Joke Show

Joke Shows are broadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion that feature jokes. Beginning in 1996, they were held during the month of April, with the exceptions of the February 1, 2003 and February 3, 2007 broadcasts and the November 6, 2004 Bonus Joke Show. Thirteen Joke Shows were broadcast.

Several books and CDs have been released with jokes from the show.

Inspiration for the shows

As described in the introduction of the Pretty Good Joke Books, The New York Times published an article on May 22, 2005 titled "Seriously, the Joke Is Dead". Garrison Keillor noted that the Times is not "authoritative" in regards to humor and the author's sample size for basing the claim was small. This may have prompted Keillor to create the first Joke Show the following Spring.

(Sometimes) Annual Joke Shows

• 1st Annual Joke Show: April 27, 1996
• 2nd Annual Joke Show: April 5, 1997
• 3rd Annual Joke Show April 18, 1998
• 4th Annual Joke Show: April 10, 1999
• 5th Annual Joke Show: April 1, 2000
• 2001 - no Joke Show
• 6th Annual Joke Show: April 6, 2002
• 7th Annual Joke Show: February 1, 2003
• 8th Annual Joke Show: April 17, 2004
• Bonus Joke Show: November 6, 2004
• 8th(?) Joke Show: February 3, 2007

Books

• Pretty Good Joke Books -- six editions, with the 6th featuring over 2,200 jokes

Home audio

• Pretty Good Jokes (February 4, 2000)
• Pretty Good Joke Tape (audiocassette)
• A Few More Pretty Good Jokes (October 28, 2002)
• Plenty of Pretty Good Jokes (September 13, 2004)
• New and Not Bad Pretty Good Jokes (September 12, 2005)
• Even More Pretty Good Jokes (April 28, 2009)
• Pretty Good Jokes Live! (October 6, 2015)

See also

• Category:Joke Shows
• Category:Jokes — sketches that are about jokes
• Garrison Keillor's Comedy Theater — includes two Joke Show Segments from the First Annual Joke Show in 1996
• "Bad Jokes" — a song from the film A Prairie Home Companion