"Cow tools" is a cartoon from The Far Side by American cartoonist Gary Larson, published in October 1982. It depicts a cow standing behind a table of bizarre, misshapen implements with the caption "Cow tools". The cartoon confused many readers, who wrote or phoned in seeking an explanation of the joke. In response to the controversy, Larson issued a press release clarifying that the thrust of the cartoon was simply that, if a cow were to make tools, they would "lack something in sophistication".[1] It has been described as "arguably the most loathed Far Side strip ever" while also becoming a popular internet meme.[2]
- ^ "'Far Side' sparks cow controversy". The Spokesman-Review. October 29, 1982. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ Staley, Willy (July 13, 2012). "Lady Mondegreen and the Miracle of Misheard Song Lyrics". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.