A Perfect Setting for a Classic Joke

business, family, fashion, humor, Teaching and Education 1 Minute

Today, I was at the University of Penn Dental School’s wonderful White Coat ceremony for the son of a cousin of a cousin (with an opening line like that, I know I’ve got you on the edge of your seat).

The keynote speaker was the Reverend Chaz Lattimore Howard, the University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community. Reverend Howard was an engaging and thoughtful speaker, with just the right amount of humor.

A few minutes into his presentation, he hit the audience with a classic Dad-like joke, and I have to admit, I thought it was perfect. I also have to admit that I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t, since he set it up so well.

He noted near the end of his presentation that he was almost late for the ceremony (it began at 1:00) because he had assumed it started at a different time.

Every dentist’s favorite time.

Tooth hurty.

Yep, he pulled out the classic 2:30 joke in a room filled with more than 150 dental students, several dental faculty, and lots of friends and family of the dental students.

As I said, I thought it was perfect.

The setting. The way he set it up. The way he delivered it. The groans that it got.

It makes me want to come up with a cringe-worthy one-liner for the first day of my classes, which are less than two weeks away.

But if the past is any indication, even if I did come up with something half as good as the tooth hurty joke, the odds are that most of my students won’t be paying attention anyway.

That takes a bit of the pressure off.

The event also got me thinking that we should give all of our new students something cool like a white jacket.

Here’s the first thing that came to mind:

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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116 thoughts on “A Perfect Setting for a Classic Joke”

      5. Wh-what??? Wait … I am further behind than I thought … I didn’t know Jim had been inducted into the North Pole Elves Society? When did that … oh never mind … I need to go check out some posts!!!

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  6. I’ve got a great groaner for you, that someone just taught me as I only have one joke in my repertoire and apparently they thought I needed 1 more. ‘what did the farmer said when he couldn’t find his tractor?’ answer: ‘where’s my tractor?’ I’m going to try it out as an opening joke with me 3-young 5’s and maybe I’ll get a reaction.

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  8. Here’s one: It’s easy to tell the difference between accountants and lawyers. Accountants will admit they’re boring.

    Nonetheless, I find you’re the most interesting accountant I’ve ever not met.

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  17. Been out of town for four days and just getting back to see what I’ve missed. My goddaughter just got her white coat for medical school and has been immersed for two weeks. Part of me wants to send her a lame doctor joke, but frankly, she doesn’t have time to read my nonsense.

    My friends and I would pay each other to do absurd things like coming to class wearing something like that jacket. Part of the gag was we weren’t allowed to explain why we were wearing it.

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