How many Chinese does it take?

Beijing’s Very Own Light Bulb Joke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

A lightbulb joke is a joke that asks how many people of a certain group are needed to change, replace, or screw in a light bulb. Generally, the punch line answer highlights a stereotype of the target group. There are numerous versions of the lightbulb joke satirizing a wide range of cultures, beliefs and occupations.^[1]

The original formulations of the joke, popular in the late 1960s and the 1970s, were used to insult the intelligence of Poles.^[4][5] For instance:

Q. How many Polacks does it take to change a light bulb?

A. Three—one to hold the light bulb and two to turn the ladder.

Although lightbulb jokes tend to be derogatory in tone, the people targeted by them may take pride in the stereotypes expressed and are often themselves the jokes' originators.^[6] Lightbulb jokes applied to subgroups can be used to ease tensions between them.^[7]

Kimbeijingerly's Version:

Q: How many Chinese does it take to install a car bike rack?

A: Obviously 4, with one tall American to supervise the chore.