ByPaul Cecchini|Oct 14, 2021, 10:00 AM EDT
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The Pokémon franchise has had an immeasurable impact on popular culture over the past 25 years—and in that time, the series has also attracted its fair share of controversies. Some of them have been completely warranted; others, well, are just downright weird. Here are nine of the most notable.
1. The Banned Episode
Several episodes of Pokémon, mostly in the series’ early days, have been banned in certain countries over depictions of firearms, sexualized content, and other issues. But one stands out far above the rest: “Electric Soldier Porygon.” This episode from the first season in December 1997 features a scene where Pikachu fires an electric attack that detonates several missiles, causing the screen to flash red and blue in rapid succession. As a result, approximately 700 children in Japan watching the episode on TV were hospitalized with dizziness, headaches, and even seizures. The series itself wouldn’t return to Japanese airwaves until April 1998, and when the show eventually made its U.S. debut in 1999, “Electric Soldier Porygon” wasn’t a part of it.
2. Jynx’s Racist Appearance
Early in the franchise’s existence, writer Carole B. Weatherford published an article for Black World Today taking the character Jynx to task. The focus was on the character’s appearance, which drew comparisons to racist depictions of Black people from throughout history.
“The character Jynx, Pokémon #124, has decidedly human features: jet-black skin, huge pink lips, gaping eyes, a straight blonde mane, and a full figure, complete with cleavage and wiggly hips,” Weatherford wrote. “Put another way, Jynx resembles an overweight drag queen incarnation of Little Black Sambo, a racist stereotype from a children’s book long ago purged from libraries.”
To rectify this, Jynx’s face was recolored purple for the release of the second games in the series, Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver, and remains that way to this day. In addition, any anime episodes or trading cards featuring the original depiction of the character have been banned.
3. The Satanic Panic
Satanic panics are nothing new—people have argued that the devil has been involved in everything from heavy-metal music to the Smurfs and even Pampers diapers. As Pokémon became increasingly popular, it was only a matter of time before the franchise was targeted. Over the years, several parents and religious groups have claimed that the series is an allegory for Satanism, comparing summoning Pokémon to summoning demons. One Florida-based pastor named Eugene Walton even attempted to describe the mechanics of the game by saying: “You get all these potions and witchcraft, and the idea is to try and control other people.” In 2000, one religious group went so far as to distribute pamphlets that claimed a pentagram could be seen on one Pokémon’s forehead. It was, in fact, just a star.
4. Nazi Imagery on a Golbat Pokémon Card
Occasionally, cultural differences bring about unintended controversy. That was the case when a Golbat trading card featured what looked like a swastika and created an uproar among Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League. Japanese culture tends to recognize the swastika not as a Nazi symbol, but as a religious symbol of good fortune; regardless, the appropriate edits were made to avoid further offense.
5. Pokémon’s Magician Lawsuit
This one has Satanism, Nazism, and copyright infringement! In 1999, a “psychic entertainer” named Uri Geller claimed that Kadabra (named Yungerer in Japan), a psychic-type Pokémon best known for carrying around spoons, was based on his likeness. Geller, who was known for his spoon-bending magic trick, also claimed Kadabra featured markings on its head and chest that referenced Nazi imagery. In short, Geller said that Nintendo had turned him “into an evil, occult Pokémon character” and sued the company for millions. In response, the Pokémon Company was leery of using Kadabra in any promotional materials for decades. However, in 2020, Geller had a change of heart, reportedly due to the “tremendous” amount of mail he had received over the years from Pokémon fans who wanted to see Kadabra come back. Geller apologized for all the lawsuits (many of which had already been dismissed) and for causing Nintendo to ban the use of Kadabra for over 20 years.
6. The PETA Problem
After the release of Pokémon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 in 2012, animal rights group PETA released a statement claiming that the games encouraged animal abuse, even going so far as to make their own parody game called Pokémon Black & Blue to get their point across. “The amount of time that Pokémon spend stuffed in pokéballs is akin to how elephants are chained up in train carts, waiting to be let out to ‘perform’ in circuses,” the organization wrote in a statement. “But the difference between real life and this fictional world full of organized animal fighting is that Pokémon games paint rosy pictures of things that are actually horrible.”
Years later, when Pokémon Go was released, the organization declared its Los Angeles office a “safe Pokémon zone” where no one was allowed to capture or fight their Pokémon.
7. The Inappropriate Pokémon Go Gyms
It wasn’t long after Pokémon Go—the augmented reality app that lets you see and catch virtual Pokémon in the real world through your phone—debuted in 2016 that a new batch of controversies flared up over the fact that the game could quite literally be played everywhere. Many notable locations around the world like Big Ben and Central Park became PokeStops and gyms, where players could obtain items and battle for rewards. Unfortunately, the virtual Pokémon were also popping up in more solemn locations, including Holocaust museums, Ground Zero in New York City, and Auschwitz. As these stories hit the web, the institutions themselves had to plead with gamers not to try and catch any Pokémon on their premises. Soon after, the game’s developers removed all PokeStops, gyms, and the Pokémon themselves from sites like the Hiroshima Peace Park and the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
8. Pokémon’s Gambling Issues
The first four mainline Pokémon titles featured a game corner, in which the player character could take part in a variety of games that could possibly, from a certain point of view, be likened to gambling. While no real money was needed to play the games, it still, in theory, taught kids how gambling works. Later games would see fit to remove the game corner for that very reason. In fact, the PEGI ratings board in the UK passed legislation in 2020 that would earn the games an 18+ age rating today if they included the game corner.
9. The 2021 Pokémon Card Shortage
Pokémon’s most recent controversy goes back to the world of the trading card game. In the past few years, card sales have seen a significant spike, rivaling the Pokemania of the late ’90s. Naturally, the low stock and empty shelves have led to its share of problems. In early 2021, it was being reported that scalpers were filling shopping carts with boxes of the cards to then sell on the secondary market. On its own, that’s not unusual (even if it is dodgy)—but then reports of violence started to come out. In the parking lot of a Wisconsin Target, one customer allegedly drew a gun on a group of four men who assaulted him over some trading cards. As a result of this type of Pokémon-based violence, Target temporarily removed trading cards—including Pokémon cards and sports cards—from their shelves completely over concerns for their staff and customers.
110 Thanksgiving Jokes That Are Surprisingly Easy to Digest
The turkey might be overcooked, but these Thanksgiving puns and dad jokes are anything but dry.
ByNitya Rao|Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 PM EST
Studies show that 10 to 15 minutes of laughing can burn up to 40 calories. On Thanksgiving, after a spread filled with golden-brown turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and unlimited pumpkin pie, you’ll definitely want to double that dose and pass it down the table.
While you can usually count on your zany uncle to supply a few unexpected chuckles midway through the meal, why leave your holiday humor to chance? Prepping a few Thanksgiving jokes alongside your stuffing is the best defense against a dead-silent dinner table. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of playful holiday humor between passes of the platter?
Why did the turkey pass on the pumpkin pie? He was stuffed.
What happens when potatoes drink too much? They get mashed.
If either of those carved out a smile, you’re in for a real feast! Whether you’re looking to break an awkward silence before politics come up or simply want to entertain the kids’ table, here are more than 100 hilarious Thanksgiving jokes, puns, and dad jokes guaranteed to give your core a workout.
Funny Thanksgiving Jokes
1. Who delivers the best Thanksgiving sides?
Yam-azon.
2. Why do so many people eat potatoes on Thanksgiving?
Because they’ve got a-peel.
3. What do you call a wisecracking Butterball?
A fresh turkey.
4. What did one pumpkin pie say to the other?
“You wanna piece of me?”
5. In what state did the pilgrims arrive?
Exhaustion.
6. What do you call a sad cranberry?
A blueberry.
7. What do you get when you cross a Thanksgiving centerpiece with a trumpet?
A horn-ucopia.
8. How do potatoes cross the sea?
On gravy boats.
9. What smells the best at a Thanksgiving dinner?
Your nose.
10. Why did the Brussels sprout cross the street?
It spotted a fork in the distance.
11. What did the butter say when it won the race?
“I’m on a roll!”
12. What do sweet potatoes wear to bed?
Yammies.
13. What did the gravy say when it got promoted at work?
“I’m moving up in the food chain!”
14. Why did the roll go to the doctor?
It was feeling crummy.
15. What’s the difference between a Thanksgiving turkey and a bad joke?
One gets dressed, and the other gets roasted.
16. What did the shocked pumpkin say to the squash?
“Oh my gourd!”
17. What do you call a male turkey’s idea of a practical joke?
Tomfoolery.
18. What happens when potatoes drink too much?
They get mashed.
19. Who can be both naked and dressed at the same time?
A turkey.
Thanksgiving Turkey Jokes
20. What do you call a track-star turkey?
Fast food.
21. What’s a turkey’s favorite dessert?
Apple gobbler.
22. What does a turkey say to a search engine?
Google, google, google!
23. Why did the turkey bring a microphone to the dinner table?
He wanted to host a roast.
24. What’s the best way to stuff a turkey?
Serve him lots of mac and cheese and pie.
25. Where do you find a turkey with no legs?
Exactly where you left it.
26. Why did the turkey get sent to the dean’s office?
He used fowl language.
27. What kind of turkey is always running late?
A slow-cooked one.
28. What do you get when you cross a turkey with a ghost?
A poultry-geist.
29. Why did the turkey get bumped to first class on his flight?
He was a frequent flyer.
30. What did one turkey say to the other turkey at the pub?
“Let’s get basted.”
31. What do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving?
A lucky duck.
32. Why did the turkey pass on the pumpkin pie?
He was stuffed.
33. What did the Thanksgiving turkey say to the Christmas ham?
Nice to meat you.
34. What do turkeys give thanks for on Thanksgiving?
Vegans.
35. Did you hear about the turkey who lost his left wing?
He’s all right now.
36. What type of key has legs and can’t open doors?
A tur-key.
37. Why did the turkey get kicked out of family game night?
He was accused of fowl play.
38. Why did the turkey cross the road?
To prove it wasn’t chicken.
39. What’s the best song to play while cooking a turkey?
“All About That Baste.”
40. What’s the most musical part of a turkey?
The drumstick.
41. How did the turkey get home in time for Thanksgiving?
He took the gravy train.
42. What’s a turkey’s favorite part of a golf game?
The birdie.
43. What do turkeys use to serve wine?
A gob-let.
44. What champagne do male turkeys like to drink?
Tom Perignon.
45. What does a turkey with a bum leg say?
“Wobble, wobble.”
46. Why don’t turkeys fly on airplanes?
They prefer to wing it.
47. Did you hear about the turkey dance?
It was a Butterball.
48. Why did the Butterball stay in the freezer until Thanksgiving morning?
He wanted to keep a cool head under pressure.
49. What do you call a turkey who never has your back?
A fair-feather friend.
50. Did you hear about the turkey who had a fever?
He had a temperature of 350.
51. What do you call a badly behaved Thanksgiving bird?
A grounded turkey.
52. What do you call a turkey on Friday morning?
A sandwich.
53. Where does a turkey do its holiday shopping?
The HoneyBaked Ham shop.
54. What do you call a turkey who’s bad at bowling?
A gutterball.
55. What was the turkey looking for at the toy store?
Gobbleheads.
56. What does a turkey use to tell the future?
A crystal butterball.
57. Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside.
58. Where does a turkey go on vacation in November?
Turkey.
59. What do turkeys have in common with the White House?
They both have wings.
60. What do you call a bunch of turkeys rocking out?
A Wood-flock.
Pilgrim Jokes
61. Why did the Pilgrim go to the pool?
To get a puri-tan.
62. What kind of music did the Pilgrims listen to on the Mayflower?
Plymouth Rock.
63. Why did the Pilgrims cross the Atlantic?
To get to the other side.
64. What did the Pilgrims use to bake Thanksgiving desserts?
May-flour.
65. What was the Pilgrim’s favorite subject in school?
His-story.
66. Why did the Pilgrim love gardening?
He was good at planting roots.
67. What’s a Pilgrim’s favorite dance?
The Turkey Trot.
68. What event was held on the Mayflower the day after Thanksgiving?
A Black Friday sail.
69. How do Pilgrims break a bad habit?
They stop cold turkey.
70. What do pilgrims learn in school?
Pilgrammar.
71. Why don’t Pilgrims tell secrets in the cornfield?
There are too many ears around.
72. Why don’t Pilgrims sue?
Because they like to settle.
73. Where do Pilgrims learn to surf?
Boarding school.
74. What did the Pilgrim wear to Thanksgiving dinner?
A har-vest.
75. Why are Pilgrim libraries so tall?
They have many stories.
76. Why do Pilgrims’ pants keep falling down?
Because they wear their belt buckles on their hats.
77. What’s a Pilgrim’s favorite flower?
Mayflower.
78. What is a Pilgrim’s favorite type of sweet?
Plymouth Rock candy.
79. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims.
80. What made the Pilgrims on the Mayflower high?
Sea weed.
81. What do you call a pretty Pilgrim?
A Puri-ten.