Abbott and Costello perform the classic "Who's on first?" baseball sketch in their 1945 film "The Naughty Nineties" first performed as part of their stage act. Still find this really funny
I am 27 years old and my entire life I have heard much older people make reference to this sketch. You get the idea in your head that most things from long ago really aren't funny enough to warrant decades of references, let alone nearly a century. I was wrong this is knock me out dead hysterical
Absolutely hilarious and absolutely brilliant. Abbott and Costello were absolutely decades ahead of their time. Brilliant. Word play is always hilarious if done well and this example is exceptional.
Serious Business wrote: "+YouDabian Your reading comprehension is terrible, mate." Thank you so much, for accessing my reading skills. I appreciate it. However, I was merely reflecting on them being "decades ahead of their time.", as the OP put it. Now, if we agree, that things are getting worse, then that would imply, that they were /worse/ than the standard in their time. As you can see from the above answer from Sean Hayes , that is not what he meant, and I didn't think it was. That is why I needed clarification. Again, thank you for your accesment, and have a great day.
Our teacher showed us this and now she teases us by saying "Who's on first base!?" It's sooooooooo hilarious 😂😂😂😂😂 (our classes reaction) 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
OK let me get this straight on what they're talking about as far as positions: 1st Base- Who 2nd Base- What 3rd Base- I Don't Know Left Field- Why Center Field- Because Right Field- ? Pitcher- Tomorrow Catcher- Today Short Stop- I Don't Care Too bad they didn't mention Right Field
THE ONLY TO PEOPLE THAT DID NOT PLAY BASEBALL ARE IN THE HALL OF FAME AND I NEVER GOT TIRED OF THIS IVE SCENE THIS A THOUSAND TIMES AND IT STILL CRACKS ME UP
Weird Al Yankovic had a spin on this. In a "news" item, Yankovic said, "Elvis Costello is planning his next North American tour, and is planning to go with the international supergroup, ABBA. So look for ABBA and Costello when they come to your town. There seems to be a little trouble with the billing, however: they still haven't decided...who's on first."
@reelkena An old joke from SNL. A comedian, an opera singer, a country star and a TV reporter are forming a band. You can send suggestions for the band's name to Cosby, Sills, Cash and Chung."
So let me get this straight..... Who is on First Base What is on Second Base I Don't Know is on Third Base Why is the Left Field Because is Center Field Tomorrow is the Pitcher Today is the Catcher I Don't Care is the Short Stop So I'm guessing to add to the joke, the Right Fielder's name is Nobody?
I was born 1990 so im 31 years of age, my father introduced me to this paring at a very young age and they are the absolute no question about it the best of their time, the three stooges were good but abbott and costello were the best end of story. There are so many skits of which these two participated but this skit from naughty nineties is the best of this skit and i come to appreciate it more and more every time i watch it
This is a classic and should be passed down to the next generations good clean comedy and you have to have a good sense of timing and a great memory. 🤟
Who is on first. What is on second. I don't know is on third. Why is on outfield. Because is on centerfield. Tomorrow is the pitcher. Today is the catcher. I don't care is the short stop. Please stay indoors during the quarentine as much as possible. Please post only positive comments over here. Thank you. Rest In Peace Mr Bud Abbott and Mr Lou Costello. You will be missed by all but your comedy continues with the next generation and theirs. May 24, 2020 @ 9:10 pm
I always find it super funny! And I love their sketches. If there are any Germans here. Maybe even baseball fans. "Who's on First?" is probably to Americans as "Dinner for One" is to us. An all time favorite. - By the way, I'm an Atlanta Brave fan, since 1986.
The first time I heard this on the radio, I was maybe 7 or 8 and laughing hysterically, but trying not to laugh so I could hear and understand the clip. All the time, staring at the radio; like it was the TV. My family stood around and listened, except my mother, she'd heard it already being that she was then in her 40's.
You know I always knew of this legendary bit and like the premise of it and a few of the lines, but I never sat and watched the whole thing before. This is absolutely brilliant writing.
I know it’s kinda late but I realized that too. It’s only my informed hypothesis but the addition of a laugh track would only less than the experience because it has to pause in order to make room for the laughter which wouldn’t work with the split second timing of the deliveries. Simultaneously I think this is the reason why laugh tracks have been dying off the past decade
it was filmed as part of a tv show and a lot of takes happened so that they could get one with no laughs; but eventually they gave up cause every time there were crew members laughing in the background. look it up
@@J215J Mr Who was The richest player in Baseball history because He has three names ,Mr Who, Mr Absolutely and Mr Naturally he receives Three checks !
It gets old; and it got old: not really funny anymore, too cliché. But ... on the other hand, when you see it like *THIS* ! This is *way* more complex, because of all the logistics involved. The original only has 2 guys, much easier to coordinate. This one has the *team* present! I dunno who's on third, but it sure looks a whole lot like Seinfeld! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K0Jg7pvVzKk.html&pbjreload=101
When I'd read it in text, or seen amateur groups do the bit, it was clever but tired. Watching these guys perform is great. The flow of everything keeps up, the emotion comes naturally and no line is forced.
The first time I heard this was on not-very-good radio reception, and like Lou I wasn't really paying attention to Bud's vital naming-preamble. Really couldn't grasp what the heck Bud was driving at. But the audience laughter and the rapid-fire exchanges still made it hilariously entertaining. Especially the "I don't know what I'm _talking_ about!" Neither did I Lou. We just have to roll with the punches...
+military nut 101 The right fielder's name can't be Nobody because at 2:20 he says "I'm not changing nobody" and that would have made the situation even more confusing then it had been.
First Base- Mr. Hu Second Base- Mr. Watt Third Base- I. Donna Left Field- Mr. Y Center Field- B. Kauz Pitcher- Tom Morrow Catcher- Todd Day Shortstop- Idon Kare And bonus... Right Field- Noah Un (No One)
This should be mandatory viewing for anyone who wants to become a comedy writer. The timing, the pacing, the delivery, the clever use of _actual_ irony; everything comes together perfectly to form one of the most brilliant and timeless comedy sketches ever made. There's a reason this still holds up even after nearly seven and a half decades.
I think a lot of comedians/writers have seen this bit. I've seen Abbot and Costello references in a number of shows and movies even fairly recent ones.
The audience was paid actors to be a part of this filming. Silence was needed to clearly record the act. A live audience hearing this for the first time would have been in hysterics.
They have that routine in the Baseball HoF . The final remark from Costello was "and I don't give a damn". Too bad the censors made them water it down.
"Who's the right fielder?" "Nobody" "You don't have a right fielder?" "Of course we do" "Then tell me his name" "Nobody" "You're saying he's a nobody?" "No, he IS Nobody" "So, he's nobody?" "Exactly" "That's pretty mean" "What are you talking about?" "You saying the guy's nobody, that can't be good for his self respect" "No, I'm just saying he's nobody" "Exactly my point, is he any good?" "Of course he is" "Then he can't be nobody" "He IS Nobody" "When you pay him, the money goes to...?" "Nobody" "HE DOESN'T EVEN GET PAID?" "You're making no sense" "I'M MAKING NO SENSE? I ask you the right fielder's name, you insult him, you don't even tell me his name and now you don't even pay him?" "He does get paid, and I did tell you his name" "WHEN?" "Oh, he's a substitute" "WHAT?" "No, What's on second" "I'm not ASKING you who's on second" "Who is on first" "I don't know" "Third Base"/"THIRD BASE!"
for koreans: "우익수 이름은 뭔데?" "없어" "우익수가 없다고? "아니 당연히 있지" "그럼 이름을 말해줘" "없어" "너는 지금 그가 없다고 말하고 있는거야?" "아니야, 그는, '없어'" "어...? 그러면, 그는 없어?" "그렇지" "그게 내가 의미한거야" "뭐라는거야?" "넌 지금 그가 없다고 말하고있어, 그건 그의 자존심을 깍아내리는 행위야" "아니 나는 그저 "그는 없어"라고 말하고 있을 뿐이야" "그게 내 요점이야, 그는 도움이 되었니?" "당연하지, 완전 잘했어" "그러면 그는 없을 수 없지!" "아니지, 그는, '없어'" "너가 그에게 돈을 보낼때, 그 돈이 어디로 가는데?" "없어" "그가 돈조차도 안받았다고?????" "그건 말도 안되지" "말도 안됀다고??? 난 너에게 우익수 이름을 물었고, 넌 그를 모욕했고, 너는 그의 이름도차도 말하지 않았고, 이젠 심지어 그에게 돈을 보내지도 않았다고??" "그는 돈을 받았어, 그리고 난 그의 이름을 말했어" "언제??" "오 그는 우리 교체 선수야" "뭐???" "아니 뭐는 2루수지" "난 네게 2루수가 누구인지 안물어봤어!" "누구는 1루수지" "몰라!" "걘 삼루수지 / 삼루수!" (+ 그는, '없어' 이구간이 약간 부자연스러운데 도저히 IS를 표현할수 없었습니다 ㅜㅜ)
(after the center fielder lines) Lou: "Forget them! The right fielder's name!?" Bud: "Where." Lou: "Right field!" Bud: "Where!" Lou: "Who is in right field?!?" Bud: "Only if he backs up."
Source: I own an old reel-type tape recording of the radio show, live from theater before a studio audience. The audience laughed at everything else, but at this part, nothing, just the sound of paper tearing, being crumpled and hitting the floor.
+cheeseburger12 Hitting a double would take all the fun out it, wouldn't it? I wonder if anyone warned him that when he hits a single, the crowd might start chuckling.
This version is without a doubt my favorite performance of this legendary skit. It's just so perfectly structured. Every line is delivered perfectly, and the cadences in their deliveries are just brilliant. "After all the man deserves it. Who does? AbsolUtely!" "What time tomorrow you gonna tell me who's pitching? Now listen, who is NOT pitching, who is o.. I'll BREAK YOUR ARM ya say who's on first!" The naturally part is my favorite part of the skit. Just brings the skit to absolute genius status. Bud and Lous deliveries of these lines are just brilliant. "So I throw the ball to first base and naturally gets it..NO, you throw the ball to first base! Then who gets it?! Naturally! THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!" Just an unbelievable performance by the best comedy duo in history. Been listening to it for over thirty years and I crack up every single time without fail.
First - Mr. Hu Second - Mr. Watt Third - I. Dono Outfield - Mr. Whie Centerfield - B. Cost Pitcher - Tom Morrow Catcher - Tod Day Short-stopper - Idon Care
I don't know but according to IMDB the director tried so many times and just gave up. that's why you can still hear laughing in the back round that's the crew laughing
We need something to keep us going right now and they say laughter is the best medicine. Arguably that is not necessarily true, but laughter certainly can help when life looks bleak.
I did this sketch for the high school talent show in 1980 or so. I was Abbott. I was okay but the Costello we had was dead on. He had the audience ROFL
They had performed it hundreds of times live for vaudeville audiences. From the different videos I've seen of them performing it, it's not a matter of memorizing the lines exactly. They don't actually do it the same every time. I think there are instances where they can go back and forth with the same joke ("Who's on first?" "Yes." "The guy's name on first base." "Who." "That's what I want to know." "Who is on first." "What are you asking me for?") until one of them comes up with the cue to move to the next segment. So when Lou says, "You got an outfield?" Bud automatically moves on. So they only have to know the cue to move on to the next series of jokes. The stuff in between is like a tape loop for them.
Some 70 years later this still makes me laugh hysterically. This is absolute comedy at its best. No swearing no cussing just absolute genius!! I loved Abbott and Costello when I was a little boy in the 70s and I still love them to this day and I’m 50!!!
@@stormcloudsabound For all the issues I have with many of the Boomer generation, there was nothing wrong with this man's comment. Excessive swearing and crassness is low-brow, Amy Schumer-tier garbage. Real comedy is clever and intelligent or absurdist.
