How did the "pull my finger" shtick originate?

star_gazer

Probably some rude children came up with it. Jul 05 07, 4:22 PM

satguru

Probably lost in the mists of time but more or less based on any automatic machine or musical instrument where you pull a lever and make a noise. I doubt any comedian would have made it up as it's not usually possible at will. Great question though! Jul 05 07, 6:32 PM

myrab51

From the best I can find it was a sketch on a radio show called, 'Pull My Finger Charlie'. Excerpt: Years earlier, someone else had gone on the radio with a sketch titled "Pull My Finger Charlie" showing a hypothetical toy doll that made a similar noise and joked, "Did someone step on a duck?" when its finger was pulled. Found at: http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2006/08/businessman-view-of-ip-plagiarize-dont.html Jul 05 07, 9:11 PM

satguru

I think that rings a bell Myra, that must have been where my comedian reference came from as it did seem familiar. Of course by going on the radio you can cheat, or in a TV or film sketch do it the once with sound effects from elsewhere. It would only be live performances which would make it nigh on impossible to repeat every show! No references besides jogging my memory and a vote of confidence from the guru! And a video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-15534153265945285&q=my+fingers apologies to McGruff in advance, but it is only kids having a laugh! Jul 06 07, 5:28 PM