The Improvement Era asked its readers to submit Mormon-flavored jokes this year, mixed with the magazine’s usual brand of humor. Illustrations were provided by the Era’s in-house artist, Fielding K. (“Smat”) Smith.
Anti-Climax
Three old men went to heaven. Saint Peter asked the first: “Where did you live while on earth?”
He answered: “Illinois.”
“Come right in,” said Saint Peter. Turning to the next he asked, “Where did you live?”
“I came from Alabama,” replied the second.
“Come right in,” said Saint Peter; and asked the third, “Where are you from?”
“California,” said the third man.
“California? Is that so?” said the host. “Well, you can come in if you want to, but I don’t think you will like it here.”
Justifiable Homicide
The score was tied. There was one minute to play. The home team was lined up for the extra point kick. Any second now the ball would be snapped back for that last all important attempt. The crowd was spellbound, breathlessly counting the seconds. Would he make that final goal kick which meant victory?
“Let’s go now and avoid that terrible jam,” she said.
She never knew what hit her!
Twaddle
“Pop, what do they mean by ‘twaddle’?”
“That refers to arguments advanced by the other side, my son.”
“No Respecter”
Small daughter was more thrilled over the advent of five new kittens than was her mother. One day she was playing with them on the kitchen floor. Her mother, attempting to cross the room with a heavy pan of bread, found her way impeded by the sprawling cats.
“Daughter,” she cried sharply, “Get your cats out of here before I step on them.”
“All right,” replied the child, beginning to pile the cats into her apron; “I’ll get them out, but I think you don’t have the spirit of the gospel toward my cats.”
Extenuating Circumstances
Judge: “And what explanation do you have to offer for driving sixty miles an hour through the residential district?”
Motorist: “I had just heard, your honor, that the Relief Society, of which my wife is a member, were giving a rummage sale, and I was hurrying home to save my other pair of trousers.”
Judge: “Case dismissed.”
Certainly No Worse
Landlady: “I think you had better board elsewhere.”
Boarder: “Yes, I often had.”
Landlady: “Often had what?”
Boarder: “Had better board elsewhere.”
Politics as Usual
Politician: “Congratulate me, Dear; I got the nomination.”
Wife: “Honestly!”
Politician: “Why bring that up?”
Good Turn
Boy Scout (to elderly lady): “May I accompany you across the street, madam?”
Elderly Lady: “Certainly, sonny. How long have you been waiting here for somebody to take you across?”
The Real Bandit
Bob: “I hear they caught one of those hotel robbers.”
Job: “That so? What hotel did he run?”
Handicap
First Golfer: “What is your handicap?”
Second Golfer: “A wife and eight children.”
How About During?
“When is the best time to see Mr. Smith?”
“Well, that’s hard to say. He’s grouchy until he has his lunch, and afterward he has indigestion.”
Out of Order
Impatient Customer: “Can’t you wait on me? Two pounds of liver. I’m in a hurry.”
Butcher: “Sorry, Madam, but two or three are ahead of you. You surely don’t want your liver out of order!”
Naming the Baby
Impatient Man (outside telephone booth): “Can I help you find the number you want?”
Young Woman (sweetly): “Oh, I don’t want a number. I’m looking for a pretty name for my baby.”
Offers
Hill: “So tomorrow is your wedding anniversary. What do you expect to get for your wife?”
Gill: “I don’t know. I haven’t had any offers.”
Supply and Demand
Teacher: “Who is the smartest man living?”
Pupil: “Thomas A. Edison – he invented the phonograph and improved the radio so people would stay up all night and use his electric light bulbs.”
Dad Knows
“Dad, when has a man horse sense?”
“When he can say, ‘nay,’ my son.”
Fiction Note
All fairy tales do not begin with, “Once upon a time”; some begin, “I’ll be working late at the office.”
Reading these Sunday Funnies has always been an exercise in cultural excavation for me. I can usually understand what was considered funny in only about 10% of the jokes from the 1910s, 20% from the 20s and maybe 40% by the late 30s and 40s. I have also been dumbfounded by how many jokes ridiculing ethnic groups or women there were. The notion that it was funny to suggest that a man would hit (kill?) a women just because she wanted to leave a football game before the final play makes me extremely uncomfortable with church culture of that era that then obviously shaped later church culture
You’ve spotlighted some ideas that have always been associated with these jokes taken from Church magazines from the past, and it’s probably good to raise these points again and not take it for granted that every potential reader was a part of those earlier discussions.
They do reflect the cycles of jokes from the past, which can make them hard to understand, much less find funny even when they’re mildly clever. Can you imagine the difficulty people a century from now will have understanding the editorial cartoons from 2020 even if they’re familiar with the pandemic, political conditions, and other subjects we joke about?
With the exception of the rare joke that is based on a Mormon theme, these all reflect American humor at large. Church members, inasmuch as the majority were Americans, shared the humor of the wider culture. I think it’s not fair to label it as “church culture” then or now as if it arose from or were uniquely associated with the church. We’ve learned, many of us, to have a higher standard than our ancestors; whether we can credit that to the gospel, or to the surrounding culture, is not a settled answer for me.
For historical purposes, since this is a blog focusing on Mormon history, know that I have reposted these jokes (all joke post, not just this one) as they were found in the magazines, without cleaning them up … with the exception of a half-dozen racist jokes that were so vulgar I removed the epithets or otherwise softened them a bit. If I had it to do over, I would not have softened any jokes that were too crude, but would simply not have posted them. If I could identify which half dozen jokes those were, i would remove them now.
We’ve also had complaints in the past about the sexist jokes, and the ethnic ones of all kinds. My intent with these joke pages was not just to give readers a chuckle, though (even though many ARE funny, once you recognize the changes in vocabulary or the historical setting), but also to show the kinds of things our ancestors thought were funny. For good or ill, there’s a lesson in seeing life through our ancestors’ eyes.
I really enjoy reading these although on occasion I too have trouble figuring out why it supposed to be humorous. I do think it is important to remember they are jokes and are not recommending or condoning a course of action or train of thought. In the joke above the author is not suggesting the wife was or should be killed but is making a joke by exaggerating the feelings that a sports fan can have in those circumstances. I, as a sports junkie with a wife who likes to leave baseball games in the 8th inning to beat the traffic regardless of the score, can identify with those feelings and so can appreciate the humorous intent.
Please keep up the enjoyable posts. I have told others that if they can only read one Mormon blog this is the one they should read.
Thanks, Ojiisan!