The publisher’s full Almanack text contains the display’s exact punchline in the USC Gould School of Law Commencement Address. Munger explicitly calls the Planck story apocryphal and gives the words to its fictional chauffeur. Quote Investigator traces the older joke family to Jewish folklore by 1926; Munger’s documented use is genuine, but he did not originate the tale.
“I'm surprised that in an advanced city like Munich I get such an elementary question. I'm going to ask my chauffeur to reply” Charlie Munger, retelling an apocryphal chauffeur joke in his USC commencement address; original joke creator unknown.
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Provenance
The source
Containing work
Poor Charlie’s Almanack, USC Gould School of Law Commencement Address
Speaker inside the story
A fictional chauffeur; Munger explicitly calls the Planck story apocryphal
The publisher’s full Almanack text contains the display’s exact punchline in the USC Gould School of Law Commencement Address. Munger explicitly calls the Planck story apocryphal and gives the words to its fictional chauffeur. Quote Investigator traces the older joke family to Jewish folklore by 1926; Munger’s documented use is genuine, but he did not originate the tale. Publisher’s full text ↗
The collection contains Munger’s Academic Economics talk and the chauffeur example. Publisher’s Almanack text ↗
The exact displayed formulation is documented in a modern published address. The older joke family does not make Munger’s particular wording public domain.
Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.
Fact-check
Often misattributed
Munger’s use of these words is genuine; presenting the underlying story as factual or original to him would be misleading.
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Popular creditCharlie Munger
The publisher’s full Almanack text contains the display’s exact punchline in the USC Gould School of Law Commencement Address. Munger explicitly calls the Planck story apocryphal and gives the words to its fictional chauffeur. Quote Investigator traces the older joke family to Jewish folklore by 1926; Munger’s documented use is genuine, but he did not originate the tale. Published address ↗
✓The quotation is documented as Munger’s retelling of a fictional chauffeur, not an eyewitness report. Published address ↗
Context
The setting behind the words
In the retelling, the chauffeur can repeat a prepared lecture but cannot answer an unexpected question. Munger uses the contrast to distinguish memorized performance from genuine mastery. The earlier rabbi versions show that this is an adaptable joke structure, not a documented incident in Planck’s life. Quote Investigator chronology ↗
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Charlie Munger trained as a lawyer and became Warren Buffett’s long-term investing partner at Berkshire Hathaway. He also chaired Wesco Financial and the Daily Journal Corporation. His public talks combine business examples with psychology, mathematics and lessons about practical judgment.
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Source consulted
Charlie Munger. Attribution discussed in Quote Investigator chronology. Source and limits described above.
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Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘I'm surprised that in an advanced city like Munich I get such an elementary question. I'm going to ask my chauffeur to reply’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/im-surprised-that-in-an-advanced-city-like-munich-i-get/