The History of the Knock Knock Joke
Sommore, one of today’s leading Black female comedians, does not include knock-knock jokes in her standup comedy routines. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t tell a few knock-knock jokes in her youth. Haven’t we all?
You know what we’re talking about, right?
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Boo
Boo who?
Why are you crying?
These days, knock-knock jokes are pretty much considered something for the younger audiences, but there was a time when knock-knock jokes were the latest thing in humor.
The Heyday of Knock-Knock Humor
It may seem like knock-knock jokes have always existed, but there was a world that existed before they had us all groaning.
“The knock-knock joke has been a staple of American humor since the early 20th century,” NPR said in its Secret History of Knock-Knock Jokes. “With its repetitive set-up and wordplay punchline, the form has been invoked — and understood — by people of all ages and sensibilities.”
Before knock-knock jokes, NPR says people told “Do You Know” jokes. “Writing in the Oakland Tribune,” they said, “Merely McEvoy recalled that around 1900, a jokester would walk up to someone and pop a question like: “Do you know Arthur?” And the unsuspecting listener would reply, “Arthur who?” And the jokester would say “Arthurmometer!” and run off laughing.”
It kind of gives you a new appreciation of knock-knock jokes, doesn’t it?
The evolution from “Do you know?” to “Knock, knock” was complete by the 1930s, NPR says. “Strangers told them on the streets. Businesses staged knock-knock contests. Swing orchestras wove knock-knock schtick into songs,” they reported.
The rise of the knock-knock joke may have had something to do with the presidential campaign of 1936, when Kansas’ Republican governor, Alf Landon, tried unsuccessfully to unseat the incumbent, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. Landon’s running mate was a guy named, Col. Frank Knox.
You probably had to be there.
We’re just glad that people found something to laugh about. And Lori Ann Rambough – aka Sommore, the Queen of Comedy – encourages you to find something that makes you laugh during these tough times. Mask up and joke on!
