Origins of Jokes?

[92bDad]

I was curious...and this could run through for many long lasting jokes...

We've had Knock-Knock jokes, Blonde Jokes, Redneck Jokes and many others...

Recently we have a string of "That's what she said" jokes...

I am being told that this was started in the TV show the Office. But I would be willing to debate this...also I am curious to find out if where I first hear "That's what she said" was started at this point, or if this is perhaps older than dirt?

Can you tell us where "That's What she said" jokes originated, or where is the first place that you heard this?

[Underdog]

God, I'm sick of this "debate"...



Wayne's World (1992):

Garth Algar: "Hey, are you done yet? I'm getting tired of holding it."
Wayne Campbell: "Yeah, that's what she said."





[/end]

[92bDad]

Thanks for being all high and mighty o exhaulted one.

I have the same conclussion, but I was interested to see how many different points of origin we could have.

Your so omnipotent, could you let us know where the "knock-knock" jokes originated?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by 92bDad

Your so omnipotent, could you let us know where the "knock-knock" jokes originated?

That's a joke too old to pinpoint...


According to Wiki:

Knock-knock jokes are well entrenched in certain countries such as the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, the U.S.A., Canada, and South Africa. In other nations, such as Brazil and Germany, they are practically unknown. In French they begin "Toc-Toc" and in Afrikaans "Klop-klop". In Spanish, it may be enough for the punchline to rhyme with the response. Knock-knock jokes were in common usage amongst South African school children in the early 1950s but the exact origin of the format remains uncertain. In India they have recently started off as "Khat-Khat" jokes in Hindi.

The following was in circulation in Cape Town in about 1953:

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Delores.
Delores who?
Delores my shepherd... (a play on "the Lord is my shepherd")

Another example:

Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Boo.
Boo who?
You wuss! ("Boo who" sounds like boohoe, which means "to cry loudly")

In France, the punchline is almost always a pun on the title of a popular song, allowing the last answer to be sung :

Toc Toc! (Knock knock!)
Qui est lÃ*? (Who's there?)
Sheila.
Sheila qui? (Sheila who?)
Sheila lutte finale... . (a pun on "c'est la lutte finale" (It's the final struggle), the opening line of The Internationale)

In Shakespeare's play Macbeth a comic relief character delivers a 20 line monologue and satire that makes reference to events of that time it follows the pattern of knock knock who's there? but it is done entirely by the character and knocks from off stage. the character is a drunken porter that pretends he is the porter to the gates of hell welcoming sinners of different professions:

(Macbeth ActII, sciii)

Knock, knock, knock! Who's there, i' th' name of Beelzebub? Here's a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you'll sweat for 't.

(this is a joke referring to a price drop in crops, as well as a joke about the heat in hell)

Knock, knock! Who's there, in th' other devil's name? Faith, here's an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God's sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, equivocator.

(this passage is believed to be a reference to a trial of the Jesuits who were charged with equivocation speaking unclearly or speaking with double meaning)

Knock, knock, knock! Who's there? Faith, here's an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hose. Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose.

(the tailor is accused of stealing cloth while making breches, this is a joke about a fashion trend in Shakespearian times, also a pun for roasting the tailor's iron with the heat of hell)

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by 92bDad

I have the same conclussion, but I was interested to see how many different points of origin we could have.

But there's only ever ONE point of origin by definition...

[92bDad]

Agreed, there is only one "True" origin, however many can have different opinions based on their level of knowledge and experience.

In other words, some people may have thought of point of origin, than after further research proves to simply be a point of travel on the path of existance.

Where do folks along this board believe a point of origin for these various jokes belong?

I thought the lame "She Said" jokes started from the office, as that is what my kids thought and shared with me. However, watching Wayne's world the other day (Saturday), I saw the "She Said" part of the movie and found it rather interesting...

So I wondered, has "She Said" jokes ever been said in any other type of setting BEFORE Wayne's world?

So I asked the question here to see if anyone else had other points, before or after that would be kinda cool to read about.

But again, I bow down to your greatness...oh please exhault us with your wisdom and teach us the wonders of the world.

[Underdog]

[DavidDaMonkey]

This thread is so hostile, especially considering it's based on laughter.

[jthig32]

Regardless of origin, The Office brought "That's what she said" into the mainstream.

And in general I agree with Underdog in this thread. People need to learn the value of search engines and Wikipedia.

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Regardless of origin, The Office brought "That's what she said" into the mainstream.

And in general I agree with Underdog in this thread. People need to learn the value of search engines and Wikipedia.

idk man "That's what she said..." jokes were really popular at my middle school and freshmen year of high school and that was before The Office was on the air. But it might have been responsible for bringing it to an older audience, but then again that would be the age group that would have seen it on Wayne's World anyway...

this r very serious thread

[Just211]

yeah i was droppin that's what she said jokes in JH as well. So its def before Office. I think everyone's always said it occasionally. the office just has it more in vogue right now. And to me, the office version is saying it when it doesn't necessarily apply.

[jthig32]

"More in vogue" and "brought it in to the mainstream" seem to be rather similar statements to me....no?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by jthig32

"More in vogue" and "brought it in to the mainstream" seem to be rather similar statements to me....no?

No - "more in vogue" means it's popular, whereas "brought it in to the mainstream" is who first popularized it (and in this case, it happens to be the originator...)


Seriously - I've known people who have been using "that's what she said" regularly for the last 16 years, myself included (where do you think the Office got the idea from in the first place? The character is known for telling an old joke wrong - that's the brilliance of it...)

[Murphy3]

Underdog, someone needs to kick you in the nuts.

[Usually Lurkin]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

Underdog, someone needs to kick you in the nuts.

. . . that's what she said.

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by Usually Lurkin

. . . that's what she said.

ughhh I was gonna say that haha

[Evilmav2]

Such negativity earlier in this thread... Just to get back on topic...

Knock-knock jokes are well entrenched in certain countries such as the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, the U.S.A., Canada, and South Africa. In other nations, such as Brazil and Germany, they are practically unknown.

Well, I'd guess that somehow, someway, the knock-knock joke had to have originated somewhere in the late-era British Empire, and was probably passively disseminated by emigration, foreign service, traders, etc... throughout that sphere. That's just a guess though...

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Underdog

No - "more in vogue" means it's popular, whereas "brought it in to the mainstream" is who first popularized it (and in this case, it happens to be the originator...)


Seriously - I've known people who have been using "that's what she said" regularly for the last 16 years, myself included (where do you think the Office got the idea from in the first place? The character is known for telling an old joke wrong - that's the brilliance of it...)

So...the people who originated it popularized it, but The Office "made it more in vogue" thus again, popularizing it?

The number of people who used the phrase probably increased by ten fold from The Office. That's bringing into the mainstream. People began to use the term on radio shows and such. That's bringing it into the mainstream.

</argument over semantics>

[Flacolaco]

All I took out of this thread is: All glory to The Office.

[Usually Lurkin]

Originally Posted by Evilmav2

Such negativity earlier in this thread... Just to get back on topic...

[the knock-knock joke] was probably passively disseminated by emigration, foreign service, traders, etc...

sheesh. You can smell a neocon a mile away. This is DNC week. Can't you just say "imperial force" and be done with it?

[92bDad]

Suddenly I hear TAPS playing in the background...may this thread RIP