B.A.: I saw this last night (is there a joke here I’m missing? The “bucket” pun seems more like something that would be in a KFC commercial — sans the fat guys, probably).
Also yesterday, I listened to a very entertaining podcast.
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Comics I Don't Understand 
Well, a “bucket list” can refer to things a person hopes to do before dying. That’s the only joke I see here.
I think that’s all there is to it. Isn’t that enough? It’s a weak joke but I think it’s acceptable.
Yeah I’m not sure what the confusion here is. A traditional “bucket list” is something where people decide things they want to do before they kick the bucket. This guy’s idea of a bucket list is the different buckets that one get at KFC.
I was going to ask something about the origin/history of “kick the bucket” but got sidetracked into the related matter of “buy the farm”.
However, I will not try to summarize the story but just give you a link to the World Wide Words article, and remark that the version I had always heard was in fact the final one brought up in this article, which he seems also to accept as most likely.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-buy1.htm
@ Mitch4 – My understanding was that the “farm” that was “purchased” was six feet long and three feet wide.
Did CIDU Bill maybe forget that KFC used to sell fried chicken in quantities of “bucket” and “barrel”?
@ carlfink – The Gahan Wilson comic that he added as the first comment would seem to indicate that he was aware of that.
I think the”joke” is that a bucket list is things to do before you die but these guys obesity, from too many buckets, is causing their premature death.
I always thought it was the war movie explanation. Although, not just one movie, but something of a cliche. The guy who was going to go home after the war and buy a farm had the life expectancy of a cop two days from retirement.
Huh, the explanation Mitch4 posts doesn’t get into the version I heard (and I think my version comes from Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff, so it’s not like it’s obscure): it is a carryover and exaggerated expansion from barnstorming days. Back then, you fly from town to town, landing your plane in a farmer’s field, and any crops you damaged you had to pay for — people tramping the field coming to see you plane, milk soured by low flying buzzing aircraft, that kind of thing. You had to balance out how much you thought you could make in a particular area vs how much potential damage you would have to reimburse the farmer for. So if you now are flying a big, very explosive experimental jet, and you crash it into the ground, the damage you cause to the presumed farm below you that you have crashed into is so substantial that you will have to in effect buy the whole damn farm.
It’s one of those phrases that doesn’t have a clear origin. I think the Wolfe one is unlikely as this was not exclusively or even largely used by pilots. It was widespread among the military. Personally I think the explanation that equates “farm” to “burial plot” makes sense.
DemetriosX said, “The guy who was going to go home after the war and buy a farm had the life expectancy of a cop two days from retirement.”
Or of a red shirt on an away team.
How come KFC seems to no longer have chicken breasts in their buckets or boxes – they have to be purchased separately – at least per their coupons?
Only times in past decade or so we have gone to KFC is down in Williamsburgh, VA which is one of their buffets. Yes, KFC buffet. It is a regular KFC with two serving tables outside of the counter – one with hot and one with cold. First year we went the pot pies were included, but not since. One goes to the counter and gets a clean plate for each trip. Soda (with refills) and dessert are included I think it was $9.99 last time we went and it was cheaper than a meal + soda.
I don’t think I’d eaten fried chicken in twenty years. Then I was watching The Green Book and thought Damn, that does look good.
I really like Popeye’s chicken, but it’s not good for me for in a couple ways. I haven’t had it in a long time.
Brian, I don’t much care for their chicken, but their old-recipe biscuits are my personal favorite. That I don’t eat any more.
Yeah, the biscuits are great too.
Brian in STL – is Popeyes chicken spicy – we have been making an assumption that it is, so despite hearing that it is very good, we have not tried it.
They have both spicy and mild.
Thank you.