# Smock, smock, smock . . .
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 6, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930 "2009-06-06T15:51:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/1 "2009-06-06T15:51:02Z")
This morning, my wife was showing off some snazzy new blouses she had bought herself this week. One of the blouses had a little pleat in front, and I said, “That kind of looks like a smock.” At exactly the same time, we both said, “[Smock, smock, smock, smock, smock, smock!](http://www.dontknockmysmock.com/)”
Everyone once in a while, my wife reminds me why I love her.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/2 "2009-06-06T15:53:33Z")
When I read the title my first thought was of an oozy creature creeping down a stone-floored corridor.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/3 "2009-06-06T15:58:36Z")
Mr Smock.
The sloppy cousin of Mr Spock.
He’s Starfleet’s disgrace, you know.
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/4 "2009-06-06T16:01:43Z")
I knew what the thread would be about, I love that C & H. I often say “smock, smock, smock…” just because it’s fun to say.
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### Author:  [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/5 "2009-06-06T16:34:01Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#):
>
> Everyone once in a while, my wife reminds me why I love her.
“You can tell the quality of the artist by the quality of his smock.”
Ye g-ds, I miss that strip.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/6 "2009-06-06T17:34:48Z")
Steve Allen used, smock,smock, smock as a catch phrase as he liked to play with words and sounds.He was the Tonite show host a couple decades ago.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/7 "2009-06-06T17:44:50Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> Steve Allen used, smock,smock, smock as a catch phrase as he liked to play with words and sounds.He was the Tonite show host a couple decades ago.
Couple of decades? 😃
Tonight Show 1954-1957
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/8 "2009-06-06T18:12:54Z")
I have been learning to smock (that is, embroider over pleated fabric) and every time I get it out, I have to say “smock smock smock!”
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### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/9 "2009-06-07T21:48:39Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Steve Allen used, smock,smock, smock as a catch phrase as he liked to play with words and sounds.He was the Tonite show host a couple decades ago.
Thank You!
I’ve wondered where that phrase came from for _ages_. They used it in a panel of the Mad magazine parody of the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds”, and it came completely out of left field, with no explanation, and its been bugging me ever since.
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/10 "2009-06-07T22:10:13Z")
Steve Allen pronounced it more like _schmock_ than the way we pronounce the blouse form.
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### Author:  [@NRichards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NRichards)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/11 "2009-06-08T04:14:01Z")
That comic strip just made me REALLY happy 🙂 Thank you!
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### Author:  [@Red\_Sam\_Rackham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Sam_Rackham)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/12 "2017-03-21T15:55:23Z")
**Years ago Steve Allen explained that he came up with the SMOCK SMOCK catch-phrase after realizing that he couldn’t say Shmuck on TV.**
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### Author:  [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/13 "2017-03-21T16:47:11Z")
I didn’t have to click the (zombie) link… that’s one of my favorites. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/14 "2017-03-21T20:39:43Z")
> [@samclem](#):
>
> Steve Allen pronounced it more like _schmock_ than the way we pronounce the blouse form.
Yep, he [spelled](https://www.amazon.com/Schmock-Schmock-Steve-Allen/dp/038509664X)it that way, too.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/15 "2017-03-21T20:49:26Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> Thank You!
> I’ve wondered where that phrase came from for _ages_. They used it in a panel of the Mad magazine parody of the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds”, and it came completely out of left field, with no explanation, and its been bugging me ever since.
Then you probably remember that Dave Garro(run)way signed off his show with “…Vootie!”
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### Author:  [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/16 "2017-03-21T21:01:44Z")
[Let’s go spelunking](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ae/dd/69/aedd69666e605cdceeb351de26547e66.jpg)
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### Author:  [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smock-smock-smock/498930/17 "2017-03-22T01:52:45Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#):
>
> Yep, he [spelled](https://www.amazon.com/Schmock-Schmock-Steve-Allen/dp/038509664X)it that way, too.
How’s your fern?