A woman has sparked debate after claiming to have discovered the 'true' meaning behind one of the world's most famous jokes. Author and podcaster Kate Lister took to social media platform X to share her revelation about the classic gag: 'Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side'.
Lister posted: 'Hang on a second. You’re telling me that the chicken who crossed the road was KILLED and went to “the other side??” THATS THE JOKE? All these years I thought that little f***** was just crossing the road.' She, along with many others, had not realised that 'the other side' might refer to the afterlife.
The post ignited a debate in the replies, with opinions divided. One user commented: 'I'm in my 60s and just learned this about a year ago. It may have ruined the joke for me.' Another wrote: 'No way! Stop it. Okay breathe… So right now I don’t know whether to be sad, cry, confused, impressed, or feel really stupid for thinking that d*** chicken was just on a mission to get to the other side of the freak’n road.'
However, some were unconvinced. One user argued: 'No, it's another meaning that people have imposed on the joke retrospectively, and has gained some traction on social media in recent years. The original point of it is just that it's an anti-joke that subverts your expectations. He is just crossing the road.' Another lamented: 'What? I’ve only just got over the little piggy who went to market', referencing a nursery rhyme with a darker layer.
