Inside Jokes Go Wide On Twitter With The Help of Monica Lewinsky, Lynda Carter, And Mark Hamill

You’ve probably seen the setup by now. It begins with “I have a joke about X,” then offers a punchline hyper-specific punchline about X. It’s a joke for those in the know about X, and no one else. And yet, this setup went viral on Twitter over the weekend with plenty of comical variations. Even big names like Lynda Carter, Mark Hamill, and Monica Lewinsky got into the fun.

Here’s a taste.

I have a joke about academic publishing.

[You have no access to this content.] pic.twitter.com/ti1wW4OKOF

— Ethics in Bricks (@EthicsInBricks) July 27, 2020

I have a joke about pop songwriting in 2020 but I need nine more people to help me finish it.

— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) July 27, 2020

I have a joke about being Black in the workforce, but it might require me to work twice as hard to get you to understand it. 🙃

— Jon Paul, Ed.D.✊🏾🏳️‍🌈 (@DoctorJonPaul) July 25, 2020

I have a joke about PR, but it’s ‘UNDER EMBARGO’

— Rahul Ghosh (@Ghoshrahul1909) July 24, 2020

I have a joke about podcasting but you have to listen to me talk about something unrelated for seventeen minutes before you can hear it

— Sarah Marshall (@Remember_Sarah) July 25, 2020

I have a How I Met Your Mother joke and the punchline is— actually, to really understand it we have to back up a bit. It was 2005 and I was out at the bar with my friends when all of a sudden (1/11029)

— Carter Bays (@CarterBays) July 26, 2020

I had a joke about my lasso, but I can’t remember what it was, to tell the truth. https://t.co/XLxpsXCdKo

— Lynda Carter (@RealLyndaCarter) July 26, 2020

I have a joke about hands, but I hate it

— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) July 26, 2020

I have 3 jokes about Mamma Mia but don’t know which one to tweet

— Marc (@MarcSnetiker) July 26, 2020

i have a joke about procrastination, hang on a sec

— jonny sun (@jonnysun) July 26, 2020

i have a joke on mental health but noone's gonna acknowledge it

— moana lisa (@pakaluthepapito) July 27, 2020

I have a joke about religions, but they would crucify me

— God (@thegoodgodabove) July 26, 2020

I have a joke about tax cuts, but only the richest 1% will get it.

— Lyz Lenz (@lyzl) July 25, 2020

i have a joke about universal healthcare but americans wont get it

— maybe: safa (@yungsids) July 26, 2020

i have an intern joke and it… nevermind. https://t.co/SCHRGYVIJV

— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) July 24, 2020

You got jokes? Share them in comments.