Why would someone assume I wouldn't know about Abbott & Costello's "Who's on first?" routine?

Question

C'mon, it's a classic!

Hmmmm, I see a disturbing trend among these responses. It seems as if mature generations assume ignorance in younger generations and automatically chastise them for their assumed ignorance.

I pose a hypothetical question;

Is it ignorant to assume ignorance in someone else?

Answer 1

Maybe you're really young, generally the young are thought to be stupid by older folks.

Answer 2

Hello,this is one of the funniest moments on television.And in one of the movies.The several reasons why someone might asume you have never heard of this routine could be the following:You could be very young,not a baseball fan,certainly may never have seen any of the Abbott & Costello movies since they are rarely on Television,although I am sure they are on DVD now, I had to show some children the routine a few years ago.For fellow answerers,I have enclosed the hisroty of the routine and the routine itself. I tend to think that people who have seen the routine first on television, think that they own the rights to the telling of the tale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who's_On_First%3F#History
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/humor4.shtml

Answer 3

That was them at their best....

Abbott: I say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.

Costello: Are you the manager?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: You gonna be the coach too?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: And you don't know the fellows' names.

Abbott: Well I should.

Costello: Well then who's on first?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: I mean the fellow's name.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy on first.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The first baseman.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy playing...

Abbott: Who is on first!

Costello: I'm asking you who's on first.

Abbott: That's the man's name.

Costello: That's who's name?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.

Abbott: That's it.

Costello: That's who?

Abbott: Yes. PAUSE

Costello: Look, you gotta first baseman?

Abbott: Certainly.

Costello: Who's playing first?

Abbott: That's right.

Costello: When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?

Abbott: Every dollar of it.

Costello: All I'm trying to find out is the fellow's name on first base.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy that gets...

Abbott: That's it.

Costello: Who gets the money...

Abbott: He does, every dollar of it. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.

Costello: Who's wife?

Abbott: Yes. PAUSE

GOTTA LOVE IT!!!!

Answer 4

I think that people who are older assume that people who are younger have never seen or experienced the thing that older people have. I am 44 years old and when I say certain things about past movies, music etc. my children look at me like a cow looking at a new gate.They are clueless. So, one can expect it is the same way with most younger people.

Answer 5

Either too old or too young, Rainman put new attention to this "riddle" so the age in between could be your age.

Or you look like you are from a non western country?

Answer 6

It is a classic. are you young? Maybe the person assuming this thinks you're to young to have heard of it....

Answer 7

If you didn't grow up with a black & White TV or never listened to music on vinyl albums, it would be a natural assumption.

Answer 8

Basically, I think the person judged that you wouldn't know. Why i don't know. (Possibly due to age, gender or interests)

P.S.(It is a classic, I agree.)

Answer 9

maybe they thought you are too young and would not have thought it funny

Answer 10

they might have thought you were to young to know about it.