What are ya aksing me for?

July 28, 2006 2:49 AM

Who's on first? The classic sketch from Abbott and Costello available for all to see on youtube. Many others have done the sketch since, or a variation of it, such as Slappy the Squirrel, Yoda and JarJar and World of Warcraft.Previously discussed
posted by TwoWordReview (20 comments total)

I had been looking for this (the A&C original) on video a few months ago and found the same clip. It seems this is the only one available on the interweb (for now, anyway). When I was a kid I remember seeing several different versions. This one was obviously done later in their careers and they seem to be ad-libbing a lot...actually they were probably bored silly with it at that point. Other versions are better done than this.

\good FPP, tho
posted by zardoz at 3:25 AM on July 28, 2006

This shows that good comedy never gets old.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:42 AM on July 28, 2006

See, for me this is an example of how YouTube links can make for a good FPP if the poster puts a little time into making it interesting. I enjoyed this, TwoWordReview.
posted by scarylarry at 3:55 AM on July 28, 2006

I dunno... a squirrel with a giant peace symbol necklace? Among those who really know squirrels, who would believe it?
posted by squirrel at 7:21 AM on July 28, 2006

Among those who really know squirrels, who would believe it?

Naturally.
posted by edverb at 7:29 AM on July 28, 2006

Somewhere I have on tape what I consider to be the definitive version. I don't know where it originally came from, but it was used to close out the compilation film, The World of Abbott and Costello.
posted by evilcolonel at 7:36 AM on July 28, 2006

Third base, obviously.
posted by Chuckles at 8:00 AM on July 28, 2006

Another Abbott & Costello version.
posted by Chuckles at 8:16 AM on July 28, 2006

And then there is the first Who on, but that would be a different post.
posted by Chuckles at 8:18 AM on July 28, 2006

I would assert that there is no definitive version, because A & C did the routine so many times, never exactly the same way.

My most recent viewing of this sketch was at a summer camp a couple weeks ago, performed by two 12-year-olds. While their timing and delivery were not comparable to Abbott and Costello's, there was an undeniable comedy in seeing the "Costello" kid, who hadn't memorized the routine as well as he thought (backtalk sketches are extra hard to memorize because of all the repetition, natch), take off on the wrong branch, realize his error and try to find his way back to the actual spot they were supposed to be at in the dialogue. Hey, ya takes yer comedy where ya can find it, no?
posted by soyjoy at 8:29 AM on July 28, 2006

Among those who really know squirrels, who would believe it?

It's even more ironic if you know Slappy.

Y: Ahh, excuse me, is this the Baghdad Cafe?
SH: No! Who are you?
Y:(singing) We're the Warner Brothers,
We like to sing a lot.
My name's Yakko,
W: My name's Wakko,
YW: And her's our sister...
S: (reading the Script) Slappy. I'm the cute one. I don't get it.

posted by lodurr at 8:58 AM on July 28, 2006

The WoW version (that is, the audio of it) is really great. I'd never heard that version and I laughed. It sounds like it might be earlier.
posted by The Bellman at 8:59 AM on July 28, 2006

Some classmates and I translated it into Latin once for a latin club dinner sketch. We closed it with me waddling on stage dolled up like Groucho and intoning "Ille est infacetissimus res audivi umquam!"
posted by lodurr at 9:00 AM on July 28, 2006

It's a brilliant sketch. I saw it done by a couple of guys in high school for a talent show and it was refreshing compared to a lot of current stand up.
posted by raedyn at 9:08 AM on July 28, 2006

Some classmates and I translated it into Latin once for a latin club dinner sketch.

There simply is no percentage in being a geek anymore.

/me wanders off dispiritedly.
posted by baylink at 10:23 AM on July 28, 2006

I remember a version of it two of the kids on the seventies TV show "Eight is Enough" did substituting the bands The Who, Yes, and The Band for the ball players. I thought it was pretty clever, in fact pretty much the high point of the entire series. Can't seem to find anything about it online, though.
posted by TedW at 11:55 AM on July 28, 2006

So the Animaniacs were doing an homage to 8 is enough? I don't know whether that's cool or sad.
posted by lodurr at 12:59 PM on July 28, 2006

Nononononono.

The first Rock & Roll version of "Who's on First" was done in 1975 by The Credibility Gap featuring Harry Shearer and David L. 'Squiggy' Lander (second link on page, Real audio, blame Shearer, not me).
posted by wendell at 1:35 PM on July 28, 2006

Oh, and in the Cred Gap version, they use The Who, Guess Who and Yes.
posted by wendell at 1:36 PM on July 28, 2006

I'll sleep better tonight, Wendell. Really. Thank you.

It's not that I hate 8 is Enough. It's just that...well... it makes me want to crawl into a dark corner with a case of Rolling Rock and drink myself into a stupor.
posted by lodurr at 2:19 PM on July 28, 2006