Greetings,
I’m asking for help in finding the origin of the tongue-in-cheek comeback, “Thank you, they’re my mother’s” to someone commenting on a body part of yours.
For example: a friend notices my boney knees for the first time, and teases, “Hey, nice knees.” My reply: “Thank you, they’re my mother’s.” – a humorous reference to what may be inherited body feature.
My Google search for the comeback only references an episode of The Big Bang Theory (S04/E02), where Sheldon uses it as a comeback to Penny’s remark, as in my above example. However, I’m sure the origin goes back many decades, as I first heard my mom use it back in the 1970s (she was born in the late 1920s). My guess is it originated in an old movie comedy, but I can’t seem to nail it down.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Thank you.