Question about an old joke; The secret to comedy... Timing

Cafe Society
1

So I first saw this joke by Mel Brooks on a show in the 80’s, Carson I think. And I’m pretty sure I saw him say it in a older clip, 60’s or 70’s…

I eventually assumed it was an old Vaudeville-Catskills era joke.

Lately I have been seeing people attribute it to people much more recent. Which made me curious, is there any definitive source about the origination of this joke?

ETA: maybe to make it more clear, a quick example.

Joker: What made me famous was learning the secret to comedy.
Straight Man: The secret to comedy?
Joker, Yes ,The secret to Comedy!
SM: What is the Secre…
Joker: (interrupting yelling) TIMING!!!

Not sure that makes it more clear when a joke is involved.

2

I first heard it on one of Steve Martin’s comedy albums from the mid-'70s.

3

Believe it or not, that exact joke is mentioned in a Wikipedia article about a Rowan Atkinson sketch from 1980.

I remember a guy I worked with who thought that was the funniest joke in the world and would throw it in any chance he could. That puts it at least in the 1975-1978 era. My WAG is that if Mel Brooks told it, it certainly dates back to at least the Catskills/Vaudeville era. And if Rowan Atkinson was telling exactly the same joke at the same time in England, it probably goes back at least to the English music hall era. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in some discarded Shakespeare manuscript.

4

I have to admit that in Jr. High was me, which is one of the reasons why it stuck with me. Although it would take me many more years to encounter, and understand, the term “Meta humor”, it was the recursive , self-referential aspect of that type of joke that blew my mind at the time.

5

Polonius: Therefore, since brevity is the soul of…

Queen: Timing.

6

You win the internet for the day. Someone bring in the crown for @don_t_ask !

7

Steve Martin modified it pretty heavily, though. (I had a few of his albums practically memorized back then)

8

I saw Dudley Moore use it on Dick Cavett in a 1971 broadcast. FWIW, Moore didn’t shout “Timing”, just said it matter-of-factly.

9

I don’t have anything to add as to the origin.

I once set the joke up to my sons as we drove to a restaurant. When we finished our meal I said “timing”.

10

Once upon a time, Trying to be romantic with a beautiful woman…
Then things slowed down and got awkward…
I yelled “Timing!!!”
She didn’t get the joke.

Yeah that never actually happened, but I did think of that joke 30 years ago…

11

I thought it was Buddy Hackett that told this joke on Carson. Can’t find a clip of it online, though; did find the duck joke, which is a classic.