This is Hidden Brain.
I'm Shankar Vedantam.
One of the most famous comedy sketches of the 20th century is built on a simple misunderstanding.
And I am the manager.
It's the routine from Abbott and Costello, who's on first.
Well, let's see now.
We have on our team, we have who's on first, what's on second, I don't know's on third.
That's what I want to find out, the guy's name.
That's what I want to find out, the guy's name.
I'm telling you, who's on first, what's on second, I don't know's on third.
The duo first performed the sketch in the 1930s and continued to refine it over the next two decades.
They rarely did it the same way twice.
Part of what makes the skit funny is that we are in on the joke.
But what happens when the joke's on us?
When real-life conversations go off the rails because of miscommunication
or a misunderstanding, it's no laughing matter.
There are so many things that could misfire.
The pace at which you speak, how you get to the point, the rhythms, the intonation patterns, humor.
That is a minefield.
How do you let people know that you're joking and that you're teasing?