Tag Archives: Joke

Irish Joke 2 – Eyes

1)  

“What has eyes, but it can’t see?” 

“A potato!” 

2) My Irish grandmother shared this with me with hopes to express how much of a staple potatoes are in Irish cuisine. She said that even though this riddle may seem overly simplistic, the potato has sustained the Irish population for generations. She even mentioned to me that in 1845 the Irish Potato Famine literally wiped out over 1 million people because of a blight. 

3) This riddle was shared with me by my grandmother, amongst a set of 3 other riddles, over a zoom call that I had with her. 

4) I’ve heard other similar riddles such as “a needle” to answer the above riddle, but it’s my first time hearing this rendition. The fact that an oral tradition even exists in which a potato is personified through the riddle, suggests that the crop was a major form of sustenance for the Irish people. At the time of the famine, around 50% of Ireland’s population was dependent on potatoes for their major source of food. 

Irish Joke 3 – clover

1) “How don’t you iron a four-leaf clover?” 

“Because you shouldn’t press your luck!” 

2) My Irish grandmother saved this riddle for the end of our conversation because she said that she herself collected 4 leaf clovers during childhood and that she still believes them to be truly lucky. Although she admits to herself being slightly superstitious, she suggests that I undertake some superstitious beliefs to protect myself. 

3) This riddle was shared with me by my grandmother, amongst a set of 3 other riddles, over a zoom call that I had with her. 

4) The riddle suggests that “luck” is a real and precious force that influences our lives. The four leaf clover has connections to a rich oral tradition. It has been associated with protection from evil Celtic fairies, and other legends state that Eve removed a four-leaf clover before leaving the Garden of Eden. Thus, for Irish people, four-leaf clover folklore is derived from a sense of sacredness, regarding luck – a symbol of good within a dangerous world. 

Irish Joke 4 – Ghost

1) 

“On St. Patrick’s Day, what does a ghost drink?”

“Boos!” 

2) My Irish grandmother first heard this riddle during college in 1967 when drinking at a pub the night of St. Patrick’s Day. She shared this with me because she said the camaraderie she felt that day was unlike anything she’d ever experienced and that she wanted to share this memory with me. 

3) This riddle was shared with me by my grandmother, amongst a set of 3 other riddles, over a zoom call that I had with her. 

4) Based on the riddle, one can clearly see that there is a celebratory nature tied to alcohol consumption in Ireland. There are practices such as “wetting the baby’s head,” which embodies a joyful drinking celebration when a baby is born to spontaneous meetups at a local pub. Although Ireland has a complex relationship with alcohol – indicated by rates of alcohol abuse, it is undeniable that alcohol has an almost communal, even spiritual effect that enhances kinship to great lengths. This riddle’s association of alcohol with ghosts shows that alcohol is almost tied to a deeper cultural and superstitious framework. 

Russian Joke 1 – Strings

1) “What’s the definition of a Russian string quartet? A Soviet orchestra back from a US tour.”

2) My Russian friend from high school told me this joke when I was at his house a couple weeks ago. He told me he chose this joke because as an international student he feels more critical of Russia than many of his peers and he wanted to express that through humor. 

3) This joke was told to me in a set of four while my Russian friend and I were playing video games at his house. 

4) This joke has satirical elements that highlight Cold War tensions between the US and USSR during the late 20th century. Both the USSR and US used musical artists as a form of propaganda and chose to facilitate performances which they believed to fit their countries ideological agendas. The idea of a “tour” fits this concept perfectly – the dissemination of thought. 

Russian Joke 2 – Tie

1) “Two Russians meet in Moscow at night… one says, ‘Hey look at this tie I bought last week for $200!’ The other man responded, ‘You’re an idiot. You could have bought that tie yesterday for $500’”

2) My Russian friend told me this joke because he explained to me that he is very passionate about Russia’s economy, and that the reference to inflation in this ties into some of the issues that he wants to contribute to solving through Russian politics.

3) This joke was told to me in a set of four while my Russian friend and I were playing video games. 

4) This joke is essentially implying that at a point, inflation in Russia was so severe that $500 became worth less than $200 within the span of a few days. This ties into Russia’s economic conditions. After the days of collectivization and transition through the Cold War era now to the regime of Putin, Russia has struggled with economic identity. The link between communism, desires for small market openings, massive bribes and corruption have created an economic condition where trust between individuals is diminished, and when trust is diminished, so is currency.