Scholar Stumbles Upon 15th Century Stand-Up Comedy Manuscripts

The World ^ | Jun. 20, 2023 | Carol Hills

[nickcarraway]

A Cambridge University scholar was examining medieval manuscripts in the hushed rooms of the National Library of Scotland when he found himself laughing out loud. What he'd found were some jokes written down in the 15th century by a priest and scribe who had heard them during a live performance. Host Marco Werman speaks with James Wade, the scholar who discovered them, who is a medieval literature professor at Girton College at the University of Cambridge in England.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Probably written by Henny Youngman. “Somebody take my wife, please!”

[TigerClaws]

The joke is he’s using his wife as a ‘for example’
and Henny phrases the joke:

“Take my wife... please!”

So you think he’s using her (the wife) as an example but then he switches and says please = a surprises, which creates a laugh.

Your wording of “Somebody take my wife, please!” not only isn’t Henny’s joke it kinda kills it.

:-)

[SunkenCiv]

• Unique 'bawdy bard' act discovered, revealing 15th-century roots of British comedy [06/03/2023]

[Jimmy Valentine]

Well that finishes my try at being a Borscht Belt comedian,