
Do you have Prince Albert in a can? is a prank call joke that was popular in the early 20th century. The prankster would call a store and ask if they had Prince Albert in a can, referring to the popular brand of chewing tobacco by that name. When the clerk answered yes, the prankster would respond with Well, you'd better let him out!, implying that they were talking about the actual Prince Albert, and not the tobacco. The joke has been referenced in various media, including songs, TV shows, and books.
What You'll Learn
The origins of the prank call
During that time, it was common for children to amuse themselves by making prank calls, and this particular prank targeted drugstores or stores that sold tobacco products. The prankster would typically call the store and ask if they had "Prince Albert in a can", referring to the tobacco product. When the clerk answered yes, the prankster would respond with "Well, you'd better let him out!" implying that they were actually talking about the real Prince Albert, who was the future King of England, Edward VII, known as "Albert" by his family.
The joke played on the fact that it was absurd to suggest that someone would have a person in a can, let alone the prince consort of the Queen of England. Additionally, by the time this joke gained popularity, Prince Albert was already dead, having passed away before the invention of the telephone.
The prank call gained enough notoriety to be referenced in various forms of media, including songs, TV shows, and literature. It has become a well-known practical joke, even though the brand of tobacco itself is no joke, as evidenced by the significant value of its vintage advertising signage.
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The joke's cultural references
The "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" joke is a prank call that was popular in the early 20th century. The prankster would call a store, typically a drugstore, and ask if they had "Prince Albert in a can". The joke relies on the fact that "Prince Albert" was both the name of a popular brand of chewing tobacco and Edward VII, the future King of England. The tobacco was sold in a rectangular red tin with a portrait of Edward on the front, which made it stand out from other tobaccos sold in bags. When the clerk would inevitably answer "yes", the prankster would respond with "Well, you'd better let him out!", implying that they were not asking about the tobacco, but about the actual Prince Albert. The joke is a pun, playing on the double meaning of "Prince Albert in a can".
The joke has been referenced in various forms of media. In the song "Clang of the Yankee Reaper" by Van Dyke Parks, the line "The sun never set on the Empire / Prince Albert came in a can" references the tobacco. The joke was also used in Stephen King's horror miniseries "It", where Pennywise taunts one of his victims by saying; "Well ya better let the poor guy out". In Weird Al Yankovic's parody of TLC's "Waterfalls", "Phony Calls", the lyrics include the reference "Little Melvin has a natural obsession, 'Askin' for Prince Albert in a can", he gets a kick each time he makes a collect call, to some guy he doesn't know who lives in Japan". In the book "Death Masks" by Jim Butcher, Molly Carpenter tricks her Russian friend Sanya into making prank calls by asking him to help her with a shopping list that includes "Prince Albert in a can". Sanya is confused as to why people hang up on him after he asks this question. In an episode of the TV show "Family Guy", Stewie makes the stereotypical prank call to a talk show. In the film "Blast From the Past", Brendan Fraser's character buys Prince Albert pipe tobacco while stockpiling supplies. In a comic strip from 2011, a character named Cooper takes a call for Prince Albert in a can. Assuming it is a joke, he hangs up, only to then notice that the store does sell "Prince Albert" in a can. In an episode of the NBC TV series "Wings" titled "Airport '90", Lowell calls Faye from within the terminal in an attempt to prank her using the Prince Albert in a can joke.
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The popularity of the tobacco
The joke typically involved calling a store and asking if they had "Prince Albert in a can." When the clerk responded affirmatively, the prankster would reply, "Well, you'd better let him out!" This played on the double meaning of the phrase, referring to both the tobacco brand and the actual Prince Albert, who was dead by the time the joke gained popularity. The joke was especially effective when targeted at drugstores, as they were likely to carry the product.
The brand's popularity was further bolstered by its use of Chief Joseph, a Nez Perce Indian chief, as an advertising symbol in 1913-14. A tin sign featuring both the chief and the tobacco tin sold for $8,400, underscoring the brand's cultural significance.
Beyond its impact on popular culture, Prince Albert tobacco also left a mark on the literary and entertainment world. References to the brand can be found in various books, songs, and television shows. For example, in the book "Death Masks" by Jim Butcher, one of the characters makes an offering of Prince Albert tobacco to a loa. Additionally, the Van Dyke Parks song "Clang of the Yankee Reaper" includes the line "The sun never set on the Empire / Prince Albert came in a can."
In conclusion, the popularity of Prince Albert tobacco can be attributed to a combination of its distinctive packaging, effective marketing strategies, and its integration into popular culture through jokes and references in various media forms.
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The history of the Prince Albert can
The history of the "Prince Albert in a can" joke revolves around a brand of tobacco with the same name. Prince Albert was a popular brand of tobacco introduced in 1907 by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. It was named after Edward VII, who was known as Prince Albert before becoming the King of the United Kingdom. The brand was unique as it was packaged in a rectangular red tin container with a flip lid, while most tobaccos at the time were sold in bags.
The joke, which became popular in the 1930s, involves a prank call to a store, usually a drugstore. The prankster would ask the clerk if they had "Prince Albert in a can", referring to the tobacco product. When the clerk answered yes, the prankster would respond with "Then let him out!" or "You'd better let him out!" The joke plays on the words "Prince Albert in a can", which can refer to both the tobacco product and the actual Prince Albert, creating a humorous situation where the clerk is tricked into thinking the caller is asking about a person trapped in a can.
The joke has been referenced in various forms of media, including songs, books, and television shows. It remains a well-known prank call joke, even though its popularity may have waned with the invention of caller ID. The phrase "Prince Albert in a can" has become ingrained in popular culture, with the joke still being understood and referenced today.
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The brand's advertising and value
The "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" t-shirt references a prank call that was popular in the early 20th century. The prankster would call a store and ask if they had "Prince Albert in a can", referring to the popular brand of chewing tobacco, Prince Albert, which was introduced in 1907 and came in a rectangular red tin with a flip lid. When the clerk responded "yes", the prankster would reply, "Well, you'd better let him out!", implying that they were actually asking about Prince Albert himself, and not the tobacco product. This joke played on the fact that the product was named after Edward VII, who was known as "Albert" to his family before he became king.
The popularity of the prank call can be attributed to the unique packaging of the tobacco, as well as the novelty of the product being named after royalty. The joke was so well-known that it has been referenced in various forms of media, including songs, books, and television shows. For example, in the 1990 horror miniseries "Stephen King's It", Pennywise taunts one of his victims by saying, "Well ya better let the poor guy out". In "Death Masks" by Jim Butcher, one of the characters, Molly Carpenter, tricks her Russian friend Sanya into making the prank call, and he is confused as to why the people he calls hang up on him.
The t-shirt, therefore, taps into a piece of historical pop culture, bringing a well-known prank from the early 20th century into the present day. The joke was not just popular with children but also with adults, as evidenced by its references in various forms of media. By wearing the "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" t-shirt, the wearer is not only displaying their knowledge of this historical joke but also their sense of humour, as the joke still holds comedic value today.
The value of the t-shirt lies in its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia and humour in those who understand the reference. It may appeal to those who remember making or receiving similar prank calls, or who have heard about this joke through its various pop culture references. Additionally, the t-shirt may be valuable to collectors of memorabilia related to historical jokes, pranks, or tobacco products. The shirt could also be seen as a commentary on the evolution of humour and the ways in which we entertain ourselves, particularly in the context of the telephone, which is referenced in the prank.
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Frequently asked questions
The t-shirt is referring to a prank call joke that was popular in the early 20th century.
The prankster calls a store and asks if they have "Prince Albert in a can". The clerk, unaware of the joke, answers "yes", to which the prankster responds, "Well, you'd better let him out!"
"Prince Albert in a can" can refer to either a brand of chewing tobacco or the actual Prince Albert, who was the consort of the Queen of England. The joke plays on the double meaning of this phrase.
The joke became popular in the early 20th century when the Prince Albert brand of tobacco was first introduced and was especially popular in the 1930s.
Yes, the joke has been referenced in various songs, TV shows, and books. Some examples include the song "Clang of the Yankee Reaper" by Van Dyke Parks, the TV show "Family Guy", and the book "Death Masks" by Jim Butcher.