Knock-Knock Joke

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A common joke, told in the following format:

Person 1: Knock, knock
Person 2: Who's there?
Person 1: X
Person 2: X who?
Person 1: Terrible pun based on X.

The format does tend to make it annoying, as the second person usually wants to hear a joke, rather than be forced to participate. But it is possible to make them funny in the right situation. Because this trope is so well-known, it's subverted more often than not, by replacing the punchline with an unexpected insult instead.

A second subversion is when person 1 isn't actually trying to set up a joke, but person 2 acts like it is. Generally this leaves out the 'knock knock' being said, with person 1 knocking on an actual door.

The Other Wiki has an article on this plus examples, even prototypical ones from Shakespeare's time.

Compare Light Bulb Joke, What's a Henway?.

Examples of Knock-Knock Joke include:

Comic Books

  • This dialogue from a Secret Invasion tie-in of "Deadpool

Deadpool: Knock, knock.
Deadpool's Clone: Who's there?
Deadpool shoots the clone
Deadpool: And voilà!

    • Another example with Deadpool. After telling his life story to a movie-maker, Wade knocks on the door of his long-lost father.

Deadpool's Father: Who's there?
Deadpool: Wade.
Deadpool's Father: Wade... Wade who?
Deadpool: (pulling off his mask, revealing his scarred face) Wade until you see what happened to me, dad.

Film

Pauly: Knock, knock
Person 2: Who's there?
Pauly: Paulie Shore
Person 2: Paulie Shore who?
Pauly: Exactly

Valentine: I'm sorry I don't have any books, puss, but I can tell you a knock-knock joke. I know the best one in the world.
Ravenous griffin: The best?
Valentine: You start.
Griffin: Knock knock.
Valentine: Who's there?
Griffin: ...
[Valentine escapes]

Literature

  • Dave Barry referenced this when writing about the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney:

Everything's backwards in Australia. They have summer when we have winter, all their teenagers idolize accordion players, and the punchline of all their jokes is "Knock-knock!"

Tiffany: Knock knock.
Miss Tick: Who's there?
Tiffany: Tiffany.
Miss Tick: Tiffany who?
Tiffany: Tiffany who isn't trying to make a joke.
Miss Tick: Ah. That sounds promising. Come in.

  • The children's book Camp Knock-Knock is about a kid having a knock-knock joke challenge involving names, and getting stuck with the name Frederick Ornat. Freddie Ornat, here it comes!
  • Discussed in Angels of Light and Darkness: Suzie tells a stupid joke that isn't one, and John comments that her sense of humor is declining to the point where she'll be invoking this trope, next.

Live-Action TV

Dougal: Knock, knock.
Ted: Who's there?
Dougal: Father Dougal McGuire.
Ted: (Wearily) Goodnight, Dougal.

  • In News Radio, Bill tries out his new knock-knock joke on Dave:

Bill: Knock, Knock.
Dave: Who's there?
Bill: Bill.
Dave: Bill who?
Bill: That's all I really have so far.

WILLOW: I got her head back on, didn't I? And I got her off those knock-knock jokes.
BUFFYBOT: Ooh, who's there?
XANDER: You know, if we want her to be exactly-
SPIKE: She'll never be exactly.
XANDER: I know.
TARA: The only really real Buffy is really Buffy.
GILES: And she's gone.
BUFFYBOT: "If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone" who?

Wayne: They're so accurate they can just fly in through the door. It's like, "Knock Knock!"
Garth: "Who's There?"
Wayne: "Ka!"
Garth: "Ka who?"
Both: "KA-BOOM!"

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Anna Maria Alberghetti.
Anna Maria Alberghetti who?
...

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Cancer!
Oh, good, come on in, I thought it was Britta.

Harriet: Knock-knock rook.
Dylan: Who's there?
Harriet: Orange.
Samantha: Banana!
Harriet: Orange.
Samantha: Banana! It's banana! Banana, banana, banana! Then you say orange. "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?" Four-year-olds are telling this joke!

Michael: Knock Knock
Pam: Who's there?
Michael: Buddha
Pam: Buddha who?
Michael: Buddha this bread for me (produces bread and butter)

    • Later

Dwight: Knock knock!
Michael: Who's there?
Dwight: KGB
Michael: KGB who?
Dwight: (interrupts Michael by slapping him) We will ask the questions!

  • One time in The Wonder Years, after an awkward silence between her and Kevin following a serious spat, Winnie signals her willingness to reconcile with a knock-knock joke:

"Who's there?"
"Sam and Janet."
"Sam and Janet who?"
(sings)"Sam and Janet evening..."

Tim: Knock knock.
John: Who's there?
Tim: Oh, you've heard it...

Music

  • The first movement of PDQ Bach's cantata "Knock, Knock", and its alternate version, "Sam and Janet."

Puppet Shows

Give me a Knock Knock Joke
Don't knock a Knock Knock Joke
They're always dumb
So tell me how come
After one I laugh and bubble up
After four I always double up?
Don't be an old slowpoke
Give me a Knock Knock Joke
Please!

  • knock knock jokes ensue*

That was a Knock Knock Joke
I love a Knock Knock Joke!
They can be awful, it's true
Still I'm telling you
I love a Knock Knock Joke
Yeah!

Radio

  • [[A Prairie Home Companion] did a whole song based on knock knock jokes which is surprisingly catchy, and can be heard here with the jokes starting at 0:40.

Recorded and Stand Up Comedy

Knock knock.
Don't say "knock knock", just knock! What's all this "knock knock" business?
I'm just trying to leaven the mundanity of your day.
Well, don't try to leaven the mundanity of my day! If I want my mundanity leavened I'll do what I always do.
What's that?
I will draw a moustache on the TV at random with a marker pen and wait for that glorious yet fleeting moment during the day when Jeremy Paxman becomes General Kitchener.

  • During one of Mitch Hedberg's stand-up routines, where he talks about hotels, he says he likes to wear Do Not Disturb signs around his neck "so little kids can't tell [him] knock-knock jokes. 'Hey, how you doing, nephew?' 'Knock-knock...' 'Read the sign, punk!'"
  • Dennis Miller in his 1993 HBO special, after a joke bombs early on:

"I like to float that one early to see how literate I can get with the audience... so I think I'll try some knock-knock jokes! Knock-knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Nobody, I just like to wield that level of power over the audience. I say 'knock-knock', thousands of people say 'Who's there?'. It's the closest I'll ever come to Jonestown."

Video Games

  • Ernie Steele of Backyard Sports does not use puns in his Knock Knock Jokes, but instead stops them in the middle. For example:

Knock-knock!
Who's there?
Heh heh! Nobody's here.

Morte: Hey, Nordom... Knock-Knock.
Nordom: Why do you persist in addressing me as a door?
Morte: It's a joke, you stupid polygon. You're supposed to answer 'who's there?'
Nordom: I know who is there. It is you. Why would I ask a question when I know the answer?
Morte: You know what, just forget it.

Knock knock.
Who's this?
Yorg.
Yorg who?
Yorg Onnaregretitifyouopenthiscoffin!

Web Comics

Schlock: (immediately after a forced entry) Knock-knock!..
Pi: Who's there?
Schlock: And the moment is ruined.
Pi: And the moment is ruined who?

Haley: "Knock knock!"
Crystal: "Who's there?"
Haley: "Roland."
Crystal: "Roland who?"
Haley: "Roland 'Itiative and his four friends Sneak Attack, Sneak Attack, Sneak Attack, and Sneak Attack."

[SFX]: Knock knock
C-3PO: Who's there?
Clone Trooper: {from far side of door} Clones.
C-3PO: Clones of who?
R2-D2: Whom.
{beat}
Clone Trooper: Um. Clones of someone who is terrible at knock knock jokes, sorry.

Web Original

  • A subversion from Kickassia, when N. Bison has Dr. Insano cornered:

N. Bison: Knock knock!
Dr. Insano: Who's there?
N. Bison: GUN!!! {points a gun at Dr. Insano}

Western Animation

  • From Family Guy. Stewie becomes unbearably nice once he has a near-death experience, so much that he tells Brian a knock-knock joke that ends with "your friend, Stewie, and he'll always be there for you." Brian retaliates:

Stewie: "What's that you got there?"
Brian: "This is... THE most wrinkled piece of spider web."
Stewie: "What happened to the spider?"
Brian: "Knock knock."
Stewie: "Who's there--
Brian: "I ATE HIM!"

Wakko: "Knock knock."
Scratchensniff: "Who's there?"
Wakko: "Max."
Scratchensniff: "Max who?"
Wakko: "Max wants to come in and go crazy!"
Scratchensniff: "See, that doesn't make any sense."
Wakko: "It does if you knew Max."
Scratchensniff: "But I don't know Max."
Wakko: "If you did, you'd be laughin'!"

    • And now for a little subverting? First, 'Windsor Hassle':

Queen Elizabeth: (knocks on door) Knock knock.
Wakko: Who's there?
Queen: The Queen.
Wakko: The Queen who?
Queen: The Queen of England!
Wakko: It's not a very funny knock-knock joke ...

Snowball: Here's a little joke for you, Pinky. 'Knock knock.'
Pinky: Well, that's not a very funny joke, is it?

    • Once Snowball finds someone more receptive?

The Brain: Who?
Snowball: The Brain.
The Brain: The Brain who?
Snowball: Exactly.

  • A King of the Hill episode when the gang are at the alley after Hank cried in a romance film.

Dale: Knock knock.
Bill: Who's there?
Dale: Boo
Bill: Boo who?
Dale: Boohoo Hank.

Beavis: Knock knock.
Butthead: Who's there?
Beavis: Ura.
Butthead: Ura who?
Beavis: You're a buttmunch, dillhole, dumbass, and a turd!

    • Later

Butthead: Knock knock.
Beavis: Who's there?
Butthead: Ura.
Beavis: Ura who?
Butthead: Ura-ine. Urine.

  • An absolute classic from an episode of Home Movies, while Linda is giving birth.

Brendon: (Shouting angrily) YOU KNOW WHAT!? KNOCK KNOCK!
Linda: WHO'S THERE!?
Brendon: FUCK YOU!

Zorak: Alright, here we go. Er, uh, um... Knock knock?
Space Ghost: Um, who's there?
Zorak: (beat) F*ck you.

Other Media

  • There is a book that claimed that this is the greatest knock-knock joke ever:

Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupting--
MOOOOOOOOO!

Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting static coefficient of friction.
Interrupting--
Mu!!! [1]

Dan: Knock knock.
Drey: Who's there?
Dan: The interrupting cow.
Drey: The interrupting cow who?
Dan: [has to think about it] ...Mooooo.

Person 1: Knock knock!
Person 2: Who's there?
Person 1: Amy Fisher.
Person 2: Amy Fis-
Person 1: BANG!

  • In the Philippines, a popular variation is to replace a line in a song with a knock-knock joke. Popularized in a noontime show named Eat Bulaga! An example:

Person 1: Knock knock.
Person 2: Who's there?
Person 1: Riverboat.
Person 2: Riverboat who?
Person 1: Riverboat young when I first saw you...

Person 1: Knock knock.
Person 2: Who's there?
Person 1: You know...
Person 2: You know who?
Person 1: AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!