# Which 60's comic asked "Why Not?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 26, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497 "2003-06-26T13:24:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/1 "2003-06-26T13:24:49Z")

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I have tried (not lately) several times to Google out the name of the comic who appeared on various variety shows in the 60’s whose most memorable line was “Why not?”

He wore glasses and would point into the air while standing behind a lectern. Dean Martin’s show, The Smothers Brothers show, maybe others.

I know it wasn’t Prof. Erwin Corey, Stanley Myron Handelman, but the act had features in common with those guys.

Anybody remember this?

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**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:** [June 26, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/2 "2003-06-26T13:36:51Z")

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That’d be Pat Paulsen in many of his editorials on the “Smothers Brothers Show” and especially his reasoning behind running for president.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/3 "2003-06-26T13:38:43Z")

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Not Paulsen, although his schtick may have used that line on occasion. This was somebody else.

Thick lens glasses. Slicked back hair.

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**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/4 "2003-06-26T13:46:00Z")

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I have to agree with **dropzone** here - it was Pat Paulsen, and the pause followed by a slightly confused “…wht not?” was his trademark phrase during his presidential runs.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/5 "2003-06-26T14:59:41Z")

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I’m not saying that Paulsen didn’t use the expression, but the guy I’m trying to identify wasn’t Paulsen. Paulsen was famous. This guy wasn’t on that many shows and wasn’t anything like famous. Obscure, maybe.

It just bothers me that I haven’t been able to find out his name, since I was able to locate the “You doesn’t has to call me Johnson” comic who probably contributed ONLY that line/bit to the honor role of comedy.

There is at least one other comic besides Paulsen who used that bit.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-60s-comic-asked-why-not/184497/6 "2003-06-26T15:01:15Z")

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In case you’ve seen Ernie Kovacs’s bit with Percy Dovetonsils, this guy’s glasses were a lot like that.