"Why did the chicken cross the road?", Our Intern
It's probably the oldest 'joke' in the book. In fact, it dates back to at least 1847 with its first known appearance in print in a New York monthly magazine called The Knickerbocker: "There are 'quips and quillets' which seem actual conundrums but yet are none. Of such is this: 'Why does a chicken cross the street?'... 'Because it wants to get to the other side!'" Hilarious, no? No. And that is the point. The joke is: it's not even a joke. When asked at the end of a series of other riddles whose answers are clever or funny, the punchline's lack of punch becomes its humour. Sorta.
Unsatisfied with this answer, Time Out put the question to some of the great minds throughout history (and John Howard) to see if they could improve upon it. Here are a few of their responses... George W Bush: It was a threat to national security. John Howard: We will decide who crosses into our country. Douglas Adams: 42. Paul Keating: The accounts do show that the chicken did cross the road. The most important thing about that is that this is the road it had to cross. Hamlet: That is not the question. OJ Simpson: It didn't do it! Al Gore: To reduce its carbon footprint. Germaine Greer: It was a hen! Dame Edna: It was a possum! Carl Williams: Be very careful who you call "chicken". Sonny Bill Williams: To play for the Roosters.
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