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.

Recent entries:
“Shoutout to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
“Thank you, ATM fees, for allowing me to buy my own money” (3/27)
“Anyone else boil the kettle twice? Just in case the boiling water has gone cold…” (3/27)
“Shout out to ATM fees for making me buy my own money” (3/27)
20-20-20 Rule (for eyes) (3/27)
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Entry from April 01, 2016
“Why did the chef take his own life?”/“Because he lost the huile d’olive.”

“Huile d’olive” (French for “olive oil”) sounds like “will to live,” prompting the joke:
 
Q: Why did the chef take his own life?
A: Because he lost huile d’olive.

 
The joke has been cited in print since at least 2008.
 
 
Twitter
Ted Brandt
‏@ten_bandits
Giles Coren joke: why did the French chef commit suicide? He lost the huile d’olive.
2:39 PM - 16 Nov 2008
   
Drowned in Sound
Why did the French chef commit suicide?
EustaceHPlimsoll 16:46, 19 December ‘08
because he’s lost his huile d’olive!
 
Twitter
AdamWestbrook
‏@AdamWestbrook
Why did the French chef kill himself? Because he lost huile d’olive. Goodnight!
4:47 PM - 12 Jan 2009
 
Facebook
Third Year Abroad
November 3, 2010 ·
Why did the French chef commit suicide? Because he lost the huile d’olive…
 
ProZ
Bilingual joke - EN FR
veratek
Jan 21, 2011
Apparently from an English newspaper:
 
Why did the chef take his own life?
Because he lost the huille d’olive.
 
Twitter
Ben Moore-Bridger
‏@benm_b
@BrockleyMarket Why did the chef jump off a bridge?...Because he lost l’huile d’olive!!
10:47 AM - 20 Oct 2011
 
Twitter
Dan Hetherton
‏@danhetherton
Why did the chef kill himself? Because he lost the huil d’olive…
6:04 AM - 6 Jul 2012
 
reddit
Why did the French chef commit suicide? (self.Jokes)
submitted January 1, 2013 by peter_j_
He lost the huile d’olive
 
Twitter
MFL Dept @ HHS
‏@HHS_MFL_Dept
FRENCH JOKE: Q: Why did the chef take his own life? A: Because he lost the huile d’olive…
4:16 PM - 16 Apr 2013
 
reddit 
Why did the French chef commit suicide? (self.Jokes)
submitted August 15, 2013 by Xqwzt
Because he lost the huile d’olive.
 
Twitter
chantal perez
‏@chantal_perez
Why did the Chef kill himself?
Because he lost his huile d’olive! #BilingualJokes #FrenchJokes #MFL
9:53 AM - 15 Jun 2015

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Friday, April 01, 2016 • Permalink


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