ANDREA SEABROOK, host:
Well, that leads us into last week's Homework assignment. Jacki Lyden hosted the show and she asked you to help us start the New Year with a laugh by telling a favorite joke.
So here it goes. A small sampling from you, our dear listeners.
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Mr. JIM SULLY(ph): My name is Jim Sully. I'm in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm an engineer. A joke that stuck with me for years and years is the following: Two atoms are walking down the street. And one turns to the other and says, hang on a second, I just lost an electron. And the first one says, are you sure? And the second one says, yeah, I'm positive.
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Ms. ARLENE MORRETT(ph): Hi, it's Arlene Morrett of Coral Gables, Florida. You know what the snail said when hitching a ride on the tortoise's back? He said, wait.
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ANDREW(ph): Hi, my name is Andrew. And I live in Greensboro, North Carolina. My friend, Ali(ph), actually made out the joke. And it goes, what is the hardest thing about rollerblading? And the answer is telling your parents that you're gay.
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SEABROOK: And here's a submission of my own. Here goes. Before going in search of gold, what does a swashbuckler do to limber up? Answer, pirates.
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SEABROOK: Thank you. Thank you. No, no, really. And thanks to everyone who called in. Sorry, we couldn't get all the jokes on. We're donating the extras to Jay Leno, during the writers strike, I'm sure he'll take all the help he can get.
For next week's Homework assignment, now that we're in the thick of the presidential campaigns, I want you to tell me about your election experiences. Think back - a run for elementary school student council count, captain of your cheerleading team, just fine. Send us your stories to homework@npr.org or you can call our Homework hotline at 202-408-5183.
And now for these parting words. Lest do you think our jocularity today was all silliness and frivolity, consider these words from the great American humorist Mark Twain: power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution - these can lift at a colossal humbug - push it a little - weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand.
That's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Andrea Seabrook.