In his work onThe Far Side, Gary Larson enjoyed wordplay, and he specifically had an affinity for subverting existing phrases and tropes through his unique brand of absurd comedy. As such, there is a vast supply ofFar Sidecartoons that expand upon classic jokes that most readers should be familiar with.
There is a vast supply ofFar Sidecartoons that expand upon popular jokes that most readers should be familiar with.
Part of what makesThe Far Sideso funny, decades after its initial run came to an end, is how ituses wordplayto take phrases that readers know and twists them in hilarious ways. This list even includes two wild perspectives on the age-old question of why a chicken would cross the road, highlighting howLarson translated everyday jokesinto his own unpredictable punchlines.Now, here are 10Far Sidecomics that build upon classic jokes.
10This Far Side Elephant Falls For the Oldest Slapstick Joke in the Book
First Published: September 12th, 1983
In this first cartoon,The Far Sidetakes on one of the most iconic slapstick jokes that’s permeated the world of television and comics alike. This joke, like many of Larson’s works, is simple enough to not require a caption to elicit laughs from the reader. An elephant is shown lying on the ground beside a discarded banana peel, with an annoyed expression on its face that highlights its embarrassment.
Slipping on a banana peel is a staple of many slapstick comedies, since it’s an easy yet endlessly effective punchline that never fails to make people chuckle at the very least. Seeing people trip on them is funny enough, but anelephant being the victimelevates this classic gag to a new level.
First Published: October 5th, 1984
When discussing classic jokes that everyone knows, the first that comes to mind is the following:“Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.“Here,The Far Sidechallenges that vague punchline by showing what a chicken would think of it as an excuse for crossing a road.
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One chicken comes home and seems to have explained himself in that manner, to which his partner replies,“You return covered with blond feathers, and I’m supposed to believe you crossed the road just to get to the other side?“Clearly, she isn’t buying it, and it’s hilarious to see that age-old joke get re-imagined as a lackluster defense for a potential affair. Gary Larson successfully uses that phrase’s vague resolution to his advantage in this cartoon.
8"Sure - But Can You Make Him Drink?”
First Published: January 22nd, 1981
Many jokes start with someonewalking into a bar, with the classic being that “a horse walks into a bar”. ThisFar Sidecomic suggests that the true comedy stems not from the horse walking into a bar in and of itself, but from what follows its arrival at the establishment.
A horse is seen at a bar with a drink in front of him, as a man nearby says,“But can you make him drink?“This line pulls from another well-known phrase:“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.“Larson combines two popular lines in one comic, making them both funnier than ever before. This horse has indeed walked into a bar, though he may not be willing to drink.
7"It’s Genghis Khan! Made You Look.”
First Published: March 17th, 1987
While there are hundreds of intellectual jokes out there, it can’t be denied that an immature joke can be just as - if not more - hilarious. This comic seals the deal on that argument, as one of the most juvenile gags is given new life by Gary Larson viaThe Far Side. Twosoldiers stand guard, and one suddenly announces that he sees Genghis Khan approaching. His companion looks over, and he then says,“Made you look.”
Tricking a pal into looking somewhere to prove how gullible they are is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and it seems that even soldiers are guilty of carrying out this classic bit. After all, inThe Far Side, no one is too old to make a fool out of their friend.
6"Houdini Escapes From a Black Hole”
First Published: November 21st, 1987
Over the years, comedians have usedreal celebritiesas fodder for jokes. For instance, many may recall the “Chuck Norris” jokes that once took the world by storm. Another popular target is Harry Houdini, a well-known stunt performer who specialized in escaping from elaborate traps. Jokes have frequently been made about Houdini that push his escape artistry to comical extremes, and this cartoon is no exception.
ThisFar Sidecartoon is simple in its presentation of a joke.A spaceship is shown flying through space, as the caption says,“Houdini escapes from a black hole.“If that were true, Houdini eluding a black hole would be an astounding feat to put all others to shame. Plenty of people have made Houdini jokes, butThe Far Side’s might be the best.
5"Snakes Try to Chew Gum and Crawl at the Same Time”
First Published: March 15th, 1986
Much of Gary Larson’s absurd brand of comedy relies on depicting animals enacting human behavior as a means of defamiliarizing the reader from the known and thus making it feel unknown. Here, for instance, he takes a classic gag and re-imagines it withsnakes rather than humans.Check out moreFar Sidecomics featuring snakes in the gallery below!
Snakes are shown struggling to “chew gum and crawl at the same time”, since their bodies are built differently from ours and therefore require full concentration to move correctly. This joke plays off of the long-running gag that people have trouble rubbing their bellies and patting their heads at the same time, asThe Far Sideproves that snakes aren’t so different from humans.
First Published: August 1st, 1990
Many old fairy tales and stories, such as that of Hansel and Gretel, have popularized the joke that witches enjoy baking children in ovens and eating them. Here,The Far Sideplays with that idea by turning a common phrase into a truly wild joke. Two witches are seated together, and hilarity ensues as one realizes that the other is pregnant.
Upon learning that her friend is growing a baby inside of her, the witch admits,“At first, I was taking you quite literally when you said you had one in the oven!“Helen must have announced her pregnancy by claiming to have “a bun in the oven”, and though that saying is used frequently by ordinary people, it must be laughably confusing for a witch.
3"Here’s One of the Mysteries of the Universe … Which Came First?”
First Published: July 15th, 1980
Chickens crossing roads aren’t the only thing they’re known for in the world of comedy. In fact, they’re also the subject of another widely popular joke. ThisFar Sidecomic highlights that joke, as chickens gather around to partake in a debate.While pointing at a chart of a man and a baby, a chicken says,“Here’s one of the mysteries of the universe. … Which came first?”
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This joke pokes fun at the classic question of whether chickens or eggs come first, which has been joked about countless times. While the question itself is the subject of thought-provoking debate, it’s also sparked a variety of parodies such as this one, andThe Far Side’s takeis one of the funniest as it turns the tables.
2"Anyone See What Happened Here?”
First Published: June 2nd, 1992
Once again,The Far Sideparodies the question of whether chickens came before eggs through the absurd lens of Gary Larson. A chicken and an egg lie unconscious - or, in the egg’s case, completely shattered with its insides spilling out - on the floor of a bar, while a man stands with a smoking gun and egg on his face. A sheriff then arrives and asks,“Anyone see what happened here?”
This comic masterfully asks the age-old question in a brand-new way, as the mystery deepens. Rather than the debate being about which was created first, it instead becomes a full-fledged mystery.What came first, the chicken getting shot or the egg being thrown?For now, the answer to both chicken-related inquiries remains unknown.
1The Far Side Addresses Why a Chicken Would Cross the Road
First Published: June 12th, 1991
In this final comic, the most famous joke makes a comeback. With no caption in sight, Gary Larson’s art alone conveys the punchline here, and it’s one that anyone can grasp if they’re familiar with the question of why chickens cross roads. A chicken stands on one side of the street, and a sign across from it is labeled “The Other Side”. Then, the following is written beneath that title:“Why do you need a reason?”
Instead of providing his own cheeky answer, Larson expands upon the actual punchline. Chickens really do cross the road to get to the other side, and this sign lays that out for anyone who’s still confused by the original response.The Far Sidehas subverted plenty of jokes, but in this case, it plays into the main version.
