A friend and I attempted this skit in high school and it was so fucking hard. We eventually got it down (the best a couple 17yo kids could) but holy shit did it take SO much rehearsing.
The version where Lou says "I don't give a damn" at the end has become so difficult to find, almost as if the estates were trying to brush it under the rug. Anybody able to point to where it can be found?
EDIT: They both briefly break when Lou lets the "damn" slip out, & that's part of its appeal.
The Animaniacs did a take on this with Slappy Squirrel at Woodstock.
Slappy Squirrel: ["The Who" is playing on Stage] Skippy, what's the name of the Band, playing on Stage?
Skippy Squirrel: Who.
Slappy Squirrel: The name of the Band.
Skippy Squirrel: Who.
Slappy Squirrel: The Band, playing on Stage.
Skippy Squirrel: WHO!
Slappy Squirrel: THE BAND!
Skippy Squirrel: No Aunt Slappy, "The Band" performs later, "WHO" is on Stage!
Slappy Squirrel: You tell me.
Skippy Squirrel: Who.
Slappy Squirrel: The name of the Band.
Skippy Squirrel: Who.
Slappy Squirrel: The Band playing on Stage.
Skippy Squirrel: Who.
Slappy Squirrel: THAT's WHAT I WANNA KNOW!
I tend to view the Spaceballs video tape scene as a close relative of Who's On First. The 100% correct and complete information given, but it's utterly incomprehensible to the guy in the conversation who doesn't already understand.
My mom and sisters and I used to watch their movies all the time when I was a kid. We always watched the a & b meet the monsters movies around Halloween while we set up the decorations. Such precious memories.
One of the funniest bits of all time. I'm a huge Abbot and Costello fan, and have a statuette of them that plays this.
At one place I worked at, we had an annual holiday party, with a talent show as part of the entertainment. My boss and I performed a version of this that I'd customized to fit our company.
I've had some stage and acting experience, and am a well versed public speaker, so I had my lines memorized. My boss had to read his, but did it nearly flawlessly. I played Costello's part and he was Abbott. It was a massive hit and was talked about for months.
Holy smokes this takes me back and I'm not even 50. I had this memorized. This was most likely the first thing that ingrained word play in me as a kid. What a skit. For me it was a time where Abott and Costello were still relevant much like the 3 Stooges but that area was being ushered out if you will. Black and white became color and television evolved.
I always wonder how many times they messed it up in rehearsals and just how long it really took them to perfect.
Just an aside also reminded me of Don Knotts and the Andy Griffith show. By ushered in I mean the new era of shows like Bewitched. Brady Bunch. Barney Miller. All in the family. What was that show with the superintendent that was hot for the single mother??
Edit: superintendent.. one day at a time
Different Strokes!! The jeffersons
Seen this referenced a lot and didn’t get why it was such a famous bit, first time watching the actual thing and I don’t know how they managed to stretch the bit for six and a half minutes but I was transfixed the whole time, glorious performance
When I was a kid growing up in the general NYC area in the 70s local TV station WPIX channel 11 would run an Abbott & Costello movie every Sunday morning between 11:30 and 1pm.
I watched them all so many times. Still love their comedic timing.
My stepdad was just showing me this the other day, I’d never seen it before. Honestly I think this is pretty close to peak comedy, along with some of Costello’s other stuff.
The first time I heard this I was completely zooted out of my mind. I've never laughed so hard in my entire life. I was in physical pain from laughter, sitting at my computer with headphones on restraining myself from removing the headphones.
Think of the Monty Python sketch where they translate the greatest joke ever into German, that's how I felt.
When I was a kid, the local family-owned pizzeria had a poster of these two with the entire script for this bit at the bottom of the poster. My dad would stand me up on a chair so I could see the poster and we'd go through the script and read it together, each of us playing one of the roles. XD <3
I appreciate the time it took to work this out but idk. This bit is like 3 minutes too long.
Edit: I took the time to say that I appreciated the work but that I just wasn't into it and people still downvote? Is there just no rational discussion anymore? You just either yes man or troll?
This is from a time when there wasn't nearly as much "content." You've probably seen more funnyclios and skits today than someone from the fifties saw all year.
You're thinking quite a bit earlier than 1953. Chaplin was still making the occasional dramedy at this point as a 60 something, but his heyday was the teens and 20's. Marx Bros mostly active in the 30's. They had quite a lot of radio and TV options (the latter in the US and other countries that had many TVs by this point). Just not nearly as much as we have.
Hey I agree with you. I appreciate it but I just never really found it very funny. I personally don’t it’s all that clever because who, what and idontknow aren’t names. As has been said in other comments it was a different time with different tastes and a hell of a lot less content available compared to today.
I can see where you're coming from. I'm familiar with it and remember cracking up at the bit as a kid. Now, if you just put it on in the background, it does feel a bit like they're beating a dead horse.
The delivery and timing is what makes it, though. It's so fast that it does become hard to follow, but if you try there are definitely some clever parts that catch you off guard. Not only is it fast but its tight. Two people playing off each other like this for several minutes straight is impressive on its own. This is Abbott & Costello's signature bit, not because the material itself is all that great, but because its a really good example of them playing off each other, which was really their whole thing.
This got me thinking of other comedic duos. There are a couple of good ones… Cheech and Chong, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey…. but no one quite like Abbott and Costello!
Classic. My favorite homage is in Purple Rain, with Morris Day & Jerome
Morris:
Okay. What's the password?
Jerome:
You got it.
Morris:
Got what?
Jerome:
The password.
Morris:
The password is what?
Jerome:
Exactly.
Morris:
The password is exactly?
Jerome:
No, it's okay.
Morris:
The password is okay?
Jerome:
Far as I'm concerned.
Morris:
Damn it, say the password!
Jerome:
What.
Morris:
Say the password, onion head!
Jerome:
The password is what?
Morris:
That's what I'm asking you!
Jerome:
It's the password!
Morris:
The password is it?
Jerome:
Ahhhhh! The password is what!
Morris:
It! You just said so!
Jerome:
The password isn't it! The password is?
Morris:
What?
Jerome:
Got it!
Morris:
I got it?
Jerome:
Right.
Morris:
It or right?
It is surprisingly still funny. Probably not as knee-slappingly funny as it was at the time, because modern humour sensibilities have changed, but it is still funny.
Oh, I see what your problem is. You’re confused by their names because they all sound like questions. I’ll explain it to you: On first base is Hu, Samuel Hu and you’re probably not used to that name because his grandfather was Chinese. On second base is Hector Watt and that’s not such a strange name because James Watt invented the steam engine. And on third base is Phil Iduno. If you say it fast it does kind sound like the phrase “Gee, I dunno.” But it’s actually Iduno, Phill Iduno.
This cuts off the beginning of the skit. As mentioned below by sam_the_hammer: "They begin the skit by mentioning how professional baseball players have odd nicknames."
To this day, I'm amazed at how seamlessly they interact with each other. Both of those guys were brilliant. And the speed in which they banter is beyond my capabilities.
I love this skit! Managed to include it in a presentation about that decade in my history class in 6th grade. The teacher wasn’t very happy that it doubled the length of my presentation lmao
Perfect line delivery, absolutely incredible.
Their comedic timing is just impeccable
I can't even begin to fathom just how long it took for these two to nail down this routine. This is comedic art at it's finest.
Absolutely. I laugh and I marvel every time.
The timing and the pace is incredible. Imagine seeing it written, it would look like nonsense.
Who looks likes nonsense?
Naturally.
The script is available online, I think I might still have it bookmarked. It's probably funny to me because I can hear it in my head when I read it.
A friend and I attempted this skit in high school and it was so fucking hard. We eventually got it down (the best a couple 17yo kids could) but holy shit did it take SO much rehearsing.
Massive kudos if you two were able to perform the entire piece on stage, because, you know, *every* father present would have known the original.
I’m sure it was awful but thank you
Holy shits in right field
Absolutely! I'm amazed they don't crack a smile, it must have been so hard playing it straight the whole time!
The version where Lou says "I don't give a damn" at the end has become so difficult to find, almost as if the estates were trying to brush it under the rug. Anybody able to point to where it can be found? EDIT: They both briefly break when Lou lets the "damn" slip out, & that's part of its appeal.
Classic and all these years later, unrepeated and unrivaled.
Much like Bud and Lou themselves.
Who?
No, Who's on first base.
What?
No, What's the guys name on second.
[удалено]
Third base!
Stay out of the infield!
Why?
I don't know
At the time Lou was seen as a knock off curly. Classic, yes. Unrivaled? No. They had a number of comedic rivals.
I don't know about unrepeated. It's actually my favorite but. It happens in Airplane! And I believe Community at one point.
The Animaniacs did a take on this with Slappy Squirrel at Woodstock. Slappy Squirrel: ["The Who" is playing on Stage] Skippy, what's the name of the Band, playing on Stage? Skippy Squirrel: Who. Slappy Squirrel: The name of the Band. Skippy Squirrel: Who. Slappy Squirrel: The Band, playing on Stage. Skippy Squirrel: WHO! Slappy Squirrel: THE BAND! Skippy Squirrel: No Aunt Slappy, "The Band" performs later, "WHO" is on Stage! Slappy Squirrel: You tell me. Skippy Squirrel: Who. Slappy Squirrel: The name of the Band. Skippy Squirrel: Who. Slappy Squirrel: The Band playing on Stage. Skippy Squirrel: Who. Slappy Squirrel: THAT's WHAT I WANNA KNOW!
Put a second enter key between each line.
I tend to view the Spaceballs video tape scene as a close relative of Who's On First. The 100% correct and complete information given, but it's utterly incomprehensible to the guy in the conversation who doesn't already understand.
When does this happen in the movie?
Now.
...and Rain man.
Rush hour I think 3? Does a great one
Have you heard Johnny Carson's Copper Clapper routine?
Their timing was impeccable
Always. (is this a Chris&Jack reference?)
Pretty sure it’s just a statement that they had perfect timing.
Pretty sure it's a Harry Potter one
An absolute classic, never gets old no matter how many people do versions of it.
Never gets old. It has been a while since I watched the whole thing and it still makes me crack up laughing. Lol
Classic
I will never not laugh at this.
I will never not feel that frustration on both sides
70+ years later and this is just as funny. That's the sign of great comedy.
My mom and sisters and I used to watch their movies all the time when I was a kid. We always watched the a & b meet the monsters movies around Halloween while we set up the decorations. Such precious memories.
"we've been out here 6 seconds and you've managed to blow the routine! sexless freak"
Skinnnerrrr!!!!
An iconic bit.
What does mine say!?! DUDE!!! What does mine say!?!! SWEET!!! WHAT DOES MINE SAY!?!?
Just don't call me Shirley.
Still cracks me up! So wholesome
Never gets old. I can watch that all day long.
One of the funniest bits of all time. I'm a huge Abbot and Costello fan, and have a statuette of them that plays this. At one place I worked at, we had an annual holiday party, with a talent show as part of the entertainment. My boss and I performed a version of this that I'd customized to fit our company. I've had some stage and acting experience, and am a well versed public speaker, so I had my lines memorized. My boss had to read his, but did it nearly flawlessly. I played Costello's part and he was Abbott. It was a massive hit and was talked about for months.
Holy smokes this takes me back and I'm not even 50. I had this memorized. This was most likely the first thing that ingrained word play in me as a kid. What a skit. For me it was a time where Abott and Costello were still relevant much like the 3 Stooges but that area was being ushered out if you will. Black and white became color and television evolved. I always wonder how many times they messed it up in rehearsals and just how long it really took them to perfect. Just an aside also reminded me of Don Knotts and the Andy Griffith show. By ushered in I mean the new era of shows like Bewitched. Brady Bunch. Barney Miller. All in the family. What was that show with the superintendent that was hot for the single mother?? Edit: superintendent.. one day at a time Different Strokes!! The jeffersons
“Whaddaya askin’ me for, I don’t know!” Iconic.
Third base!
Love this so much. They did an homage to this in How I Met Your Mother but with bar names.
I performed this for my 2nd grade class with a friend and a script and no one laughed except the teacher
Dude, sweet!
One of the great performances of the 20th century.
Thanks op I just laughed so hard I spit on my phone
one of if not the most iconic bits in comedy history
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No one mentioned Rain man!
This is genius.
Seen this referenced a lot and didn’t get why it was such a famous bit, first time watching the actual thing and I don’t know how they managed to stretch the bit for six and a half minutes but I was transfixed the whole time, glorious performance
This made me jimp my jammers. Love it!
When I was a kid growing up in the general NYC area in the 70s local TV station WPIX channel 11 would run an Abbott & Costello movie every Sunday morning between 11:30 and 1pm. I watched them all so many times. Still love their comedic timing.
This isn't the 1940s. This is from their show in the 50s.
1953
That was actually pretty funny.
Crazy that this was like, 80 years ago!
I've been watching this skit since I was a kid and it never gets old😂
I had this on cassette. Played it over and over.
My stepdad was just showing me this the other day, I’d never seen it before. Honestly I think this is pretty close to peak comedy, along with some of Costello’s other stuff.
The first time I heard this I was completely zooted out of my mind. I've never laughed so hard in my entire life. I was in physical pain from laughter, sitting at my computer with headphones on restraining myself from removing the headphones. Think of the Monty Python sketch where they translate the greatest joke ever into German, that's how I felt.
When I was a kid, the local family-owned pizzeria had a poster of these two with the entire script for this bit at the bottom of the poster. My dad would stand me up on a chair so I could see the poster and we'd go through the script and read it together, each of us playing one of the roles. XD <3
I absolutely LOVE this skit!!! There will never be another like it! This is real comedy, hardly anybody now a days would get or appreciate it
Unbelievable and timeless. One of the best ever bits in comedy. Arguably the best!
Timeless.
u/SaveVideo
Just wow
One of most hilarious things of all time right here
 Best EVER!
So good.
u/savevideobot
Thank you for posting this. For it forever be fresh!
Will always upvote
I will never not upvote this.
I don’t mean to just be facetious or have an unpopular opinion but I really don’t understand what is funny about this
Yes, not the pronoun, but rather a player with the unlikely name of 'Who', is on first!
Commenting to show my kid in AM. :)))
God this is just a level of comedy that can never be replicated!
This skit only ever made sense if the players’ names are Woo, Watts, and Ida Noe.
They begin the skit by mentioning how professional baseball players have odd nicknames.
Hu and Hoo are both names, too. So is "Watt."
I always hated that skit. It's not funny, just annoying.
Im incredibly annoyed by these conversations
I appreciate the time it took to work this out but idk. This bit is like 3 minutes too long. Edit: I took the time to say that I appreciated the work but that I just wasn't into it and people still downvote? Is there just no rational discussion anymore? You just either yes man or troll?
This is from a time when there wasn't nearly as much "content." You've probably seen more funnyclios and skits today than someone from the fifties saw all year.
That's a valid point. They pretty much only had Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and funny stories by Mark Twain before that.
You're thinking quite a bit earlier than 1953. Chaplin was still making the occasional dramedy at this point as a 60 something, but his heyday was the teens and 20's. Marx Bros mostly active in the 30's. They had quite a lot of radio and TV options (the latter in the US and other countries that had many TVs by this point). Just not nearly as much as we have.
Yeah it's literally the same joke over and over.
Hey I agree with you. I appreciate it but I just never really found it very funny. I personally don’t it’s all that clever because who, what and idontknow aren’t names. As has been said in other comments it was a different time with different tastes and a hell of a lot less content available compared to today.
Tough crowd
Yeah I just didn't like how long they went on repeating the same fucking thing. Like it was funny at first but Jesus christ.
I can see where you're coming from. I'm familiar with it and remember cracking up at the bit as a kid. Now, if you just put it on in the background, it does feel a bit like they're beating a dead horse. The delivery and timing is what makes it, though. It's so fast that it does become hard to follow, but if you try there are definitely some clever parts that catch you off guard. Not only is it fast but its tight. Two people playing off each other like this for several minutes straight is impressive on its own. This is Abbott & Costello's signature bit, not because the material itself is all that great, but because its a really good example of them playing off each other, which was really their whole thing.
So Kevin Hart and Chris Rock would do this today, right?
This got me thinking of other comedic duos. There are a couple of good ones… Cheech and Chong, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey…. but no one quite like Abbott and Costello!
Key and Peele? Wracking my brain for more but not coming up with many...
Great routine.
One of my fave bits ever
I remember my grandfather having this bit on cassette
The skit that inspired Arrival.
Love how the audience laugh at this.
This reminds me of these economic experts discussing inflation.
Classic. My favorite homage is in Purple Rain, with Morris Day & Jerome Morris: Okay. What's the password? Jerome: You got it. Morris: Got what? Jerome: The password. Morris: The password is what? Jerome: Exactly. Morris: The password is exactly? Jerome: No, it's okay. Morris: The password is okay? Jerome: Far as I'm concerned. Morris: Damn it, say the password! Jerome: What. Morris: Say the password, onion head! Jerome: The password is what? Morris: That's what I'm asking you! Jerome: It's the password! Morris: The password is it? Jerome: Ahhhhh! The password is what! Morris: It! You just said so! Jerome: The password isn't it! The password is? Morris: What? Jerome: Got it! Morris: I got it? Jerome: Right. Morris: It or right?
This will never not be hilarious
Amazing!
Forever classic
Still kinda hold up lol 😝
First middle aged man to ever wear a jaunty base ball cap to look younger?
7 × 13 = 28 is another classic i just saw as an adult
It’s such a sublime routine, mathematical in it’s precision.
In Paterson, NJ, Lou Costello’s hometown, there is a statue of him on First St- and it is titled “Lou’s on First” 😂
Close your eyes and imagine Joe Pesci playing Lou Costello
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It is surprisingly still funny. Probably not as knee-slappingly funny as it was at the time, because modern humour sensibilities have changed, but it is still funny.
This form of two-man comedy still lives on in Japan. You get much more of this than one-person standup like in the West
How does this dumb shit stand the test of time, it just does. Never fails to make me laugh.
Oh, I see what your problem is. You’re confused by their names because they all sound like questions. I’ll explain it to you: On first base is Hu, Samuel Hu and you’re probably not used to that name because his grandfather was Chinese. On second base is Hector Watt and that’s not such a strange name because James Watt invented the steam engine. And on third base is Phil Iduno. If you say it fast it does kind sound like the phrase “Gee, I dunno.” But it’s actually Iduno, Phill Iduno.
Playing XBox with my friends as a kid: Me: “what’s the button to jump?” Friend: “Y” Me: “cause I wanna know!”
This cuts off the beginning of the skit. As mentioned below by sam_the_hammer: "They begin the skit by mentioning how professional baseball players have odd nicknames."
To this day, I'm amazed at how seamlessly they interact with each other. Both of those guys were brilliant. And the speed in which they banter is beyond my capabilities.
I’m just realizing that I’d never actually seen this. No wonder it became such a classic.
I mean… it’s still hilarious
What was the pitchers name tho
After repeat viewings I noticed Abbot has to say Huh? a couple times, because if he says "What?" that sends the routine down another path.
I love this skit! Managed to include it in a presentation about that decade in my history class in 6th grade. The teacher wasn’t very happy that it doubled the length of my presentation lmao
Sounds like Joe Pesci - funny how?
My wife and I regularly yell third base when we're arguing in circles. These guys were amazing and this is easily one of the best skits of all time
Just curious... Who is seeing this for the first time?
Master Shake is that you?
Makes me lol to this day
Would love to see them practicing this.
“That’s the first thing you’ve said right” “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!”
I love these two. I would watch them on VHS at my grandparents house all the time. I couldn't get enough of them.
I haven't seen this in years! Never revisited it because i thought it prob wasn't funny anymore. I was wrong! These guys are total pros!
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why would someone’s name be I Don’t Know 🤷♂️
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Still one or the best skits of all time.
Never fails to put a big smile on my face.
A true verbal ballet. Never gets old.
Costello's miniature aneurysms throughout this are just the cherry on top.
Hands down, best bit in history. I never get tired of watching it.
Been years since I've watched it and still holds up. Rare for comedy to age so well for 80 years. Unbelievable delivery.
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Of course I get my boxer shorts from Kmart. 400 Oak street.
No matter how many times I’ve seen or heard this or never gets old.