# Is “Yakety Sax” inherently funny, or are we just conditioned into considering it funny by Benny Hill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 7, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942 "2020-11-07T00:37:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/81 "2020-11-15T01:59:14Z")
Poor Alex. 😢 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9yB0I9HQ14E/hqdefault.jpg "Mundharmonika Quartett Austria - Yakety Sax") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yB0I9HQ14E) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/82 "2020-11-15T04:20:12Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/X_sVrg1pGX0/maxresdefault.jpg "The Hobbit - Orc Chase to Benny Hill Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_sVrg1pGX0) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2020, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/83 "2020-11-15T04:52:54Z")
Loved that one! ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/84 "2020-11-16T13:18:40Z")
Once again - you surpass yourself. 😄 And on a side note - holy shit those harmonics are HUGE!! ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/85 "2020-11-16T20:12:00Z")
I knew that song as The Lorenzo Stomp from The Lorenzo Cartoon Show of the 1960s. Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/86 "2020-11-17T00:18:53Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > Once again - you surpass yourself. 😄 > > And on a side note - holy shit those harmonics are HUGE!! I’ve never seen such big harmonicas. > [@MikeF](#): > > I knew that song as The Lorenzo Stomp from The Lorenzo Cartoon Show of the 1960s. Anyone else? Didn’t sound familiar, so I looked it up. I found this. I’m guessing this isn’t Lorenzo. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z3a3LWoQN1w/hqdefault.jpg "The Lorenzo Stomp") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3a3LWoQN1w) ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/87 "2020-11-17T05:23:49Z")
Yes, it started as a local Baltimore kids show on WJZ, channel 13, with Gerry Wheeler in the title role. I remember it, and was actually in the studio audience for one show, when I was 7 or 8 (early-mid 1960s). I just found [this item](http://crabcitykidstv.com/13-4.html) (scroll down past the picture). I didn’t know that it was later syndicated by Westinghouse. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/88 "2020-11-19T01:35:31Z")
> [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > I am not remotely musical so apologies if this is obvious, is Yakety Sax a challanging piece to play well for a competent player? Is it something that if you can play well it admits you to the hall of fame? I finally got around to asking my son about this. He played saxophone for years and was a music major in college. He opined that on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being the top saxophonists in the world, Yakety Sax is a 3.5 or higher, particularly at the tempo Boots Randolph used. (Boots was a 5 as a saxophonist, of course, so a 3.5 was a tossoff for him.) My son also said it’s inherently funny. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/89 "2020-11-21T04:35:57Z")
May the farce be with you. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wvUkP0Qn3LY/maxresdefault.jpg "Star Wars Episode II Benny Hill Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUkP0Qn3LY) ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/90 "2020-11-21T13:39:29Z")
The best motto to have in life: over-promise and then over-deliver!! Of course there is then this ☹: > **[The Benny Hill Theme Music May Be Playing Under Trump’s Election Lawsuits,...](https://slate.com/podcasts/amicus/2020/11/trolling-the-election-rudy-and-lindsey-and-donald)** > > America is going to need democratic rehab. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/91 "2020-11-22T04:30:05Z")
https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Iw8sfRQmV0?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLUEPP0CJMVUXjopF7Ukxcx1pSDo-Y4x6e [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8YdtJzK69y8/maxresdefault.jpg "Yakety Surf Wax ( Yakety Sax / Yakety Axe surf guitar cover )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YdtJzK69y8) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/92 "2020-11-23T01:31:10Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yUTgA0hgxe0/maxresdefault.jpg "Awakefest Vs Yakety Sax (Benny Hill Theme)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUTgA0hgxe0) ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/93 "2020-11-23T13:28:34Z")
You’re on fire! 👍 👍 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/94 "2020-11-24T04:30:01Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kYfibSaDHrM/hqdefault.jpg "Star Wars Spoof Battle With Benny Hill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfibSaDHrM) ---
**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:** [November 24, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/95 "2020-11-24T04:59:13Z")
This is a good place to post that SCTV tribute to the Benny Hill Show and Hill Street Blues. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2-CkrK6tRA) ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/96 "2020-11-24T14:53:37Z")
One of the best yet!! You continue to surpass all expectations! @cochrane - there can never be too much second city. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/97 "2020-11-24T15:17:26Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LUYbu5DJA1U/hqdefault.jpg "Orange County Police Car Chase - Benny Hill Themed") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUYbu5DJA1U) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/98 "2020-11-24T16:01:18Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > The implication is that the tune is now irretrievably linked to Benny Hill in the popular mind just as the 1812 overture is (was?) linked to the Lone Ranger. > > Nitpick: the theme tune of _The Lone Ranger_ is an extract from Rossini’s _William Tell Overture_ . Tchaikovsky’s _1812 Overture_ is a rather different piece 🙂. Am I the only person on this board that has had The William Tell Overture “ruined” by A Clockwork Orange? (tried to find a YouTube video of it, but for some reason, they don’t seem to want to show an orgy in fast motion to WTO). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/99 "2020-11-24T16:15:04Z")
[To me, the 1812 Overture will always be tied to Quaker Cereals.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bn1IYlKiZk) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bn1IYlKiZk) And believe it or not, [there is such a thing as a “puffing gun”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OoiACNV_tU) for cereal. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942/100 "2020-11-24T18:21:08Z")
Ref the car chase. They edited the heck out that to make it fit the music, but it was awesome nevertheless. That woman was a darn good stunt driver. And that car did far better than I expected for the type. If I never need to make a run for it, that Scion toaster might a good choice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-yakety-sax-inherently-funny-or-are-we-just-conditioned-into-considering-it-funny-by-benny-hill/924942.md?page=6)