# What’s the origin of this comedy shtick, and what is it supposed to mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767 "2007-04-04T20:47:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/1 "2007-04-04T20:47:09Z")
Letterman has been doing this particular shtick of late, probably in imitation of some of the old time comics. It consists of following the punch line with placement of the palm, fingers together and pointed downward, against one’s side above the waistline accompanied by a very slight raising of the shoulder on the same side. Does anyone know who originated this move and what it was supposed to mean? ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/2 "2007-04-04T20:49:50Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Letterman has been doing this particular shtick of late, probably in imitation of some of the old time comics. It consists of following the punch line with placement of the palm, fingers together and pointed downward, against one’s side above the waistline accompanied by a very slight raising of the shoulder on the same side. Does anyone know who originated this move and what it was supposed to mean? [/QUOTE] Isn’t that a play on Ed Sullivan? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/3 "2007-04-04T21:59:02Z")
Dunno about Ed Sullivan, but it conjures an image of the Church Lady for me. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/4 "2007-04-04T22:26:47Z")
It doesn’t **mean** anything. That’s the beauty of it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/5 "2007-04-04T22:45:02Z")
Isn’t it him saying “it’s so funny, his sides will split”? I kind of thought it was that, though now I think about it, I’m probably way off. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/6 "2007-04-04T23:39:43Z")
Jack Benny? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/7 "2007-04-05T16:50:12Z")
Is he about to break into a verse of “I’m a Little Teapot”? ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/8 "2007-04-05T18:17:54Z")
I have a mental image of Henny Youngman or Jackie Mason doing this, but I’m not sure. That’s why I posted this question. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/9 "2007-04-05T19:33:37Z")
As I recall, Letterman’s been doing some sort of post punchline-rimshot accent move for years, it just varies as to the actual action. Years ago it was a sort of horizontal air punch toward Paul & the band. I don’t know if his current move means anything, other than being a silly move just for the sake of it. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/10 "2007-04-05T20:15:45Z")
[QUOTE=Zakalwe] Isn’t that a play on Ed Sullivan? [/QUOTE] Now that you mention it, that arms akimbo stance brings back memories of Sullivan. Because he broadcasts from the Ed Sullivan theater? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/11 "2007-04-05T20:18:36Z")
[QUOTE=McNew] As I recall, Letterman’s been doing some sort of post punchline-rimshot accent move for years, it just varies as to the actual action. Years ago it was a sort of horizontal air punch toward Paul & the band. I don’t know if his current move means anything, other than being a silly move just for the sake of it. [/QUOTE] Giloooooly. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/12 "2007-04-05T21:17:42Z")
He’s imitating Jeff Giloooooly? Wouldn’t that involve whacking somebody across the knees? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/13 "2007-04-05T23:49:12Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] He’s imitating Jeff Giloooooly? Wouldn’t that involve whacking somebody across the knees? [/QUOTE] No, I was referring to the way he used to insert “Gilooly” or “Buttafuoco” into his monologues for a cheap laugh. Not the same thing, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/14 "2007-04-06T01:40:58Z")
Ed Sullivan kinda seems right. ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/15 "2007-04-06T17:34:45Z")
Ed Sullivan looked like he had his shoulders hunched up toward his ears and his arms held close to his sides. I don’t ever recall seeing him do this move. It’s a comic’s move; Sullivan was not a comic. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-the-origin-of-this-comedy-shtick-and-what-is-it-supposed-to-mean/398767/16 "2007-04-06T17:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=jebert] Ed Sullivan looked like he had his shoulders hunched up toward his ears and his arms held close to his sides. I don’t ever recall seeing him do this move. It’s a comic’s move; Sullivan was not a comic. [/QUOTE] I nominate this as understatement of the week. My take on it is just that it’s another of Letterman’s efforts to create something out of whole cloth. His attempts at catchphrases, like “in my pants” for example, are mostly for the silliness and can’t really be analyzed beyond the absurdity involved. If there’s a deeper meaning or some arcane reference to some old schtick, I would be surprised. I see it as _gimmick du jour_ pretty much the way that the gal bringing him food while he’s doing the intro to the show is a gimmick that he’ll try to run into the ground. I, for one, have quit laughing at “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches” except for whatever they’ve done to the JFK footage. I realized long ago that GWB is no orator.