“You ever hear what happened to the two guys who stole a calendar? The both got 6 months”
Background: Justin is 23 years old and both raised in and currently residing in Calabasas, CA.
Context:Justin used this joke at Passover dinner.
Analysis: Jokes are a very subjective form of entertainment and rely completely on your audience. I never tell jokes, so I always enjoy when someone else knows a bunch off the top of their head. Justin told this joke at a large family dinner, which is, in my opinion, the perfect audience for a quick, witty joke such as the one told. I almost enjoy an audience’s reaction to joke-telling more than the actual joke itself on occasion, because the delivery and timing is so crucial for the joke to be accepted as hoped.
first Kyle like started out as a joke but just because like lights would flicker . me and Danielle my roommate, we’re like oh that’s weird to me look down and it looks like someone had unplugged the lamp like I don’t know how that could happen that That’s weird so we’re like that shouldn’t have happened they think the next day I was standing in the common room and we heard the where repeat like the clean dish We heard the forks move like how could that have happened that was weird and then I don’t know One night after we had named it kylie after the Vine sully my roommate had her phone out our roommate and it glitched out and started playing the vine that we named Kyle after which was very creepy. I know that one time when someone was alone they heard doors opening but no one was in the suite we never saw a presence or heard anything but the way that things were moving and happening really seem like there was someone here.
Me: The environment we live in is a dormitory in people have lived here before so maybe do you think that that is why you think it is a ghost?
Informant : Yeah maybe there used to be a girl that died in this suite or they brought a ghost in. We actually got someone to put holy water around so we could bless it.
Background info
The informant explained how it brought the suite together in weird way because all of them shared experiences with kyle. This ghost means a lot to them because they created his name together with the vine. It was actually just a joke at first but then weird things started happening
My thoughts:
I think this ghost really did bring the suite together in a way and it was sort of a made up feeling of being in a new place. No ghost would actually be their if it wasn’t for the suitemates who made it up. The idea that they are freshman and moved into a new suite would help them create this legend together because they were getting used to living together in such a new environment like a dormitory.
Residence: 325 West Adams Blvd./ Los Angeles, CA 90007
Performance Date: 04/09/18
Primary Language: English
Title: The Red Lady
Category: Folk Object
Informant: Julianna K. Keller
Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: 325 West Adams Blvd./ Los Angeles, CA 90007
Date of Collection: 4/09/18
Description:
The “Red Lady” is a large red bong used by a select group of the theatre community at Trinity Valley High School in Fort Worth Texas. None of the students know the exact origin of the object, they believe that it was purchased by the school’s theatre department for use in one of their shows many years ago. The “Red Lady” has been passed down from senior to senior in the theatre department as the years have gone by. The “Red Lady” is given to a trusted member of the group and it’s their responsibility to care for and keep the secret of the object— While still maintaining its hiding place on school property.
Context/Significance:
Ms. Keller was fortunate enough to have earned the “Red Lady” her senior year of High School and was abel to share this story with me. She said she earned it because she was known for smoking marijuana and for being an excellent “chill” actress of her senior class. When it cam time for her to graduate, she then passed the bong down to a rising upperclassman.
Personal Thoughts:
We had something similar at my high school on the cheerleading team. The senior captain was in charge of the “spirit stick” all throughout the year and for maintaining the level of excellence that our team had achieved that previous year. I wound’t say a “sprit stick” and a bong are extremely similar, but they could be used as motifs to describe the same sort of seniority earned possession.
Occupation: Hospital Research Receptionist— Homemaker, Nurse, etc.
Residence: Fort Worth, Texas
Performance Date: 04/09/18
Primary Language: English
Title: The Keller Family Song
Category: Music
Informant: Judith Keller
Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: Lower 70s
Occupation: Hospital Research Receptionist— Homemaker, Nurse, etc.
Residence: Fort Worth, Texas
Date of Collection: 4/09/18
Description:
I DON’T LIKE YOUR FAMILY
THEY DON’T MAKE A HIT WITH ME
I DON’T WANT TO BOTHER SENDING MONEY TO YOUR FATHER
WHILE YOUR MA’S RELATIONS LIVE ON ME
I DON’T BELIEVE YOUR UNCLE JOHN
EVER HAD A COLLAR ON
YOU’RE A PERFECT LADY BUT WHEN I GET HITCHED FOR LIFE
I WANT AN ORPHAN
YOUR PA WITH A KNIFE
HAS THE TIME OF HIS LIFE
EATING PEAS IN THE GOOD OLD WAY
YOUR SISTER AND BROTHER THROW PLATES AT EACH OTHER
WHILE BABAY CRIES BOTH NIGHT AND DAY
THIS MIGHT ALL GO SWELL IN A NICE PADDED CELL
BUT IT’S NOT MY IDEA OF HOME SWEET HOME.
I DON’T LIKE YOUR FAMILY
THEY DON’T MAKE A HIT WITH ME
I DON’T WANT TO BOTHER SENDING MONEY TO YOUR FATHER
WHILE YOUR MA’S RELATIONS LIVE ON ME
I DON’T BELIEVE YOUR UNCLE JOHN
EVER HAD A COLLAR ON
YOU’RE A PERFECT LADY BUT WHEN I GET HITCHED FOR LIFE
I WANT AN ORPHAN
Context/Significance:
The Keller Family song is believed to have been invented by Julianna Keller’s Great Aunt “Doodles.” Originally known as “The Gableman Family Song” before transitioning into “The Keller Family Song,” the song was invented by “Doodles” during the time that she was a vaudevillian performer.
“Doodles” ran away from home when she was an early teenager and left at first to join the traveling circus. After performing in the circus as a bare back rider, “Doodles” moved on to later perform in vaudeville and presumably picked up the song there. The lyrics have adapted every little over time but many of the lyrics have been forgotten by most of the family— Only a few members have bee able to retain the full text.
It is believed that “Doodles” stole the song from one of her performances. The family likes this song in particular since there is an Uncle John in the family and they all point to him when the reference comes up. The family has sung this song once before when Julianna was at a gathering this past summer in Telluride, Colorado.
The song was typed up and provided by Judith Keller; The performer in the recording is Julianna Keller. The fragment provided is all that Judith and Julianna Keller were able to provide from memory.
Personal Thoughts:
The Keller Family Song is a “would-be” oikotype of a vaudevillian melody (if we knew which vaudevillian song it was specifically). The song has been passed down for through at least three generations and has adapted from its original invented version. The song is primarily sung at large family reunions or gatherings when segments of the family that aren’t usually connected get to interact with one another. Most members of the family know the song, but all only know specific parts and seem to rely on each other for remembering the full lyrics.
Occupation: Construction Foreman— Blue Collar, etc.
Residence: Columbus, MS
Performance Date: 4/21/18
Primary Language: English
Title: Weather Log
Category: Folk Object
Informant: Tony Walker
Nationality: American, caucasian
Age: Upper 60s
Occupation: Construction Foreman— Blue Collar, etc.
Residence: Columbus, MS
Date of Collection: 4/21/18
Description:
A weather log is a short, truncated stick about the size of 3” attached to a piece of twine with a laminated card attached. The card reads similar to the following:
IF IT’S WET, IT’S RAINING.
IF IT’S DARK, IT’S CLOUDY.
IF IT’S LIGHT, IT’S SUNNY.
IF IT’S MOVING, IT’S WINDY.
Context/Significance:
The list can continue. The weather log is meant to inform the owner what the weather is outside in a comical sense. This object is usually given/received as a joke or gag-gift.
Personal Thoughts:
My crazy Uncle makes weather logs to give to family members as a joke gift. He seems to find them extremely hilarious. These logs are hung from a tree outside close to the owner’s window. If nothing else, they’re a reminder of him and his humor.
