“Olive who?/“Olive you!” (knock-knock joke)
It’s one of the oldest of knock-knock jokes, popular every Valentine’s Day:
“Knock-knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Olive.”
“Olive who?”
“Olive you!”
The “Olive me, why not take olive me?” punchline was cited in 1936 and the “Olive you!” punchline in 1969.
Wikipedia: Knock-knock joke
The knock-knock joke is a type of joke, in the format of “call and response”, where the response contains a pun.
5 August 1936, Tyrone (PA) Daily Herald, “Theatre News” by Harold E. Finley, pg. 2, col. 1:
KNOCK-KNOCK’S:
Knock-knock!
“Who’s there?”
“Olive.”
“Olive who?”
“Olive me, why not take olive me?” (“All of me.”—ed.)
9 August 1936, Southtown Economist (Chicago, IL), “How to Go Nuts in Twenty-four Laughable Hours,” pg. 12CW, col. 4:
Olive who?
Olive down by the winegar woiks. (“I live down by the vinegar works.”—ed.)
16 September 1936, Mansfield (OH) News-journal, “Knock Knock Again—Here Are 12 Winners of Contest,” pg. 2, cols. 4-5:
Ellen Hudson, Lakeville, O. ... Olive Who? Olive down by the gashouse.
17 October 1965, Boston (MA) Sunday Herald, “Joke Box,” Young Folks Club, pg. ?, col. 10:
Knock knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive who? Olive me.
2 January 1969, The Daily Star (Hammond, LA), “‘Tween Us Teens” by Cindy Fagan and Vicki Lauderdale, pg. 10, col. 2:
KNOCK-KNOCK—Knock-Knock. Who’s there? Olive. Olive Who? Olive You!
16 October 1969, Omaha (NE) World-Herald, “Checking Up” by L. M. Boyd, pg. 30, col. 1:
q. “When did the knock-knock jokes first come out?” A. That was in 1937. And as is widely known, the first knock-knock joke ever told went: “Knock-knock.” “Who’s there.” “Olive.” “Olive who?” “Olive you.” Why that particular specimen brought on more knock-knock jokes is not known.
Google Books
Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids
By Rob Elliott
Grand Rapids, MI: Revell
2010
Pg. 110:
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Olive.
Olive who?
Olive these knock knock jokes are making me sick.
Twitter
Lionel Gilmore
@lg16spear
@SophiaMyles here’s valentine’s day joke 4 u: Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Olive
Olive who?
Olive you!
10:44 AM - 13 Feb 2015