Buzz
Remember the first joke you ever learned to tell? Chances are it began with the familiar words: Knock knock. (And, let’s be honest, it probably wasn’t all that funny.) You might have thought you were the originator of the pun, but its roots go back much, much further. Here’s a quick overview of its history…
1. THE BARD ENTERS IN 1606.
Although the exact origin of the knock-knock joke is unclear, many scholars trace it back to the second act of Shakespeare’s Macbeth—written around 1606—making it the earliest known example. The joke appears when a drunken porter is awakened by a man knocking at the door of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s castle.
2. CHILDREN PLAY IN 1929.
In his 1929 book, The Games of Children: Their Origin and History, Henry Bett discusses the knock-knock joke as part of a children’s game called Buff, where one child would tap a stick while saying “Knock knock,” and the other would respond with “Who’s there?”
3. WRITERS CATCH ON IN 1934.
In 1934, a newspaper columnist included the following (not-so-hilarious) joke in a story, marking the first appearance of the knock-knock joke in popular media:
Knock knock. Who's there? Rufus. Rufus who? Rufus the most important part of your house.
4. WHAT’S THIS TURNS TO WHO’S THERE IN 1936.
By 1936, the knock-knock joke had gained widespread popularity. It had become so well-known that an Associated Press article about its rise appeared in the August 3rd edition of the Titusville Herald. Titled “‘Knock Knock’ Latest Nutsy Game for Parlor Amusement,” the piece discussed how the phrase “What’s this?” was replaced by “Knock, knock” as the go-to setup for this parlor game. “Gone, apparently, are the days when the more serious-minded settled down to a concentrated spar with jigsaw puzzles, anagrams, intelligence tests, and similar intellectual pursuits,” the author lamented.
5. RAMROD DANK INVENTED IT IN 1936.
On December 30, 1936, humorist and radio host Fred Allen presented a recap of the year’s biggest events, which included an interview with the fictional Ramrod Dank, whom he introduced as “The first man to coin a knock knock.”
6. KNOCK KNOCK GOES INTERNATIONAL IN 1953.
By the 1950s, the knock-knock joke had become a global phenomenon, spreading across English-speaking countries (England, Ireland, Australia, Canada) and beyond (France, Belgium, India). In France, the joke began with “Toc-Toc,” often ending with a song title as the punchline. In Afrikaans and Dutch, it’s “Klop-klop,” while in Korean and Japanese, it’s “Kon-kon.” In Spanish, the joke tends to rhyme. In 1953, a popular variation in South Africa among schoolchildren was the following:
Knock, knock! Who's there? Delores. Delores who? Delores my shepherd.
7. LAUGH-IN DOES KNOCK-KNOCK IN 1968.
Knock-knock jokes became a key part of the humor on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, making their way into the very first season of the iconic sketch comedy show that ran for six seasons.
8. GEORGE ZIMMERMAN’S LAWYER GETS IN ON THE FUN IN 2013.
“At some risk to myself… I’d like to share a small joke,” George Zimmerman’s attorney, Don West, said to the jury during his opening statements. He then proceeded to deliver the following punchline:
Knock-knock. Who's there? George Zimmerman. George Zimmerman who? Alright good. You're on the jury.
The response to the “joke” could only have been rivaled by the sound of silence—crickets would have been a better reception.
