Bobby finds a fancy briefcase in the back of his cab, and when the cabbies are going through it, with the intention of returning it to its rightful owner, they find an appointment book that shows appointments with various celebrities. They also find an invitation to a cocktail party on a yacht. Thinking that this is their chance to meet celebrities, they dress up and crash the cocktail party, and are soon star struck with costumed people they think are stars. They eventually realize that it's a party for realtors (who evidently have famous clients) and they leave, disappointed.
Taxi's wildest costume party generates 39 jokes in deadpan chaos, though 73.8 score suggests execution slightly misses the
Directed by James Burrows · Written by David Lloyd
WAR
29.6
Wins Above Replacement
“The Costume Party” ranks #92 of 114 Taxi episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 73.8 — Solid. The episode packs 39 scored jokes at 1.9 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Alex landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Alex: A human couldn't experience that kind of joy.
Alex Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Jim: You find all kinds of things in cabs. Loose change, old newspapers, maybe a forgotten umbrella.
Jim: But sometimes you find meat.
Jim: Bad meat.
Jim Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch Bob: Wait, I didn't vomit on him?
Alex: No, you missed.
Bob: Oh no! This was my big chance!
Alex: Don't worry, Bob. There'll be other famous directors. You'll get another opportunity to vomit on someone important.
Bob Alex Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Alex: You know what I don't understand? Why people worship celebrities they've never even heard of.
Tony: What do you mean? If you've never heard of them, how can you worship them?
Alex: Exactly my point.
Tony: No, I'm serious. You can't worship somebody you don't know about. That's impossible.
Jim: You want to meet a walrus? Bring fish.
Bob: He's not a walrus, he's a producer.
Jim: Then bring a checkbook.
All Jokes — 39 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Louie: I got something important to say.
Louie: I'm sure you're all gonna stop what you're doing and listen, because I know how much you all care about what I think. I'm sure right now you're all having very important conversations about world peace and the meaning of life, and you're gonna drop everything to hear what Louie De Palma has to say.
Louie: Let's see here... 'To our dear friend...' I can't read this. The ink's all smudged or something. Who is this for?
Louie: Well, whoever it is, they must be ancient. Nobody's handwriting gets this bad unless they're practically fossilized.
Louie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Louie: After all your years of dedicated service, we wanted to get you something special. Something you'll treasure forever.
Louie: A highway calendar.
Louie Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement Louie: Quiet! We got a job. Cab 802, pick up at the terminal.
Maxie: But Louie, I was just—
Louie: Move it! And somebody tell Maxie to shut up.
Louie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Louie: I'm going to the library for a few minutes.
Louie: Don't disturb me - I'll be reading.
Jim: You find all kinds of things in cabs. Loose change, old newspapers, maybe a forgotten umbrella.
Jim: But sometimes you find meat.
Jim: Bad meat.
Jim Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch Alex: Unfortunately, Louie himself doesn't vanish.
Alex Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Latka: I have the tool to open this briefcase.
Louie: What is that, a blowtorch? This looks like the landing at Normandy!
Louie Visual Gag Observational Bob: You can't open that briefcase.
Louie: Oh yeah?
Louie: I'll open it.
Louie: That'll be fifty bucks.
Bob: Here, Louie! Come on, boy! Drop it!
Bob: Heel, Louie, heel!
Bob: Louie, sit! Sit, boy!
Bob: Play dead, Louie!
Bob: Louie, you're acting like a mule. Get up!
Bob Physical/Slapstick Escalation Louie: A pen? A pen?! That's what you're giving me? A lousy pen?
Louie: Wait a minute... this is a nice pen. A really nice pen. Look at this craftsmanship!
Louie: Hey everybody, look what I got! A genuine quality writing instrument!
Louie Absurdist Character Comedy Alex: A human couldn't experience that kind of joy.
Alex Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Tony: He doesn't exist - they misread the initials
Bob: We're snooping.
Elaine: And we're enjoying it.
Bob: Here's an appointment: 'Liza, 2 o'clock.'
Tony: Liza Minnelli?
Bob: No, just Liza. But the way you said it, I'm assuming it's Liza Minnelli.
Bob Tony Observational Character Comedy Bob: Alex, come here. I need you to validate this plan.
Alex: What plan?
Bob: Well, if you validate it, then it's a good plan.
Alex: So you want me to say it's a good plan so that it becomes a good plan because I said it's a good plan?
Bob: Exactly!
Alex: That's not validation, Bob. That's circular logic.
Alex Deadpan/Understatement Elaine: You're a drip.
Alex: A drip? I'll have you know I suffer from Dripdom, a very serious condition.
Alex Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Louie: Hey, where's this party everyone's talking about?
Tony: Oh Louie, that's too bad.
Bobby: Yeah, real shame you can't make it.
Elaine: We'll think of you while we're having fun.
Latka: Is very unfortunate for you, Louie.
Mario: Better luck next time, pal.
Party Guest: Tony! Bob! Alex!
Tony: How did you know it was us?
Party Guest: Well, you're the only ones here wearing Andrews Sisters costumes to a Halloween party at a taxi garage.
Alex: You know, I was wrong about the costume idea.
Alex: I admit it — I was dead wrong.
Alex Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Alex: Latka, what in God's name are you doing in that outfit?
Latka: I am dressed for battle, Alex. I am a soldier.
Alex: A soldier? Latka, it's Tuesday. We have fares to pick up.
Latka: The war does not stop for fares, Alex!
Alex: There is no war! This is a taxi garage, not the Battle of the Bulge!
Elaine: Jim, where's your costume?
Jim: What do you mean? I'm dressed as myself.
Elaine: Exactly. That's the problem.
Elaine Visual Gag Deadpan/Understatement Jim: Wait, I'm supposed to be in costume! I completely wigged out!
Bob: These pills should help with the seasickness.
Alex: Bob, the boat isn't moving.
Bob: I know, but just looking at it makes me sick.
Alex: I'm already seasick.
Alex: Maybe it'll improve once we get on the water.
Alex Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Louie: What are you all doing here? Why are you following me?
Louie Running Gag Irony/Sarcasm Jim: So the Lone Ranger rides into town...
Tony: Yeah, yeah, the Lone Ranger.
Jim: And he's looking for the bad guys.
Tony: Right, the bad guys.
Jim Tony Callback Character Comedy Callback Jim: You want to meet a walrus? Bring fish.
Bob: He's not a walrus, he's a producer.
Jim: Then bring a checkbook.
Alex: You know what I don't understand? Why people worship celebrities they've never even heard of.
Tony: What do you mean? If you've never heard of them, how can you worship them?
Alex: Exactly my point.
Tony: No, I'm serious. You can't worship somebody you don't know about. That's impossible.
Bob: Yeah, I met him once. I was at this fancy Broadway thing, and I got so nervous I threw up all over him.
Bob Escalation Cringe/Discomfort Callback Alex: Maybe next time just say hello.
Alex Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Bob: Wait a minute. If Latka got autographs from all those celebrities at the party, that means we were actually there.
Bob: We're gonna get caught. We crashed that party.
Latka: Look, look! I have autographs from celebrities!
Latka: Here is signature of famous movie star... John Smith.
Latka: And here, the great athlete... Bob Johnson.
Latka: And the world-renowned musician... Tom Williams.
Alex: I'm beginning to think this might not be a celebrity party.
Alex Deadpan/Understatement Alex: Where are we?
Jim: You know, I ask myself that question every day. Not just about location, but about existence itself.
Jim Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Bob: Well, maybe Woody was a child prodigy. He could've enlisted at like, what, twelve? Joined the Army Signal Corps, spent two years in the Pacific, came back, and nobody ever talked about it again.
Bob: Wait, I didn't vomit on him?
Alex: No, you missed.
Bob: Oh no! This was my big chance!
Alex: Don't worry, Bob. There'll be other famous directors. You'll get another opportunity to vomit on someone important.
Bob Alex Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Alex: Hi, I'm Alex Reiger.
Gus: Gus Bates.
Alex: Nice to meet you, Gus.
Alex: Excuse me, I see my friends over there.
Tony: Well, gentlemen, let's show them what we've got.
Tony, Bob, Alex: ♪ Boogie woogie bugle boy from Company B ♪
Tony, Bob, Alex: ♪ He was a famous jiver back in Tennessee ♪
Tony, Bob, Alex: ♪ He could play a bugle like you never heard before ♪
Tony, Bob, Alex: ♪ So the Captain drafted him and now he blows it for the Corps ♪