Moms and dads have got competition, some new jokers are on the loose.
As 10 presidential hopefuls battled it out in Houston at the third debate in the race for the Democratic nomination on Thursday, there was no shortage of whacky moments as the jokes, zingers and flops flowed freely.
From Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota dropping the extremely obvious “Houston, we have a problem” line during her opening statement to Sen. Kamala Harris of California comparing President Donald Trump to the Wizard of Oz, some lines had viewers cracking up while others fell flat, to say the least.
We’ve rounded up some of the best and worst moments, and the assorted reactions to them on Twitter.
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and his dual-language response to a question about his veganism:
Cory Booker and these jokes are a theme.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 13, 2019
Q: Should people, including Latin Americans, become vegans like you?
"No," Cory Booker says before turning to the dad jokes we all know him for having.
"I want to translate that into Spanish, 'No.' "
Booker's dad joke energy is strong tonight. Asked if he would advise voters — in Texas and Iowa, for example — to adopt his vegan diet: “First of all, I want to say no. And I want to translate that into Spanish: No.”#DemDebate
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 13, 2019
.@CoryBooker gets asked about his veganism and whether Texans & Iowans should follow his example. Booker: "No. And let me translate that into Spanish. No."
— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) September 13, 2019
I loved how Booker knew 'No' in Spanish! #DemDebate
— Along Your Path (@alongyourpath) September 13, 2019
His quip about Canadian Prime Minister’s Justin Trudeau’s hair:
Sen. Booker cracks a bald joke at the dem debate “I’m the only person on this stage who finds Trudeau’s hair menacing”
— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) September 13, 2019
#Booker hair joke...
— DiSTRACTION BecKY (@ynotjones) September 13, 2019
Judges be like... #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/evpO8bj2u7
Cory bookers hair joke #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/8eKOQeyX75
— POORRICAN 🇵🇷 (@poor_rican) September 13, 2019
“I’m the only person on this stage who finds Trudeau’s hair menacing”… THUD. Two people in the front row were killed when Booker’s joke crash landed on top of them.
— Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) September 13, 2019
Cory Booker is the king of the Dad Jokes and my husband is pretending to work on a summation for tomorrow but quietly chuckling because game recognize game.
— Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) September 13, 2019
Klobuchar’s “Houston, we have a problem” wordplay:
did she just "houston we have a problem" us?
— Keri Blakinger (@keribla) September 13, 2019
ok plz leave now.
Amy Klobuchar just said “Houston, we have a problem” and paused because she was so happy with herself. So, she’s out.
— Matt Young (@Chron_MattYoung) September 13, 2019
Klobuchar: Houston we have a problem
— Steve Morris (@stevemorris__) September 13, 2019
Audience: *politely laughs*
Klobuchar, quietly: Fuckin killed it
Amy Klobuchar jokes like a cop that will shoot you if you don't laugh #DemocraticDebate pic.twitter.com/8YxxuOo80t
— nappygamer10 (@Nappygamer10) September 13, 2019
Another from Klobuchar, the “On Day Seven, you’re supposed to rest, but I won’t” line:
Day 4, 5 & 6: I'll work on sweeping legislation with Congress and local governments. And on Day 7 you're supposed to rest — but I won't. #DemDebate
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 13, 2019
Klobuchar thought that day 7 line was a banger. It was not. #DemDebate
— Brianne (@brifernandez_79) September 13, 2019
Harris and her Wizard of Oz reference, which prompted the #reallysmalldude hashtag:
Senator Kamala Harris says President Trump's trade policy is motivated by his "fragile ego."
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 13, 2019
She said Trump reminds her of the Wizard of Oz.
"When you pull back the curtain it's a really small dude."
(I'll be watching for those Trump tweets on Harris later...)
Kamala Harris referring to Trump as the Wizard of Oz; being a very small man hiding behind a curtain is the comedic highlight of the night.
— Presidential Harraser (@kelvin_metro) September 13, 2019
Kamala Harris called The Wizard of Oz “that guy in The Wizard of Oz”
— Jay (@verycoolhacker) September 13, 2019
That’s like calling Batman “that guy in Batman” https://t.co/yk3BkxSKYF
The audience after Kamala’s Wizard of Oz joke #DemDebate #DemocratDebate pic.twitter.com/UhXmruHR5J
— Hooked On Ebonics (@HookedEbonics) September 13, 2019
Fwiw, the corny jokes are basically all landing at this bar in suburban Michigan where I am watching with the Democratic club. People looooved the Kamala Wizard of Oz bit
— Molly Hensley-Clancy (@mollyhc) September 13, 2019
#DemDebate
— 𝕟𝕒𝕘𝕪 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕛 (@keithlnagy) September 13, 2019
Kamala: “You know that guy from the Wizard of Oz?”
Kansans:pic.twitter.com/39jRviBM02
Kamala: "He reminds me of that guy in the wizard of Oz" pic.twitter.com/VbPQVoGnDU
— Steve Morris (@stevemorris__) September 13, 2019
Kamala Harris after making that Wizard of Oz joke #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/8EGxjU7ksd
— Sarah Tonin (@BassedInShow) September 13, 2019
Kamala went from "that little girl was me," to "that little man was the wizard" in just three debates.
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) September 13, 2019
My favorite quote from tonight is Kamala’s quote about Trump reminding her of the scene from the Wizard of Oz where the curtain revealed a little man after the Wizard was perceived as a big, bold and scary man. That is so spot on and accurate. #DemDebate
— Sarah Nicole 💋💄🌹🐝 (@miss_flawless4) September 13, 2019
Trump is definitely no wizard, but he is that #ReallySmallDude fooling some of the people in America and playing this country as if he was the Wizard of Oz. #staywoke pic.twitter.com/PwSHBf2L79
— C. Nelson (@Denali99) September 13, 2019
I want this on a t-shirt. #ReallySmallDude #Kamala2020 @IanSams @KamalaHarris @mayaharris_ #YesWeKam https://t.co/yQiyqDaPZD
— Eric Peterson 🐢 (@DiversityEric) September 13, 2019
Andrew Yang’s “I’m Asian so I know a lot of doctors” crack:
"I'm asian, I know a lot of doctors," -- @AndrewYang on his healthcare plan pic.twitter.com/wV5rliDcO9
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) September 13, 2019
Yang: “I’m Asian, so I know a lot of doctors...”
— Ashlee Marie Preston (@AshleeMPreston) September 13, 2019
I hope you know a better speechwriter...that was an awkward flex bro... 😳 #Demdebate 🇺🇸
WOW!
— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) September 13, 2019
Andrew Yang said “ I’m Asian so I know a lot of Doctors”
IN THAT CASE!
I’m BLACK SO I know a lot of People that make Fried Chicken!#DemDebate #DemDebates #AndrewYang #DemDebateTSU pic.twitter.com/QZNpcaghxd
I’m Italian, So I know.a lot of Mafia members
— JeffinKennerbra (@inkennerbra) September 13, 2019
I'm jewish I know a lot of lawyers and accountants
— judith starkman (@judithfischer) September 13, 2019
I know no doctors
— Johnny Lee 69 (@jiggleman) September 13, 2019
Dude, he often jokes about Asian stereotypes. It’s a way of breaking down the barriers that ‘identity politics’ put up between us. You just missed the joke. 🤷♂️
— Robert F. Stokes (@RobertFStokes1) September 13, 2019
“I’m Asian so I know a lot of doctors.” LOL @AndrewYang. He also said that we are talking about healthcare all wrong. It should be a given, a right, so that Americans can go about living our lives & fulfilling our dreams. Agree! #DemDebate
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) September 13, 2019
Andrew Yang saying he’s Asian and knows a lot of doctors is a bit jarring. As an Asian American doctor, I’ve seen my share of model minority stereotypes. But seeing an Asian guy on the presidential debate stage is the biggest source of pride I’ve felt in a long time. #DemDebate
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) September 13, 2019
And finally, to summarize:
Harris: "Trump is like the guy in Wizard of Oz HAHAHA"
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 13, 2019
Booker: "Let me translate that into Spanish: 'No.' Hehehe"
Klobuchar: "It's like the Day After Tomorrow but Today lol"
America: "Please kill me now"
KAMALA: I’m not Trump
— Jackie Vimo (@JackieVimo) September 13, 2019
BETO: “No” (in Spanish)
KLOBUCHAR: You betcha I ate a salad with a comb.
BERNIE: Make Medicare, Not War
BOOKER: Dagnabit! I live in the Newark projects
WARREN: I have a policy proposal for that
BIDEN: I’m Obama
YANG: I’ll pay u $1000 to vote 4 me
This is a stage full of intelligent capable people, and yet they suck so bad at jokes and quips. Maybe don’t make them?
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) September 13, 2019
Despair is being locked in a room with Booker and Harris telling jokes to each other
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 13, 2019
To be clear, I’m watching the #DemDebate primarily to understand the jokes one Twitter for the next couple of hours.
— Science Mike (@mikemchargue) September 13, 2019
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