What is the 'Prince Albert in a can' joke?

The “Prince Albert in a can” joke is a classic prank call joke that has been around for many years. The joke involves calling a store or individual and asking, “Do you have Prince Albert in a can?” Prince Albert is actually a brand of pipe tobacco that was traditionally sold in a can. When the person on the other end of the line confirms that they do, indeed, have Prince Albert in a can, the prankster responds with, “Well, you better let him out before he suffocates!”

The joke plays on the double meaning of “Prince Albert in a can.” On one hand, it refers to the tobacco product, and on the other hand, it humorously suggests that there is an actual person named Prince Albert trapped inside a can. The joke is generally considered to be a harmless prank, although prank calls can be disruptive or annoying to the recipient, so they are not universally appreciated.

The joke also reflects a time when Prince Albert tobacco was more commonly found in stores and when prank calls were a more common form of entertainment, prior to the advent of caller ID and other technologies that make it easier to identify and block unwanted calls.