Author Archives: Devin Kidde

Two men are found dead in a cabin

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English

Context: This riddle was told to an audience of one in a fraternity dining hall.

Background: The informant learned this riddle during a long car ride, when he was trying to pass the time

Q: Two men are dead in a Cabin in the middle of the woods. How did they die? * The guesser is allowed to ask as many yes/no questions about the cabin as they want, until they have the answer.
A: It is the Cabin of an Airplane, which has crashed in the middle of the woods.

This riddle plays on the word Cabin, and requires an understanding of English vernacular language.

How do you get a violist to play with vibrato?

Nationality: American
Age: 58
Occupation: Musician/ Composer
Residence: New York
Primary Language: English

Context: This joke was told to over the phone by an older relative of mine

Background: This relative has been teaching music for 15+ years at a small liberal arts college.

Q: How do you get a violist to play with vibrato?
A: You write the word ‘Solo’ above the notes

This joke plays on the idea that Violists are very timid, and generally try to avoid solos.

The Conductor came to MY House?

Nationality: American
Age: 58
Occupation: Musician/ Composer
Primary Language: English

Context: This joke was told to over the phone by an older relative of mine

Background: This relative has been teaching music for 15+ years at a small liberal arts college.
A violist comes home one day and sees his home is burned down. The policeman says, “Conductor came, killed your family, and burned down your house.”
The Violist says, “The Conductor came to MY house?!”

This joke plays on the idea that Violists are very timid, and would not typically be noticed or acknowledged by the conductor.

What do you call a drummer with no car?

Nationality: American
Age: 58
Occupation: Musician/ Composer
Primary Language: English

Context: This joke was told to over the phone by an older relative of mine

Background: This relative has been teaching music for 15+ years at a small liberal arts college.

Q: What do you call a drummer with no car?
A: Homeless.

The joke is that drummers are typically underemployed, and may have to live in their car.

Hug Bug

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English

Context: This game was explained in a fraternity dining hall to an audience of one.

Background: This game was taught to the informant by his parents, who did not like violence very much.

“In my family, instead of doing punch buggy or slug bug, where you would like see a Volkswagen Beetle and punch the person sitting next to you, we would say “Hug Bug” and hug the person next us.”

This game is a pacifist substitute to the more popular violent version game, “Slug Bug.”