This morning I was watching the best 4 am TV has to offer when a woman joked about getting so drunk she would end up with a lampshade on her head. This is certainly not the first time this joke has been made, and definitely not a new experience for television.

But where did this come from? Has this actually happened in real life, or is it just one of those things that gets perpetuated for the sake of its perpetuity? Some of my favorite shows have participated in the lampshade madness. There is an episode of The Simpsons where they host a dinner party and Homer gets so smashed he dons lamp headwear as his own. Marge is furious.

This also may or may not be the same episode where she instructs the children to take guests’ coats when they arrive, and when Dr. and Mrs. Hibbert come without coats Bart asks if he should still let them in. But I digress.

The Office takes a shot at the joke. At the Dunder-Mifflin Christmas party, Michael brings a case of alcohol after he pretty much destroys Secret Santa with his ineptitude. He ends up pulling a “Oh no, is he going to do it? Oh it’s happening! Lampshade on the head!!!” that follows the same basic vibe of all of his antics.

This instance seems to take on my point, almost asking the question with Michael’s actions. Only someone like Michael would actually put a lampshade on his head after drinking too much, an action coming from something he thinks is a social norm from what he’s seen on TV.

Speaking of The Office, this writers strike needs to end. Studios, give them their share of the revenue and let’s all move on. These shows only last so many seasons before being torn apart, and we the viewers are being robbed of episodes that will never be replaced. I’ll give you a cookie if you can work this out. Tomorrow.