Joe Sixpack

or Joe Six-pack

[ joh siks-pak ]

noun

1. Slang. the average or typical blue-collar man.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Joe Sixpack¹

An Americanism dating back to 1975–80

Example Sentences

“Let’s face it, Joe Sixpack citizen can’t get the F.B.I. to try and solve the burglary of their TV or their grandmother’s ring because they’re not a major multinational corporation with immense political pull.”

From New York Times

“Disgruntled mill workers and older Joe Sixpack former Dems in rural areas are now Trump loyalists,” the former congressman who represented that area, Don Bonker, wrote recently at Seattle site PostAlley.org about the changes taking place.

From Seattle Times

“We’re not going away. Billy Bible and Joe Sixpack are going to hear our message. We’re going to find peaceful ways to put our finger in our enemies’ eye.

From Washington Post

Though she frequently retreated to talking points, Ms. Palin spoke inclusively of “Main Streeters like me,” “Joe Sixpack” and “hockey moms across the nation.”

From New York Times

Former Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, during his confirmation hearings, once said that spending $100,000 to him was like spending $10 to Joe Sixpack.

From Washington Times

About This Word

What does Joe Sixpack mean?

A Joe Sixpack is an average, working-class American male. He is often characterized—sometimes positively, sometimes negatively—as a guy who isn’t very highly educated, who likes sports, and who enjoys putting back a couple of beers.

Where does Joe Sixpack come from?

Joe Sixpack dates back to at least the 1970s, used in political contexts for the average male voter. Joe calls up an average Joe, or regular guy, and Sixpack refers to beer, sold in six-packs.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton notably used Joe Sixpack for “private citizen” after the dismissal of Paula Jones’s sexual harassment lawsuit against him. It was in 2008, however, that Joe Sixpack went viral when Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin figured herself as a female Joe Sixpack (and hockey mom): “It’s time that a normal Joe Six-pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency.”

Given the fact Palin made notorious gaffes on the campaign trail exposing her inexperience or ignorance on important matters, critics countered that a Joe Sixpack was exactly what the country didn’t need in the White House. To this end, Palin was much satirized on Saturday Night Live, including for her Joe Sixpack remarks. In one particular sketch, Palin (played by Tina Fey) and her top-of-the-ticket John McCain himself were on a QVC shopping channel selling products, among them a Joe Sixpack action figure.

How is Joe Sixpack used in real life?

Politicians and political writers love to refer to average, male, beer-drinking voters who candidates want to win over as Joe Sixpack, a kind of working-class answer to the soccer mom. The term generally champions the man in this context, but in popular culture, it often disparages him.

Finally! Someone Joe Sixpack can relate to!

— Jeff O'Meara (@jomeara555) August 24, 2018

In a standup act in 2008, for instance, comedian George Carlin memorably knocked Joe Sixpack as overweight and stupid.

Remember Joe Sixpack? 😂

— Invisable Scourge 🌊🌊 🐓❤️🐝🐄🐶🦋 (@BohemianBeads1) August 27, 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.