How many ... does it take to change a light bulb?
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change.
Who told it first?
Earliest known source found
Unknown, 1965-07-11
Where: Daily Review (Hayward, California), 11 July 1965
Earliest dated source on Wikipedia, not proof of invention. The first known versions targeted a group the paper called morons; the same structure was used against Poles and Italian-Americans in the 1960s, and groups often made their own versions.
Older versions, rival claims and what came next
- 1965-07-11 documented Daily Review, Hayward, Calif. - Prints the earliest version found: "How many morons does it take to change a light bulb?" answered with three - one to hold the bulb and two to turn the ladder. source
- 1966 documented Donald C. Simmons, Journal of American Folklore - Documents an anti-Italian-American version with the same structure. source
Sources
Something wrong or missing? Entries are corrected when a better dated source turns up. Request a take-down.