KNOCK KNOCK! WHO’S THERE? THE WACKY EVOLUTION OF THE KNOCK-KNOCK JOKE
Knock knock! Who’s there? Theresa. Theresa who? Theresa crowd!
Not very funny, is it? Well, over the years this style of back-and- forth jesting evolved into knock-knock jokes. The popularity of the “knock knock” bit of the joke could harken back to Shakespeare, who BestLife credits with “the first-known occurrence of a knock knock, who’s-there dialogue” in Act 2 of “Macbeth” (though it likely wasn’t intended to be funny), or it could be a reference to 1936 vice presidential hopeful Frank Knox, whose name made “knock knock” irresistible wordplay for the radio. Whatever the reason, knock knocks were all the rage in the 1930s, to the extent that people formed knock-knock clubs, businesses held knock-knock contests, and orchestras set them to music. However, the heyday was short-lived. In the following years, people started getting sick of knock knocks, and even psychologists turned against them. According to NPR, “People who loved knock-knock jokes were said to have social problems.” Today, knock-knock jokes are still around, but they’re mostly considered a game for kids or demoted to the realm of “bad dad jokes.” Maybe you think that’s warranted, maybe you think it’s tragic — either way, odds are the format will continue to evolve and probably outlive us all!
Unless you’re living under a rock, odds are you’ve laughed, grumbled, or groaned in response to a knock-knock joke. You may have even told a few yourself before you realized knock-knock jokes had gone out of style in favor of sarcasm and memes. That’s because at their core, knock-knock jokes are a quintessential American experience — and the perfect homegrown fodder for International Joke Day, which falls on July 1. But where did they come from, and why do so many people knock the knock-knock joke today? Well, according to NPR, knock-knock jokes have had a roller coaster of a history. Near as we can tell, they actually evolved from another kind of joke: the “Do You Know” joke. This style of joke was popular in the early 1900s, and according to an Oakland Tribune article NPR dug up, this was a typical one:
Do you know Arthur? Arthur who? Arthurmometer!
THE FIRST OF 5 MOST NOTABLE YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA SPORTS
Throughout sports history in Philadelphia, there are five years that stand out in particular as the best and busiest. The first of these years was 1976, and as Sports Philadelphia states, it was arguably the busiest year in all of the state’s sporting history. Within an 11-week period, the Spectrum hosted not just one high-profile game, but four. The Flyers-Red Army, the NHL All-Star, the NBA All-Star, and the NCAA Final Four games all took place in the indoor arena, topping off the bicentennial celebration of our nation’s birthplace. The Spectrum remains one of the only venues to host both NBA and NHL games under one roof during the same season. 1976 also marks the year in which the Phillies made it into the postseason, a first in 26 years, and went on to win three division crowns. However, not everything that year was positive. In January of 1976, the Spectrum’s reputation as “the cradle of licensed muggings” was cemented during one tention-charged game. When Philadelphia Flyers team member Ed Van Impe collided with Soviet Red Army star Valeri Khalamov, the game was brought to an uncomfortable and abrupt halt. The Soviet teams’
coach, Konstantin Loktev, argued that a penalty should have been called for the hit. Impe said, “I hit him on the side of the head with my shoulder. It was perfectly legal,” and the referees agreed. Coach Loktev, however, was not convinced. Once it became clear there was to be no penalty, he signaled to his team and brought all his players back into the locker room. The Spectrum certainly helps 1976 stand out as an important year — bad reputations and good seasons included. While the indoor arena is no longer standing today, Philadelphia sports fans will forever cherish the many memorable games that took place within its walls.
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