The Aristocrats

:For the 1970 Disney animated film, see The Aristocats.

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The Aristocrats (also known as The Debonaires and The Sophisticates) is a joke which is alleged to have been told by numerous stand-up comedians since Vaudeville, and often only among an audience of other comedians. In publicity for a 2005 documentary film about the joke, it has been referred to as "the world's funniest joke" and "the world's worst joke." It may be either depending on who's telling it, who's listening and the innumerable variations upon the theme. It is rarely told the same way twice.

Related Topics:
Joke - Stand-up comedians - Vaudeville - 2005

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The joke is something of a game in which those who tell it try to top each other in terms of shock value. This was also used as an inside joke by comedians to test the mettle of others. Throughout the history of the joke it has evolved from a cliche staple of the Vaudevillian comedian into a postmodern anti-joke.

Related Topics:
Shock value - Evolved - Cliche - Comedian - Postmodern - Anti-joke

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