--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: telling the jokes—was the setups. Why…" description: "\"“telling the jokes—was the setups. Why were that priest, that rabbi, and that minister walking down that street? Where were they headed? How had they h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/donald-e-westlake-4285_jokes_telling-the-jokes-was-the-setups-why-wer_378586.jpg" --- # telling the jokes—was the setups. Why were that priest… ![“telling the jokes—was the setups. Why were that priest, that rabbi, and that minister walking down that street? Where were they headed? How had they happened to come together? What odd chance had put ex-presidents Bush, Clinton, and Carter on that same plane?” quote by Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/donald-e-westlake-4285_jokes_telling-the-jokes-was-the-setups-why-wer_378586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/donald-e-westlake-4285_jokes_telling-the-jokes-was-the-setups-why-wer_378586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd4/donald-e-westlake-4285_jokes_telling-the-jokes-was-the-setups-why-wer_378586.jpg) > ““telling the jokes—was the setups. Why were that priest, that rabbi, and that minister walking down that street? Where were they headed? How had they happened to come together? What odd chance had put ex-presidents Bush, Clinton, and Carter on that same plane?”” [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The humor arises from juxtaposing religious figures and former presidents in an absurd scenario, highlighting unexpected commonalities. **In simple terms:** Funny because unlikely people are together. Key Takeaway Notice how absurdity reveals shared humanity. Themes humor absurdity unexpected connections Mood playful ironic Type satirical observational When to use this quote - stand‑up routines - political cartoons - creative writing Key Concepts satire social commentary coincidence Questions to Reflect On - What does the absurd setting say about authority? - How does humor bridge disparate roles? A Different Perspective The joke may rely on stereotypes that could offend. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) ## Related quotes > [“Yes, you. You do not need me, or a priest, or a rabbi to tell you what to believe. We can only provide you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-small/yes-you-you-do-not-need-me-or-a-priest-or-a-rabbi-to-tell-you-what-to/) [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) > [I don't go to church, I go to a synagogue. My guide isn't a priest, it's a rabbi. I study Torah. I am recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/i-don-t-go-to-church-i-go-to-a-synagogue-my-guide-isn-t-a-priest-it-s/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [History buffs probably noted the reunion at a Washington party a few weeks ago of three ex-presidents: Carter, Ford and Nixon - See No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dole/history-buffs-probably-noted-the-reunion-at-a-washington-party-a-few/) [Bob Dole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dole/) > [I have never in my life seen a more petty, childish, bitter, soon-to-be ex-president of the United States. Barack Obama is in fact participating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-have-never-in-my-life-seen-a-more-petty-childish-bitter-soon-to-be/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Jimmy Carter was - he still - he remains to this day America's most ex of ex-presidents. You just can't believe that we elected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/jimmy-carter-was-he-still-he-remains-to-this-day-america-s-most-ex-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Ex-Presidents of the United States get state subsidies. Not so in Russia. You get no government support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/ex-presidents-of-the-united-states-get-state-subsidies-not-so-in/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [There are examples of ex-presidents speaking out. Jimmy Carter has not held back on a variety of issues. Harry Truman didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/there-are-examples-of-ex-presidents-speaking-out-jimmy-carter-has-not/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [I think comedy has evolved like every art form, and people probably do less standing around and telling jokes, and more things that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/i-think-comedy-has-evolved-like-every-art-form-and-people-probably-do/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [I never really feel like just standing there and telling jokes. I want to move around. In fact, it's hard for me to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-d-elia/i-never-really-feel-like-just-standing-there-and-telling-jokes-i-want/) [Chris D'Elia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-d-elia/) > [When I'm telling jokes, I'm constantly in motion. I can't stand in one place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-griffin/when-i-m-telling-jokes-i-m-constantly-in-motion-i-can-t-stand-in-one/) [Eddie Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-griffin/) > [There was laughter in the back of the theater, leading to the belief that someone was telling jokes back there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-kaufman/there-was-laughter-in-the-back-of-the-theater-leading-to-the-belief/) [George S. 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That's still what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-was-born-when-i-was-23-i-started-telling-jokes-then-i-started-going/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Never say never, she might do her friend, you never know. Shorty make that dick stand up like it's telling jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/never-say-never-she-might-do-her-friend-you-never-know-shorty-make/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) ## More by Donald E. Westlake > [Science fiction is a weird category, because it's the only area of fiction I can think of where the story is not of primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/science-fiction-is-a-weird-category-because-it-s-the-only-area-of/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [The other thing that I got back then - the Parker novels have never had much of anything to do with race. 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Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“Well, you might not think it to look at me,” Dortmunder told him, “but I got a family crest.” “Have you?” “Yeah. And it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/well-you-might-not-think-it-to-look-at-me-dortmunder-told-him-but-i/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“Dortmunder followed Kelp as he carried the tray down along the bar past the regulars, where the third was now saying, “The idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/dortmunder-followed-kelp-as-he-carried-the-tray-down-along-the-bar/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [Nothing about it interested me. Or about anything else, except making up stories. If literacy weren't so nearly universal, God knows what I'd be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/nothing-about-it-interested-me-or-about-anything-else-except-making/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [When Stark isn't off sulking somewhere, or whatever he's doing when he won't return my calls, I alternate between the two. That usually works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/when-stark-isn-t-off-sulking-somewhere-or-whatever-he-s-doing-when-he/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“There are no Territories to light out for, not in this century. It was no longer easy to become the new you. New or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/there-are-no-territories-to-light-out-for-not-in-this-century-it-was/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“wish you would.” “Right. When I had the emerald again, I was in a cell. I guess they were afraid the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/wish-you-would-right-when-i-had-the-emerald-again-i-was-in-a-cell-i/) [Donald E. 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Happy Halloween!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hoes-gonna-be-tricking-their-treats-tonight-happy-halloween/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [“A traveling salesman was driving in the country when his car broke down. He hiked several miles to a farmhouse and asked the farmer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-traveling-salesman-was-driving-in-the-country-when-his-car-broke/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [I was getting dressed and a peeping tom looked in the window, took a look and pulled down the shade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-was-getting-dressed-and-a-peeping-tom-looked-in-the-window-took-a/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [You remember from watching the show, there are no "jokes." That's why if you see people on Twitter accusing me of being a "joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/you-remember-from-watching-the-show-there-are-no-jokes-that-s-why-if/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [In case of emergency , Break Dance!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/in-case-of-emergency-break-dance/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-difference-of-taste-in-jokes-is-a-great-strain-on-the-affections/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Regular panelists on shows can be terrifying. 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I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) [Browse all 4,278 Jokes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“telling the jokes—was the setups. Why were that priest, that rabbi, and that minister walking down that street? Where were they headed? How had they happened to come together? What odd chance had put ex-presidents Bush, Clinton, and Carter on that same plane?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald E. 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