The Big Apple: “What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?"/"Supplies!”

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.

This site is edited by Barry Popik.

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Entry from January 05, 2017

“What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?"/"Supplies!”

A popular children’s riddle (printed on several images) is:

Q: What did the janitor say when he jumped out the closet?
A: Supplies!

The joke originally had an Asian janitor, giving more sense to “Supplies!/Surprise!” “What did the Chinese janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? SUPPLIES!” was posted on Twitter on November 25, 2009.

Twitter
Xavier
‏@hausukat
@coolcoolraoul @reihime @alexmangarin What did the Chinese janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? SUPPLIES!
2:50 PM - 25 Nov 2009

fatwallet.com
what did the janitor say when he opened the closet door?
kingaroonie
posted: Dec. 8, 2009 @ 11:47p
supplies!

katzmandoo
posted: Dec. 9, 2009 @ 11:04a
was he Asian? (ooooh i’m a racist!)

Twitter
christinacha
‏@christinachacha
The joke I used for my Living h20 graduation ceremony....What did the KOrean Janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?.......SUPPLIES!
9:06 AM - 19 Jun 2010

Twitter
Adam Damon
‏@AdamDamon
What does an asian janitor say when he jumps out of a closet?
SUPPLIES!
8:01 PM - 26 Aug 2011

Twitter
2 kat 2 furious
‏@2kat2furious
@VitaminDeen what did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? SUPPLIES!
3:24 PM - 11 Oct 2011

Twitter
Ellen DeGeneres
‏@TheEllenShow
What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? SUPPLIES! #ClassicJokeTuesday
4:21 PM - 7 May 2013

21 January 2014, The Observer (Gladstone, Queensland), “Joke of the Day,” pg. 10:
Q: What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?
A: SUPPLIES!

Reddit—Jokes
What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?
submitted August 2, 2014 by biohudy
Supplies!, I’m gay.

11 April 2015, Newsday (Long Island, NY), Kidsday, pg. B11:
What did the janitor say when he jumped out of his closet?
“Supplies!”
- William Dietz

Google Books
Jokes Puns Comebacks & More
By Brandon Salmo
Lulu Publishing (Lulu.com)
2016
Pg. ?:
What did the janitor say when he came out of the closet? “Supplies!

Reddit—Jokes
What Did the Janitor Say When He Jumped Out of the Closet?
submitted June 16, 2016 by Fate2Bringer
“Supplies!”
I’ll see myself out

Posted by Barry Popik
New York City • Buildings/Housing/Parks • Thursday, January 05, 2017 • Permalink