# Gags through repetition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852 "2019-08-18T22:26:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/61 "2019-08-19T22:26:46Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Laugh-In_ used this as a stock-in-trade. > > “Sock it to me.” > > “is that a chicken joke?” > > “Very interesting.” > > “One ringy dingy. Two ringy dingies…” > > “And that’s the truth. \” > > “Fickle finger of fate.” > > “Beautiful downtown Burbank.”" > > “Here comes the judge.” “You bet your sweet bippy.” “Put that in your Funk & Wagnalls.” “Say goodnight, Dick.” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/62 "2019-08-19T22:34:17Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I’m not sure if the OP is asking for running gags _per se_, or simply for lines repeated for comedic effect. Both’ll do. Manuel in Fawlty Towers: “But Mr. Fawlty - I _LEARN_” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/63 "2019-08-19T22:47:27Z")
“[Hello - ‘The Muppet Show’ backstage.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LwMZHrRG0I)” ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/64 "2019-08-19T22:54:35Z")
Phrasing! Wait, I had something for this. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/65 "2019-08-19T23:04:29Z")
Jack Benny was a champion of the repeated gag. He found many ways to mine the stinginess of his radio and TV character. “Your money or your life” is the best-known example. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/66 "2019-08-20T00:21:17Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > There’s a comedy sketch called [_Dinner for One_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner_for_One), which is basically eight lines of dialogue repeated for 18 minutes. > > For some reason, it is (or was) extremely popular in Germany. I had never heard of this sketch before this past new year’s, which I spent on a National Geographic cruise ship in Antarctica, and the French trip guide insisted we all watch it with him. It was hilarious. When I watched the Wire, there was a scene that stood out to me in the first season. It’s terrible and tragic, and decidedly not safe for work, partly because of tragic nudity and partly because of terrible violence, but also because of a particular word. [Jimmy and Bunk discuss a crime scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at8FUPwlIYM) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/67 "2019-08-20T00:26:26Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Jack Benny was a champion of the repeated gag. He found many ways to mine the stinginess of his radio and TV character. “Your money or your life” is the best-known example. Or his repeated encounters with Frank Nelson as a retail worker. “Yesssss? Can I help you?” And his routine with Mel Blanc as Cy the Mexican. “What’s your name?” “Cy.” “Cy?” “Sí.” ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/68 "2019-08-20T00:32:28Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Closer, but still incorrect. It’s “Put ze candle beck!” (No “stick.”) First time: “Put the candle back!” Second time: “Don’t put the candle back.” Last time: “Put ze candle beck!” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sO3qJGKs9gw/hqdefault.jpg "Put the Candle back!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO3qJGKs9gw) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/69 "2019-08-20T00:38:04Z")
Family Guy: Peter attempts to dispose of a dead frog, over and over: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oN6Wja7_RDQ/hqdefault.jpg "Family Guy: Bullfrog") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN6Wja7_RDQ) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/70 "2019-08-20T00:38:48Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > I’d buy that for a dollar! Nice one! ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/71 "2019-08-20T00:43:34Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > I’d buy that for a dollar! Okay, still a good one, but I thought the reference was to the sci-fi short story, “The Marching Morons,” where it’s “I’d buy that for a quarter!” Robocop accounted for inflation. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/72 "2019-08-20T01:43:24Z")
“Assistant Regional Manager…” “Assistant _to the_ Regional Manager.” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/73 "2019-08-20T01:48:38Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > When I watched the Wire, there was a scene that stood out to me in the first season. It’s terrible and tragic, and decidedly not safe for work, partly because of tragic nudity and partly because of terrible violence, but also because of a particular word. > > [Jimmy and Bunk discuss a crime scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at8FUPwlIYM) While one could debate the comedic merits of the repeated f-bombs, the scene itself was not intended to be funny. I’m looking for more in the humorous direction. “No time to lose” - Monty Python The Larch ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/74 "2019-08-20T01:56:24Z")
Are you having a laugh? ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/75 "2019-08-20T01:58:56Z")
I am not sure this qualifies exactly but… [ul] [li]Here’s your sign[/li][/ul] //i\ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/76 "2019-08-20T03:03:31Z")
From the Addams Family: “You rang?” “Follow me.” “Tish! You spoke French!” “I’ll shoot 'em in the back!” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/77 "2019-08-20T03:59:21Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There was a comedian years ago, whose act when I saw it (on HBO) consisted of him pretending to channel his mother. He repeated the following, over and over, for the full duration of the time I watched him. > [ul][li]He was like a crazy person![/ul][/li][ul][li]You’ll put your eye out![/ul][/li][ul]We’re big pants people![/ul]Over and over and over. > > If it was intended to become humorous thru repetition, it didn’t work. > > Regards, > Shodan Sounds like Kevin Meany. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IC4\_\_nBya0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IC4__nBya0) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/78 "2019-08-20T04:02:35Z")
[“What does a yellow light mean?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HvmtbZzA40) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/79 "2019-08-20T04:22:09Z")
From _Futurama_: “Good news, everyone!” “Bite my shiny metal ass!” “Sweet \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ of \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_!” From _ALF_: “No problem!” Also, ALF keeps trying to eat the cat. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2019, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852/80 "2019-08-20T05:07:42Z")
[quote=“jnglmassiv, post:69, topic:838852”] Family Guy: Peter attempts to dispose of a dead frog, over and over: [/QUOTE] No, no. The Family Guy one has got to be this… [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Hbh3HDekM) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gags-through-repetition/838852.md?page=5)