tom Barrett, pg. 4, col. 5:
Pat told his mother-in-law to make herself at home. She did. She sold it.
(The column is about Irish jokes, and “Pat” is a typical Irishman.—ed.)
Google Books
Memorable One-Liners
By Daytona
Lincoln, NE: iUniverse
2003
Pg. 44:
I once asked my mother-in-law to make herself at home. So she did. She rearranged our furniture.
Twitter
Bob Gilland
@Bob_gilland
I told my mother-in-law to make herself at home...SHE SOLD THE HOUSE hahahahahahaha
9:37 PM - 21 Jul 2011
Reddit—Oneliners
Posted by u/Jan_Tik May 6, 2019
I told my mother-in-law to make herself at home, so she sold the place.
Twitter
Living Sarcasm
@SarcasmLiving
I told my mother-in-law to make herself at home, so she sold the place.
6:26 PM - 6 May 2019
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.
Recent entries:
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“I am presently experiencing life at a rate of several WTFs per hour” (6/4)
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“When someone asks what my dream job is. Literally nothing. Who dreams to have a job…” (6/4)
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“I am currently experiencing life at a rate of several WTFs per hour” (6/4)
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“When the airplane door shuts & the seat next to you is open it feels like you just won the lottery” (6/4)
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“When the flight attendants close the cabin doors and the seat next to you is still empty” (6/4)
More new entries...
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.