Category Archives: Humor

‘Catch You Lacking’

Age: 21

Date of Performance: 02/24/25

Language: English

Nationality: Indian

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Main Transcription:

“Do you have any other experiences with these kinds of minor genres in folklore?”

“Um, yeah, actually, I do. One example was in high school, or middle school, actually, um, my friends and I had this thing, which I think was pretty common outside as well, but if you put your hand in a circle below your waist, and someone looked at it, you got to pinch or hit them, like I would slap them on the hand.”

“Okay, does it have any, I don’t know if symbolic is the right word, but was there any greater meaning or was it just a little joke you guys played on each other?”

“Yeah, I don’t think it had any greater meaning except for catching people ‘lacking.’ Catching people unaware.”

“Haha, just catching people lacking.”

“Yeah, just to always keep people on edge as like a friendly, fun kind of game.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“Of course, warm regards to you, professor.”

Context:

This little game seems to be just a fun gesture that he used to do during his adolescence. I find this particular entry funny because I also have personal experience with this game during middle school. From the extent of my knowledge, it was probably spread through online communities and ‘meme’ culture.

Analysis:

Given what the interviewee said and my personal experience, there does not appear to be a deeper meaning of the gesture other than “catching people ‘lacking.'” I do not think there needs to be any effort to analyze the complexities of each tradition, game, or gesture that people engage with; sometimes, people just like to mess around. I find it fascinating, however, that this game has transcended local, even global boundaries, since we both have known about this game when we were younger. As to its origins, still unknown.

Malaysian High School Taunt

Nationality: Malaysian

Occupation: Full time student

Residence: Baltimore, MD

Text:

“People with bad knees masturbate too often”

Context:

The informant played rugby throughout high school and college. He first heard the phrase in high school in Malaysia, where it was used by both coaches and players to shame newer members of the team who complained about being in pain. The informant said the phrase at a rugby match to a teammate who was out injured with a torn ACL.

Analysis:

The phrase shows the way that pain is viewed within the culture of a rugby team. To admit being in pain is seen as weak and is strongly discouraged and shamed. This is partially out of necessity; rugby is a violent sport, and being able to endure pain is important to be able to successfully play the sport. However, it is a part of the culture of rugby to appear tough, and this includes playing through injuries. Missing games due to injury (no matter how severe the injury) is shameful in rugby culture, and injured players are taunted and mocked until they return to the field. Additionally, injuries are such a frequent part of rugby that everyone at some point has to deal with them, and when you are injured it’s your turn to be teased.

FOGO

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Text: FOGO

Context: The informant’s family has played lacrosse for generations, and eventually heard the position of face off specialists being referred to as the FOGO (pronounced foe go). FOGO stands for face off get off, referring to how the faceoff specialist does the faceoff and then immediately subs themselves out of the game. Coaches and referees never would refer to the position as a FOGO, only other players would use the term.

Analysis: The name FOGO is used by lacrosse players to tease their face off specialist teammates. Face off specialists are generally the worst on a team at the fundamental skills required for lacrosse, such as passing, shooting, and defending. During a practice, face off specialists are usually off to the side doing their own drills away from the team, furthering the idea that they lack the skills of “real” lacrosse players. With lacrosse being a very physically demanding sport, the limited role of the face off is seen as making the position easy, which leads to other players teasing the position by calling it the FOGO.

Why don’t skeletons fight each other

Age: 19

Date: 02/22/2025

Language: English

Nationality: Chinese American

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

Text:

“Why don’t skeletons fight each other? Because they don’t have the guts!”

Context:

I first heard this joke at a Halloween party when I was a kid. One of my classmates, dressed as a vampire, was going around telling halloween themed jokes to literally anyone who would listen. When he got to me, I remember laughing, partly because I actually found it funny and partly because he delivered it with such confidence, like it was the greatest joke ever told. Later that night, I repeated it to my parents, and they laughed too (probably more at my enthusiasm than the joke itself). From that point on, it became my go-to Halloween joke I’d tell it every year to my friends, and even now, I still think of it whenever October rolls around.

Analysis:

This joke relies on a classic pun, playing with the phrase “having the guts,” which means both possessing courage and literally having internal organs. It’s simple, clever, and lighthearted, qualities that make it a great joke for kids. Puns like this often appear in children’s humor because they introduce wordplay in a way that’s easy to understand and repeat.

Beyond just being a fun Halloween joke, it also reflects the way humor can be tied to specific cultural moments. Skeletons are a common symbol of both horror and comedy, appearing in everything from spooky stories to animated films. The joke takes something that might otherwise be creepy—a skeleton—and makes it silly and harmless, showing how humor can reframe fear. This is a common pattern in folklore and storytelling: turning the eerie into the amusing as a way to make the unknown feel less intimidating. The fact that jokes like this persist over time, especially around Halloween, shows how humor can become part of seasonal traditions, passed down from one generation to the next.

🐝 + 🍯 = “Be Honey” → “Be Happy”

Age: 20

Date: 02/22/2025

Language: English

Nationality: Singaporean

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

Text:🐝 + 🍯 = “Be Honey” → “Be Happy”

Growing up, I remember seeing rebuses in kids’ books and classroom activities, and they always felt like a game. They made learning words exciting because instead of just memorizing letters, you had to decode the meaning through pictures. But rebuses aren’t just for kids—they’ve stuck around in all kinds of ways. You can find them in logos, ads, and even internet memes, where visuals and text blend together to say something clever in a way that’s quick and eye-catching.

At their core, rebuses show how creative language can be. They prove that communication isn’t just about words—it’s about how we interpret meaning from symbols, sounds, and context. Even though they come from ancient times, they still feel fresh and modern, which is probably why we keep using them. They tap into something universal: the joy of figuring things out.