This comedy in history: Who's on first?
Spurred by recent talk at D's bday party. Abbott and Costello's classic comedy sketch "Who's on first?" from the 1930's. Although they didn't invent the premise (according to Wikipedia the first appearance of it in the moving pictures was in the 1930 movie Cracked Nuts):
Here's a cartoon version of a musical take on the sketch originally (1st shown on TV anyway) done by SCTV:
Here's a take-off of a political version of the sketch that was first done by Johnny Carson about Ronald Reagan, now a viral video featuring now former president George W:
The "Who's on first?" routine has been featured and referenced on everything from the Muppets to Robot Chicken. Another variant plays on the bit's fame by taking the humorous element (the misunderstanding) and killing it, thereby making it funnier. This has been featured on such shows as Kids in the Hall and The Simpsons (Season 10 episode 15) both of which have the straight man ruining the bit by explaining it (Dave Foley and Principal Skinner respectively). It's like someone shouted "Communication people!" at them. HaHa!
3 comments:
That cartoon version isn't from SCTV; it;s Skippy and Slappy from Animaniacs! The remember this skit, and laughing my ass off! Along with Pinky and the Brain, of course!
Yes but SCTV did it first on their "Midnight Express Special" (Eugene Levy was Abbott).
p.s. I also loved Pinky and the Brain! "What are we going to do tonight Brain?" "The same thing we do every night Pinky...try to TAKE OVER THE WORLD!"
Ah, I read your description to mean that the cartoon originally appeared on SCTV, not the modified sketch. Never mind!
And i think Stewie from Family Guy owes a great deal to the Brain.
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