From street performers in ancient Greece to the stand-up comedians of today, telling a great joke never gets old. Here’s a look back at where some popular styles of joke got their start.
Knock-knock jokes first appeared during the American prohibition era of the 1930s, when people had to knock on the door to get into a speakeasy. Drunk patrons often had fun with this, and thus the knock-knock joke was born.
“Knock, knock.” “Who’s there?” “Tank.” “Tank who?” “You’re welcome.”
The snappy five-line poem known as the limerick came into the spotlight in the 1800s, but few realize its unexpected origin in the 12th century. Italian friar Thomas Aquinas is credited with penning a few lines of prayer in a format similar to the modern poem we know and love.
What makes a limerick? You must follow a strict set of rules. Lines 1, 2 and 5 must contain eight or nine syllables each, and their last words must rhyme. Lines 3 and 4 must contain five or six syllables each, and their last words must rhyme.
There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
But his daughter, named Nan,
Ran away with a man,
And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
The chicken joke, a school-yard staple for decades, also enjoys a lengthy history. It first appeared in 1847 in a New York magazine called The Knickerbocker, with the original undergoing many transformations since then.
Here are some favourite variations:
Why did the chicken go to the seance? To get to the other side.
Why did the duck cross the road? To prove he wasn't chicken!
Why did the rubber chicken cross the road? She wanted to stretch her legs.
