Abbott and Costello: Who’s on First?

Arguably one of the most famous routines Bud and Lou had was “Who’s on First?”. It seems, therefore, appropriate that it be the subject of this first article on them.

Performed and recorded many times, including the versions contained in the videos on this site, the “quality” and humor in the routine certainly varied–in my estimation. However, I also cannot deny that I find myself laughing at it in spite of myself.

Despite the improbability of the players’ names (“Who”, “What”, “I Don’t Know”, etc) the confusion caused by those names is the building block of the piece. If you suspend your judgment and accept the premise then you “buy” the bit and can’t help but laugh as both Bud and Lou’s frustration builds.

I suppose I enjoy this routine, which I’ve seen multiple times in movie and television formats–as well as having heard on tapes of radio shows–because it uses the English language as its basis. By that I mean that the various names, such as “Who”, are used with double meaning. Naturally (and I never have found out what position he plays), Bud’s use of the words as names makes sense to him while the words as parts of speech make sense to Lou.

Maybe this routine, or even the entire work of Abbott and Costello, are not your idea of classic humor.  However, since you’re reading this article I suspect they are.

My taste in comedy runs far and wide, as evidenced by the wide of comics and shows represented in this site.  And my admiration for the comedy of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, as shown in the many versions of this classic routine,  qualifies them as classic.