Knock knock jokes feel like they’ve always existed - but the truth is they exploded almost overnight during the 1930s and became one of the biggest joke crazes in American history. In this episode, Michael Kent explores the surprising origins of the knock knock joke, how a Broadway song helped spark the fad, why newspapers complained about them, and how the format survived nearly a century of comedy trends. Then we chat with Comedian Jonathan Burns!
Who’s There? The Origins of a Classic Joke