Knock-knock joke

A knock-knock joke is a special kind of pun that always starts with someone saying, "Knock-knock!" and then someone else asking, "Who's there?"

The basic format is as follows:

Joke-Teller: "Knock-knock!"

Joke-Hearer: "Who's there?"

Teller: "[name or word]"

Hearer: "[name or word] who?"

Teller: "[answer]"

Knock-knock jokes come from "do you know?" jokes in the 1900s and became very popular in the 1930s.

Example

An example of a knock-knock joke is:

Kenny: "Knock knock!"

Lenny: "Who's there?"

Kenny: "Wire!"

Lenny: "Wire who?"

Kenny: "Wire you asking me that question?"

Popular culture

"Knock knock" was the catchphrase of music hall performer Wee Georgie Wood, who was recorded in 1936 saying it in a radio play, but he simply used the words as a reference to his surname and did not use it as part of the well-known joke formula. The format was well known in the UK and US in the 1950s and 1960s before falling out of favor.

Knock-knock jokes have been used by Mr. Moose from Captain Kangaroo.