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Available in 11 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-11" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">11 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Gag" title="Running Gag – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Running Gag" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiste_recurrente" title="Chiste recurrente – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Chiste recurrente" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comique_de_r%C3%A9p%C3%A9tition" title="Comique de répétition – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Comique de répétition" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fy mw-list-item"><a href="https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_joke" title="Running joke – Western Frisian" lang="fy" hreflang="fy" data-title="Running joke" data-language-autonym="Frysk" data-language-local-name="Western Frisian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Frysk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lelucon_berjalan" title="Lelucon berjalan – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Lelucon berjalan" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%91%D7%93%D7%99%D7%97%D7%94_%D7%97%D7%95%D7%96%D7%A8%D7%AA" title="בדיחה חוזרת – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="בדיחה חוזרת" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_gag" title="Running gag – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Running gag" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%8F%D1%8E%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D1%8F_%D0%B3%D1%8D%D0%B3" title="Повторяющийся гэг – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Повторяющийся гэг" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_gag" title="Running gag – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Running gag" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A5ende_sk%C3%A4mt" title="Stående skämt – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Stående skämt" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%8E%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%B3%D0%B5%D0%B3" title="Повторюваний гег – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Повторюваний гег" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q1469546#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div 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data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Literary device in the form of a repeated joke or reference</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG/220px-Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="253" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG/330px-Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG/440px-Jack_Benny_and_vault.JPG 2x" data-file-width="1158" data-file-height="1333" /></a><figcaption>A running gag in <i><a href="/wiki/The_Jack_Benny_Program" title="The Jack Benny Program">The Jack Benny Program</a></i> radio show was that Benny owned a high-security vault in his basement, which would produce dramatic sound effects when broken into.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>running gag</b>, or <b>running joke</b>, is a <a href="/wiki/Literary_device" class="mw-redirect" title="Literary device">literary device</a> that takes the form of an amusing <a href="/wiki/Joke" title="Joke">joke</a> or a <a href="/wiki/Comedy" title="Comedy">comical</a> reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of <a href="/wiki/Literature" title="Literature">literature</a> or other form of <a href="/wiki/Storytelling" title="Storytelling">storytelling</a>. Though they are similar, <a href="/wiki/Catchphrase" title="Catchphrase">catchphrases</a> are not considered to be running gags.<sup id="cite_ref-byron_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-byron-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-beaver_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-beaver-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Running gags can begin with an instance of unintentional humor that is repeated in variations as the joke grows familiar and <a href="/wiki/Audience" title="Audience">audiences</a> anticipate reappearances of the gag. The humor in a running gag may derive entirely from how often it is repeated, but the underlying statement or situation will always be some form of joke. A trivial statement will not become a running gag simply by being repeated. A running gag may also derive its humor from the (in)appropriateness of the situation in which it occurs, or by setting up the audience to expect another occurrence of the joke and then substituting something else (<i>bait and switch</i>). Running gags are found in everyday life, live theater, live comedy, <a href="/wiki/Television_shows" class="mw-redirect" title="Television shows">television shows</a>, <a href="/wiki/Video_game" title="Video game">video games</a>, <a href="/wiki/Film" title="Film">films</a>, <a href="/wiki/Book" title="Book">books</a>, <a href="/wiki/Comic_strip" title="Comic strip">comic strips</a>, and potentially any other situation in which humor is possible and there is enough time for the repetitions to happen. </p><p>A running gag can be verbal or visual and may "convey social values by echoing belligerent speakers with a barrage of caricatured threats".<sup id="cite_ref-Brunvand719_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brunvand719-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, a character may present others with a proposition that is so ridiculous or outrageous it is likely to be self-mocking to the point where the original request has little or no chance of actually being carried out and results in a humorous effect.<sup id="cite_ref-Brunvand719_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brunvand719-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Running_gag&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Callback_(comedy)" title="Callback (comedy)">Callback (comedy)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catchphrase" title="Catchphrase">Catchphrase</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gimmick" title="Gimmick">Gimmick</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/In-joke" title="In-joke">In-joke</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Recurring_character" title="Recurring character">Recurring character</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_look" title="Trademark look">Trademark look</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Running_gag&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFDunning1998" class="citation book cs1">Dunning, John (7 May 1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=EwtRbXNca0oC"><i>On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio</i></a>. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 357. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-507678-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-507678-3"><bdi>978-0-19-507678-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=On+the+Air%3A+The+Encyclopedia+of+Old-Time+Radio&rft.pages=357&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press%2C+USA&rft.date=1998-05-07&rft.isbn=978-0-19-507678-3&rft.aulast=Dunning&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DEwtRbXNca0oC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARunning+gag" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-byron-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-byron_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"The running gag, a staple of broad comedy, depends on the watcher's reference to the passage of time".<link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFByron2007" class="citation book cs1">Byron, Mark S (2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ARC8ZqHWJWQC&q=%22running+gag%22&pg=PA82"><i>Samuel Beckett's Endgame</i></a>. Editions Rodopi B.V. p. 82. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-420-2288-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-90-420-2288-1"><bdi>978-90-420-2288-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Samuel+Beckett%27s+Endgame&rft.pages=82&rft.pub=Editions+Rodopi+B.V&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=978-90-420-2288-1&rft.aulast=Byron&rft.aufirst=Mark+S&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DARC8ZqHWJWQC%26q%3D%2522running%2Bgag%2522%26pg%3DPA82&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARunning+gag" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-beaver-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-beaver_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"The running gag has long been recognised as a standard ingredient of slapstick comedy ..." <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBeaver2007" class="citation book cs1">Beaver, Frank Eugene (2007). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoffilm0000beav"><i>Dictionary of film terms: the aesthetic companion to film art</i></a></span>. Peter Lang Publishing Inc. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoffilm0000beav/page/207">207</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8204-7298-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8204-7298-0"><bdi>978-0-8204-7298-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dictionary+of+film+terms%3A+the+aesthetic+companion+to+film+art&rft.pages=207&rft.pub=Peter+Lang+Publishing+Inc.&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=978-0-8204-7298-0&rft.aulast=Beaver&rft.aufirst=Frank+Eugene&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fdictionaryoffilm0000beav&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARunning+gag" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Brunvand719-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Brunvand719_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Brunvand719_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrunvand1998" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Jan_Harold_Brunvand" title="Jan Harold Brunvand">Brunvand, Jan Harold</a> (1998). <i>American Folklore: An Encyclopedia Garland Reference Library of the Humanities; Vol. 1551</i>. New York: Garland. pp. 719, 812. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0815333500" title="Special:BookSources/978-0815333500"><bdi>978-0815333500</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=American+Folklore%3A+An+Encyclopedia+Garland+Reference+Library+of+the+Humanities%3B+Vol.+1551&rft.pages=719%2C+812&rft.pub=New+York%3A+Garland&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=978-0815333500&rft.aulast=Brunvand&rft.aufirst=Jan+Harold&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARunning+gag" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Running_gag&oldid=1232437952">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Running_gag&oldid=1232437952</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Running_gags" title="Category:Running gags">Running gags</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:In-jokes" title="Category:In-jokes">In-jokes</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Narrative_techniques" title="Category:Narrative techniques">Narrative techniques</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 3 July 2024, at 18:49<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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