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A common joke, told in the following format:
Person 1: Knock, knock
Person 2: Who's there?
Person 1: X.
Person 2: X who?
Person 1: [Terrible pun based on X].

The format does tend to make it annoying, as the second person usually wants to hear a joke, rather than be forced to participate. But it is possible to make them funny in the right situation. Because this trope is so well-known, it's subverted more often than not, by replacing the punchline with an unexpected insult instead.

A second subversion is when person 1 isn't actually trying to set up a joke, but person 2 acts like it is. Generally this leaves out the 'knock knock' being said, with person 1 knocking on an actual door.

The Other Wiki has an article on this plus examples, even prototypical ones from Shakespeare's time. A bunch of Troper-supplied examples can be found here.

Compare Lightbulb Joke, Chicken Joke, What's a Henway?. See also Saying Sound Effects Out Loud.

Here is a compilation with a lot of examples of this trope.


Examples in media:

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    Advertising 
  • Literally for Nick Jr's teaser of Dora the Explorer. Crossing over with Blue's Clues, where Steve meets Dora herself after putting the "Door" in "Dora".

    Anime & Manga 
  • The original Funimation and Ocean English dub of Dragon Ball Z included one when Vegeta and Goku were absorbed into Majin Buu's body. It's a bit out of place, but you have to admire Buu's enthusiasm.
    Majin Buu: Knock Knock. (no response) KNOOOOCK!! KNOOOOOOCK!!
    Vegeta: Who's there?
    Majin Buu: Buu.
    Vegeta: Buu who?
    Majin Buu: Aw, don't cry — everyone has to die sometime! (laughs maniacally)
  • JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency:
    Joseph: Hey big guy, if you want to learn a new joke, just stop me if you heard this one. (knocks his head) Knock-knock... Knock-knock.
    Santana: You are playing games primitive, I do not want to play games.

    Comedy 
  • During one of Mitch Hedberg's stand-up routines, where he talks about hotels, he says he likes to wear "Do Not Disturb" signs around his neck "so little kids can't tell [him] knock-knock jokes. 'Hey, how you doing, nephew?' 'Knock-knock...' 'Read the sign, punk!'"
  • Dennis Miller in his 1993 HBO special, after a joke bombs early on:
    "I like to float that one early to see how literate I can get with the audience... so I think I'll try some knock-knock jokes! Knock-knock!"
    "Who's there?"
    "Nobody, I just like to wield that level of power over the audience. I say 'knock-knock', thousands of people say 'Who's there?'. It's the closest I'll ever come to Jonestown."
  • A variation was once used by a popular Italian trio of comics, involving a seer.
    Guy: Knock knock.
    Seer: " Who's there?
    Guy: "...nice start..."
  • Played with in Bill Bailey's Tinselworm tour:
    Knock knock.
    Don't say "knock knock", just knock! What's all this "knock knock" business?
    I'm just trying to leaven the mundanity of your day.
    Well, don't try to leaven the mundanity of my day! If I want my mundanity leavened I'll do what I always do.
    What's that?
    I will draw a moustache on the TV at random with a marker pen and wait for that glorious yet fleeting moment during the day when Jeremy Paxman becomes General Kitchener.
  • Depending on your tastes, the following is either a case of Dude, Not Funny! or Gallows Humor:
    Person 1: Knock knock!
    Person 2: Who's there?
    Person 1: Amy Fisher.
    Person 2: Amy Fis—
    Person 1: BANG!
  • An Israeli example of Black Comedy that featured on a televised Israeli comedy competition (and makes more sense in context):
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "GESTAPO!!" May be continued "Gestapo who?" (smack) "Ve vill ask ze qvestions, not you..."
    • Of course, the appropriate response is,
      "Knock knock."
      "Who's there?"
      "The Mossad."
  • In the Philippines, a popular variation is to replace a line in a song with a knock-knock joke. Popularized in a noontime show named Eat Bulaga! An example:
    Person 1: Knock knock.
    Person 2: Who's there?
    Person 1: Riverboat.
    Person 2: Riverboat who?
    Person 1: Riverboat young when I first saw you...
  • Jeff Dunham's friend Achmed the Dead Terrorist provides his own joke filled with Black Comedy:
    Achmed: Knock knock.
    Dunham: Who's there?
    Achmed: Me. I keel you.
    • Reprised in an even darker fashion in a later show:
      Achmed: Knock, knock.
      Jeff: Who's there?
      Achmed: Me. I keel you again! You are such an idiot! You keep answering the door! Where I'm from, the game we teach our children is when someone says "Knock, knock", you shut the fuck up and hide.
  • Comedian, Tom Rhodes has one in his stand up.
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Jean-Claude Van Damme."
    "Jean-Claude Van Damme who?"
    "Oh well... that's showbiz."
  • The recurring character of Mr. Knucklehead on Pee-wee's Playhouse tells terrible knock-knock jokes that only he finds funny.
    Knucklehead: Knock knock!
    Pee-wee: Who's there?
    Knucklehead: Juneau.
    Pee-wee: Juneau who?
    Knucklehead: Juneau any good knock-knock jokes?
    Pee-wee: Okay, you start.
    Knucklehead: Okay, knock knock.
    Pee-wee: Who's there?
    Knucklehead: Wh-What is this?

    Comic Books 
  • Deadpool:
    • This dialogue from a Secret Invasion tie-in:
      Deadpool: Knock, knock.
      Deadpool's Clone: Who's there?
      (Deadpool shoots the clone)
      Deadpool: And voilà!
    • After telling his life story to a movie-maker, Wade knocks on the door of his long-lost father.
      Deadpool's Father: Who's there?
      Deadpool: Wade.
      Deadpool's Father: Wade... Wade who?
      Deadpool: (pulling off his mask, revealing his scarred face) Wade until you see what happened to me, dad.

    Fan Works 
  • Discussed in The Loud House fanfic Sunday Skivvies, Luan says that comedy is more than "silly puns and knock-knock jokes".
  • The entire B-plot of My Dream Is Yours revolves around this. Jamie Jam hides a clue as to the location of where she's going to attack in a knock-knock joke. When she tries to tell it to Ohlm, however, he can't comprehend the concept of the joke itself, which eventually drives Jamie to hit her Rage Breaking Point and causes her to forget everything about the joke but the setup.

    Films — Live-Action 
  • In Pauly Shore Is Dead:
    Pauly: Knock, knock.
    Person 2: Who's there?
    Pauly: Pauly Shore.
    Person 2: Pauly Shore who?
    Pauly: Exactly.
  • In Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, Hightower was fighting a thug, and the thug was getting the upper hand enough to tell one of these jokes. It was so bad, it ticked Hightower off enough to punch the guy out.
  • Catch Me If You Can combined a subversion of this with a Precision F-Strike, to good effect.
  • From MirrorMask:
    Valentine: I'm sorry I don't have any books, puss, but I can tell you a knock-knock joke. I know the best one in the world.
    Ravenous griffin: The best?
    Valentine: You start.
    Griffin: Knock knock.
    Valentine: Who's there?
    Griffin: ...
    [Valentine escapes]
  • Hiking on the moors, David from An American Werewolf in London tries to tell an inverted version, but Jack doesn't seem to get it:
    David: Say "Knock knock".
    Jack: Knock knock.
    David: Who's there?
    Jack: (baffled) Who?
  • Joker (2019): The titular character tells a horrid Anti-Humor version on live TV, invoking a Dude, Not Funny! response from his interviewer.
    Joker: Knock knock.
    Murray: Who's there?
    Joker: It's the police, ma'am. Your son's been hit by a drunk driver. He's dead!
  • Bicentennial Man: Sir attempts to teach Andrew humor, and the knock-knock format is the second type he tries (Andrew's Literal Mindedness causes trouble).
    Sir: Knock-knock.
    Andrew: Knock-knock.
    Sir: No, no, knock-knock, someone's at the door.
    Andrew: Shall one get it, Sir?
    Sir: No, no, no, you say, "Who's there?", Andrew.
    Andrew: Who's there, Andrew.
    Sir: No, just "Who's there?"
    Andrew: One does not know, Sir.
    Sir: Let's start with something a little simpler.
  • Strays (2023) has one during a traveling montage, with the dogs mistaking a "knock-knock" as someone actually knocking on the door..
    Maggie: Knock-knock. (the guys bark) No, you gotta ask "Who's there?" Knock-knock. (the guys bark again) Guys, stop it! You won't even let me get to the joke part!
    Hunter: Later, Maggie. Somebody's at the door.
    Bug: Nothing funny about a stranger at the door.
    Maggie: You guys are fucking morons.

    Literature 
  • Subverted in the Discworld novel The Wee Free Men when Tiffany first visits Miss Tick, who is currently working out of a tent that has no actual door:
    Tiffany: Knock knock.
    Miss Tick: Who's there?
    Tiffany: Tiffany.
    Miss Tick: Tiffany who?
    Tiffany: Tiffany who isn't trying to make a joke.
    Miss Tick: Ah. That sounds promising. Come in.
  • The children's book Camp Knock-Knock is about a kid having a knock-knock joke challenge involving names, and getting stuck with the name Frederick Ornat. Freddie Ornat, here it comes!
  • Dave Barry referenced this when writing about the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney;
    Everything's backwards in Australia. They have summer when we have winter, all their teenagers idolize accordion players, and the punchline of all their jokes is "Knock-knock!"
    • Dave Barry Slept Here asks readers to finish this one as an "Extra-Credit Project":
      "Knock knock."
      "Who's there?"
      "Lithuania."
      (Hint: this joke could involve lisping.)
  • In Matt Ruff's Sewer, Gas & Electric, in the afterlife, Abbie Hoffman is telling Ayn Rand a "Knock Knock" Joke, trying to teach her about humor. .
  • No actual examples, but in Angels of Light and Darkness, Suzie tells a stupid joke that isn't one, and John comments that her sense of humor is declining to the point where she'll be invoking this trope, next.
  • Then there's Shel Silverstein's love letter to knock knock jokes and being literal in general, The Meehoo with an Exactlywatt:
    Knock knock!
    Who's there?
    Me!
    Me who?
    That's right!
    What's right?
    Meehoo!
    That's what I want to know!
    What's what you want to know?
    Me, WHO?
    Yes, exactly!
    Exactly what?
    Yes, I have an Exactlywatt on a chain!
    Exactly what on a chain?
    Yes!
    Yes what?
    No, Exactlywatt!
    That's what I want to know!
    I told you — Exactlywatt!
    Exactly WHAT?
    Yes!
    Yes what?
    Yes, it's with me!
    What's with you?
    Exactlywatt — that's what's with me.
    Me who?
    Yes!
    GO AWAY!
    Knock knock...

    Live-Action TV 
  • In NewsRadio, Bill tries out his new knock-knock joke on Dave:
    Bill: Knock, Knock.
    Dave: Who's there?
    Bill: Bill.
    Dave: Bill who?
    Bill: That's all I really have so far.
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Buffybot tries for an epic one:
    Willow: I got her head back on, didn't I? And I got her off those knock-knock jokes.
    Buffybot: Ooh, who's there?
    Xander: You know, if we want her to be exactly—
    Spike: She'll never be exactly.
    Xander: I know.
    Tara: The only really real Buffy is really Buffy.
    Giles: And she's gone.
    Buffybot: "If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone" who?
  • Saturday Night Live:
    • A 1991 Wayne's World sketch from the first Gulf War. Wayne and Garth are geeking out over the new US smart-bombs and the novel first-person Night Vision footage on CNN.
      Wayne: They're so accurate they can just fly in through the door. It's like, "Knock Knock!"
      Garth: "Who's There?"
      Wayne: "Ka!"
      Garth: "Ka who?"
      Both: "KA-BOOM!"
    • A more classic SNL example is a public service announcement parody regarding the uvula. One exchange goes:
      Chevy Chase (as a doctor): Reminds me of an old joke... Knock knock!
      Gilda Radner (as Babs): Who's there?
      Chevy Chase: Babs's Uvula!
      Gilda Radner: Babs's Uvula who?
      Chevy Chase: I don't know, Babs, but I do know this: you've really let your uvula go to the dogs.
  • Everybody Loves Raymond: In Season 6, Debra and Marie get into one of their biggest feuds that lasted several episodes and was finally resolved with the Season 7 opener. The shot heard round the world? Marie brought some of her friends over to showcase a knock-knock joke from Michael and Geoffrey. To be fair, Debra was trying to settle the boys down before Marie came in and her insistence with them telling the joke wasn't helping matters. Its brought up again at the end of that episode when Ray and Frank get into a brief shouting match of their own taking each other's wives' sides, Frank saying that knock-knock jokes are stupid.
  • Played with in The Office (US) episode "Golden Ticket":
    Michael: Knock Knock
    Pam: Who's there?
    Michael: Buddha
    Pam: Buddha who?
    Michael: Buddha this bread for me (produces bread and butter)
    • Later
      Dwight: Knock knock!
      Michael: Who's there?
      Dwight: KGB.
      Michael: KGB who?
      Dwight: [interrupts Michael by slapping him] We will ask the questions!
    • Later, as Michael begins to yell at Dwight for slapping him:
      Jim: Knock knock!
      Michael: Who's there?
      Jim: KGB.
      Michael: [suddenly excited again] Dwight, get the door.
      Dwight: I'm not getting the door — you get the door.
      Jim: [more impatiently] Knock knock!
      Michael and Dwight continue to argue until Jim slaps Dwight.
      Jim: Ze KGB vaits for no von!
      Dwight: [to camera] He's right.
  • Father Ted:
    Dougal: Knock, knock.
    Ted: Who's there?
    Dougal: Father Dougal McGuire.
    Ted: (wearily) Goodnight, Dougal.
  • Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip:
    Harriet: Knock-knock rook.
    Dylan: Who's there?
    Harriet: Orange.
    Samantha: Banana!
    Harriet: Orange.
    Samantha: Banana! It's banana! Banana, banana, banana! Then you say orange. "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?" Four-year-olds are telling this joke!
  • An episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show had Ted Baxter write his own knock-knock joke, but getting stuck on the punchline:
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Anna Maria Alberghetti."
    "Anna Maria Alberghetti who?"
    "..."
    • He eventually comes up with one at the end of the episode:
      "Anna Maria Alberghetti in a taxi, honey, better be ready 'bout half past eight..."
    • Mary thinks it was Actually Pretty Funny, and the group starts singing "Darktown Strutters Ball".
  • Community:
    • In the episode "The Science of Illusion", Britta delivers this "Knock Knock" Joke after being called a Buzz Kill several times in the episode:
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Cancer!"
    "Oh, good, come on in, I thought it was Britta."
    • Done again in "Geothermal Escapism". For context, they're playing a game of "The Floor is Lava" that's gotten way out of hand, and are dueling to knock each other of their chairs.
      Jeff: Knock knock, Britta.
      Britta: I'm not gonna to say "who's there" because someone on the floor's knocking.
      Jeff: Well, that's lame. You have to say "who's there"!
      Britta: FLOOR!
      Jeff: What?
      Britta: That's who's there!
      Jeff: Yeah, but it's for you!
      (at which point the scene cuts away; when it comes back...)
      Jeff: But the door I'm knocking on is your home, so if I'm the floor that means you're dead!
      Britta: But if you're the floor, that means you're already dead.
      Jeff: Just do it right! Knock knock!
      Britta: Knock knock!
      (they fight, and Britta knocks Jeff off his chair)
      Britta: Who's there, bitch? Floor! Flooooorrrr!
  • The "Knock-Knock Joke Of The Day" is a recurring segment on Yo Gabba Gabba!.
  • One time in The Wonder Years, after an awkward silence between her and Kevin following a serious spat, Winnie signals her willingness to reconcile with a knock-knock joke:
    "Who's there?"
    "Sam and Janet."
    "Sam and Janet who?"
    (sings)"Sam and Janet evening..."
  • Regularly featured as a segment on Lamb Chop's Play-Along, and honored with a song to boot.
    Give me a Knock Knock Joke
    Don't knock a Knock Knock Joke
    They're always dumb
    So tell me how come
    After one I laugh and bubble up
    After four I always double up?
    Don't be an old slowpoke
    Give me a Knock Knock Joke
    Please!
    (knock knock jokes ensue)
    That was a Knock Knock Joke
    I love a Knock Knock Joke!
    They can be awful, it's true
    Still I'm telling you
    I love a Knock Knock Joke
    Yeah!
  • From a M*A*S*H episode:
    Hawkeye: Knock knock.
    Trapper: Who's there?
    Hawkeye: Abe Lincoln.
    Trapper: Abe Lincoln who?
    Hawkeye: Don't you know me? (laughs hysterically)
    Trapper: (facepalm) That's awful.
    Hawkeye: All right, can I do another one?
    Trapper: No!
    Hawkeye: Knock knock.
    Trapper: Who's there?
    Hawkeye: Thomas Jefferson.
    Trapper: Thomas Jefferson who?
    Hawkeye: Was Abe Lincoln just here? (laughs even more hysterically)
    Trapper: Hawkeye, I never liked you.
  • In an early episode of Mork & Mindy, Mork is still trying to get Earth humor:
    (Mork is in the apartment with his buddy Eugene)
    Susan Taylor: (outside the front door) Knock, knock.
    Mork: Who's there?
    Susan: Susan.
    Mork: Susan who?
    Susan: Susan Taylor!
    Mork: (to Eugene) Oooh, what a terrible knock-knock joke! (Eugene nods in agreement)
  • Nevermind The Buzzcocks featured an example from two actors in a well-known sci-fi show:
    David Tennant: Knock knock.
    Bernard Cribbins: Who's there?
    David Tennant: Doctor.
    Bernard Cribbins: Doctor who?
    David Tennant: Correct!
  • Babylon5:
    Sheridan: Knock, knock.
    Ivanova: Who's there?
    Sheridan: Kosh.
    Ivanova: Kosh who?
    Sheridan: Gesundheit.
  • The faux-Japanese gameshow spoof Banzai had a challenge based on the classic Doctor Who knock knock joke. Viewers had to guess which of the Doctors was telling the joke. It was Colin Baker.
    Knock knock.
    Who's there?
    Doctor.
    Doctor who?
    Correct.
  • A pair from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In:
    Dick: You like knock-knock jokes?
    Dan: Sure.
    Dick: Okay. You start.
    Dan: Knock knock.
    Dick: Start again.
    Dan: (slightly irritated) Knock knock.
    Dick: (non-plussed) You don't know how to play!

    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Richard Burton."
    "Would you step out a minute? I'd like to talk to your wife!"
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Freeze."
    "Freeze who?"
    (singing) "Freeze a jolly good fellow, freeze a—"
  • In Trailer Park Boys, Ricky does a recurring, less refined version of the Catch Me If You Can example, where right after the "who's there" line, he will say "fuck off" or go off on a long rant that doesn't fit the joke's format at all.
  • In The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot episode:
    • Theodore Roosevelt tells one to his fellow presidents on Mount Rushmore:
      Roosevelt: I've got one. Knock knock.
      Lincoln: Who's there?
      Roosevelt: Roosevelt.
      Lincoln: Roosevelt who?
      Roosevelt: Rose felt nice, but Gladys felt nicer.
      Jefferson: Very droll. Did you get that one, George?
      Washington: No.
    • Then George Washington tries telling one, too, although without much success:
      Washington: Knock knock.
      Lincoln: Who's there?
      Washington: George.
      Lincoln: George who?
      Washington: George Washington.
      Roosevelt: Hmmm.
      Jefferson: I see.
      Lincoln: Very good, George.
  • Played with on Friends as Chandler rhetorically asks if he's funny while facing the door to his and Monica's apartment, and then asks what the door knows anyway; "You just like 'Knock-knock' jokes."
  • Done twice as The Stinger of The Vicar of Dibley, with Alice's usual Comically Missing the Point:
    • In "The Window and the Weather", Alice tries to tell Geraldine a joke for once:
      Alice: Knock, knock
      Geraldine: Who's there?
      Alice: Ronnie.
      Geraldine: Ronnie who?
      Alice: Ronnie Barker! (cracks up) It would be funny if Ronnie Barker came to your door, wouldn't it? He's hilarious!
      Geraldine: Yes. I'm not quite sure you understand how these jokes work.
      Alice: Knock, knock.
      Geraldine: Who's there?
      Alice: Billy.
      Geraldine: Billy Connolly, would it be?
      Alice: Yes! Oh, you've heard that one. Well, it's funny, isn't it?
      Geraldine: Not really, no.
      Alice: Don't worry, I've got hundreds more where they came from. Knock, knock.
      Geraldine: Who the hell is it this time?
      Alice: Groucho.
      Geraldine: It's going to be a very long night, isn't it?
    • "The Christmas Lunch Incident" has a very drunk Jim Trott telling the "Doctor Who?" gag. (For The Stinger, see under Interrupting Cow.)
  • The Electric Company: The Short Circus – the group of youths who regularly sang and performed in several skits – performed a song called "The Knock-Knock Rock," with five (bad) extended knock-knock puns, all with responses. One example:
    Todd Graff (who played Jesse): "Knock-knock."
    Chorus: "Who's there?"
    Todd: "Wanda."
    Chorus: "Wanda who?"
    Todd: "Wanda-watch me put a lampshade on my head and do a dance?"
    Chorus: "Fat chance!"
  • Sesame Street:
    Harvey Kneeslapper Knock Knock.
    Man Who's there?
    Harvey Kneeslapper Dion.
    Man Dion who?
    Harvey Kneeslapper (slaps the letter D on the man's chest) D on you! (laughs)
    • Later with Telly.
Knock Knock Who's There? Ach Ach Who? 'Oh, Sorry you sneezed. Have you got a cold?
  • In every Hillbilly Moment on The Amanda Show:
    Announcer: "It's time for a Hillbilly Moment!" (goofy laugh)
    Lula Mae: "Hey, hey, knock, knock."
    Enos: "Who's there?"
    Lula Mae: "Uh...[object]."
    Enos: "[object] who?"
    Lula Mae: "I'm gonna hit you in the head with a/an [object]."
    Enos: (laughs) "Huh?"
    Lula Mae hits him in the head with the [object]. (Enos stumbles and sometimes falls over.)
    Enos: (laughs) "That's a good' un!"
    Lula Mae: "Yup."
  • Knucklehead from Pee-wee's Playhouse always has these.
  • Crank Yanker Special Ed tries telling one.
  • In the All in the Family flashback episode "Mike and Gloria Meet", Gloria tries breaking the ice on her blind date with Mike by asking if he likes "Knock-knock" jokes. Unfortunately, the ice gets stronger when her idea of such a joke is to ask Mike to start with "Knock-knock", and then split her sides laughing as she says "Who's there?"

    Music 
  • The first movement of P.D.Q. Bach's "Knock, Knock" cantata ("Ida who?" / "Ida-ream of Jeannie with the light brown hair"), and its alternate version, "Sam and Janet" (which plays on a certain South Pacific song).
  • Bob Dylan's song "Po' Boy":
    Knockin' on the door, I say, "Who is it and where are you from?"
    Man says, "Freddy!" I say, "Freddy who?" He says, "Freddy or not, here I come!"
  • From the Pigmeat Markham record "Here Comes The Judge":
    "Knock knock."
    "Who's there?"
    "Eyes."
    "Eyes who?"
    "Eyes yo' next door neighbor!"
  • The Statler Brothers' "Do You Remember These" has one as the closer of this ode to nostalgia of the 1940s and 1950s:
    "Knock knock jokes ... Who's there?"
    "Dewey."
    "Dewey who?"
    "Dewey ... remember these, ah, yes we do ... ."
    Professional Wrestling 
  • Paul Heyman seems to be fond of this, one when he gloated about Brock Lesnar breaking The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak on the April 28, 2014 edition of Raw.
    Heyman: Knock-knock.
    Crowd (and JBL): Who's there?
    Heyman: Mike.
    Crowd: Mike who?
    Heyman: Mike-lient (my client) Brock Lesnar conquered the Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania!
  • Brock Lesnar also did this joke with Paul Heyman when undermining Bobby Lashley's accomplishments on the January 10, 2022 edition of Raw.
    Lesnar: Hey, Paulie! Knock-knock.
    Crowd: Who's there?
    Heyman: Brock Lesnar does a knock-knock joke in Philadelphia—I thought I saw it all... Okay, Brock. Who's there?
    Lesnar: Bobby.
    Crowd (and Heyman): ...Bobby who?
    Lesnar: Exactly.
    Radio 
  • A Prairie Home Companion did a whole song based on knock knock jokes which is surprisingly catchy, and can be heard here with the jokes starting at 0:40.
  • One episode of Hello Cheeky subverted this delightfully.
    Tim: Knock knock.
    John: Who's there?
    Tim: Oh, you've heard it...

    Theater 
  • An Unbuilt Trope in Macbeth, where the porter's drunken monologue contains some jokes that begin, "Knock, knock! Who's there, i' the name of Beelzebub?" The rest of the joke doesn't follow the usual punning format, but it's enough to qualify for The Zeroth Law of Trope Examples and possibly even the outright Ur-Example.

    Video Games 
  • Ernie Steele of Backyard Sports does not use puns in his Knock Knock Jokes, but instead stops them in the middle. For example:
    "Knock-knock!"
    "Who's there?"
    "Heh heh! Nobody's here."
  • In Planescape: Torment, with Morte trying to get Nordom to play the Straight Man:
    Morte: Hey, Nordom... Knock-Knock.
    Nordom: Why do you persist in addressing me as a door?
    Morte: It's a joke, you stupid polygon. You're supposed to answer "Who's there?"
    Nordom: I know who is there. It is you. Why would I ask a question when I know the answer?
    Morte: You know what, just forget it.
  • In YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG, Essentia gives a joke to humor Alex, even after telling him the world would be destroyed very soon.
    Essentia: Would you like to hear my stand up routine?
    Alex: What? Really? Now? The world is going to end, this is no time for jokes!
    Essentia: Knock Knock.
    Alex: Okay, who's there?
    Essentia: Y2K.
    Alex: Y2K who?
    Essentia: Y2K, BOO!!!!
  • In Quest for Glory IV, this is your cue that you should NOT open a coffin, unless you have a ton of HP.
    Knock knock.
    Who's this?
    Yorg.
    Yorg who?
    Yorgonnaregretitifyouopenthiscoffin!
  • A joke going around the League of Legends community involves a pun on the champion Nocturne and his borderline Memetic darkness inducing skill.
    "Noc noc."
    "Who's there?"
    "DARKNESSSS!"
    • Also, same game, the joke emotes of Quinn and Valor is about this trope, though Valor makes the joke with bird speak that only Quinn understands, and it's all on the expense of other Demacian champions much to Quinn's annoyance... except when the subject is Garen, in which Quinn says "Yeah, I guess he says that a lot" (referring to the memetic "DEMACIA!!").
  • Cho'Gall in Heroes of the Storm has a series of Stop Poking Me! quotes revolving Gall egging Cho to do this trope, get refused a lot until he finally bit in for the third attempt, only to receive a Your Mom joke.
  • In EarthBound (1994), one NPC tells the following joke and despairs when Ness doesn't find it funny:
    Knock, knock!... (who's there?)
    Sawyer... (Sawyer who?)
    Sawyer doin' well, I'm fine, too!
  • Undertale: After inviting Frisk for dinner at MTT Resort, Sans recalls a story about practicing his knock-knock jokes on a big, locked door at the end of Snowdin Forest (being the exit to the Ruins), until someone from behind the door (who's revealed to be Toriel) responds back, with him delivering the punchline "dishes a very bad joke." Toriel apparently found it howlingly funny and eventually started coming up with knock-knock jokes of her own, until eventually she asks Sans to promise her to protect any human that left the Ruins, with Sans noting that Frisk "would be dead where [they] stand" had he not made the promise to Toriel.
  • In Cuphead, you get to fight off Beppi the Clown for the Soul Contract. One of his death quotes falls under this if you get killed by his horse:
    "Knock-knock! Who's there? Charlie. Charlie who? Charlie horse!"
  • In Mega Man Battle Network 3: White and Blue, if you install the "Humor" program on the navicust, pressing L will cause Megaman to say a joke instead of his usual advice. One of the possible jokes he can tell is one of these.
    Megaman: Knock knock!
    Lan: Who's there?
    Megaman: Dwayne!
    Lan: Dwayne who?
    Megaman: (suddenly showing Chisao's mugshot) Dwayne da baftub, I'm dwowning!
    Lan: ...the joke was terrible, but that was an awesome impersonation.
  • A Dumb character in The Outer Worlds can pull this off with someone locked inside a room on Monarch.
    The Unplanned Variable: Knock Knock.
    Huxley: Who's out there?
    UV: Hatch.
    Huxley: Hatch who?
    Felix: Bless you!
    UV: Bless y— Hey! I was gonna say that!
  • In the Infocom game Nord and Bert Couldn't Make Head or Tail of It, one of the levels, "Act the Part", thrusts the player into the role of an actor in a hackneyed Sitcom. Several of the gags involved are knock-knock jokes, such as "Bob" leading to a punchline courtesy of The Beach Boys, "Gorilla" leading to "Gorilla your dreams", and, finally, "Duane" leading to "Duane the bath, I'm dwowning!"

    Web Animation 
  • Courtesy of asdfmovie6:
    Door: Knock Knock!
    Guy: Who's there?
    (whack)!
    Door: The door!
    • In the 8th one:
      Reflection: Knock Knock!
      Guy: Who's there?
      Reflection: A mirror!
      Guy: I am lonely.
  • In Red vs. Blue, Gamma was fond of telling these. His partner Agent Wyoming picked up the habit from him.
    • In season 10, a fight between York and Wyoming involves a back and forth knock knock joke that ends with a Bond One-Liner.
      Wyoming: It's York...(Sees York about to throw a locker at him) who?
      York: It's York catch, asshole! (grabs a pin-up photo) Talk about knock knocks...
  • Subverted repeatedly in Mountain Time.
    Dave: I've got a joke: knock knock.
    Guy: Hold on, Dave. I think someone's at the door.
    • Or
      Dave: Knock knock.
      Joe: Can't you read the sign? No soliciting.
  • Chikn Nuggit: Chee tries to tell one of these to Chikn, but it doesn't get too far, as Chikn's dog instincts kick in and instead of asking who's there he starts furiously barking at the door.

    Web Comics 
  • This Order of the Stick.
    Haley: Knock knock!
    Crystal: Who's there?
    Haley: Roland.
    Crystal: Roland who?
    Haley: Roland 'Itiative and his four friends Sneak Attack, Sneak Attack, Sneak Attack, and Sneak Attack.
  • A Mind Screw version from Dolan
    Dolan 1: Knock Knock.
    Dolan 2: Come in.
    Dolan 1: I was in all along.
    (The two grin creepily towards the viewer.)
  • Frequently set up by Dave in Mountain Time, but he never gets to finish the joke, as the listener always misinterprets the premise.
  • Schlock Mercenary: Variant. Schlock yells "Knock knock!" when the team blasts open a door. Pi thinks he's telling a knock-knock joke, causing a few minutes of confusion.
    Tagon: New standing orders: No one is to say "knock knock" on an open channel.

    Web Original 

    Web Videos 
  • Channel Awesome:
    • A subversion from Kickassia, when N. Bison has Dr. Insano cornered:
      N. Bison: Knock knock!
      Dr. Insano: Who's there?
      N. Bison: GUN!!! (points a gun at Dr. Insano)
    • Another example from That Guy with the Glasses, Lori Prince interviewing Marsh Hare and the Mad Hatter about drugs in society states he's never used any and gets called a narc by them in a variety of ways.
      Hare: Narc narc!
      Hatter: Who's there?
      Hare: A big stinking narc!
      Hatter: I don't get it.
  • 5 Second Films: In "The Plagiarist", a street mugger accosts various people to steal their jokes. The first guy only has a "Knock, knock"-type joke... unfortunately.
    Robber: Gimme all your jokes!
    Guy: Uh... "knock, knock".
    Robber: [Dramatic Gun Cock] Who's there...?
  • Used as an Overly Long Gag (as in four-and-a-half hours long) in the Lasagna Cat video "Sex Survey Results", where the first name is the survey taker's entire name and their last name is the number of sexual partners they had, with Jon Arbuckle, Garfield, and Odie answering the door in rotation.

    Western Animation 
  • Samurai Jack has this memorable exchange:
    Worm: Knock knock.
    Jack: ...
    Worm: You're suppose to say, "Who's there?"
    Jack: Um... Who is there?
    Worm: Banana.
    Jack: Uhh.
    Worm: Now you say, "Banana who." Knock knock.
    Jack: Uh.. Who is there?
    Worm: Banana.
    Jack: Banana who?
    Worm: Knock knock.
    Jack: Who's there?
    Worm: Banana.
    Jack: (annoyed) Banana who?
    Worm: No wait, scratch that, try again. Knock knock.
    Jack: (has an angry look) Who's there?
    Worm: Now you're asking the questions.
    Jack: (looks really annoyed)
    Worm: Ok, you start.
    Jack: Um... Knock knock.
    Worm: Who's there?
    Jack: Er... I... Umm... Enough!
  • From Family Guy. Stewie becomes unbearably nice once he has a near-death experience, so much that he tells Brian a knock-knock joke that ends with "your friend, Stewie, and he'll always be there for you." Brian retaliates:
    Stewie: What's that you got there?
    Brian: This is... THE most perfectly destroyed spider web.
    Stewie: What happened to the spider?
    Brian: Knock knock.
    Stewie: Who's there—
    Brian: I ATE HIM!
  • This gem from Animaniacs:
    Wakko: Knock knock.
    Scratchensniff: Who's there?
    Wakko: Max.
    Scratchensniff: Max who?
    Wakko: Max wants to come in and go crazy!
    Scratchensniff: Well, ok, that's not really a joke, is it? You see, because it makes no sense.
    Wakko: It does if you know Max.
    Scratchensniff: But I don't know Max!
    Wakko: If you did, you'd be laughin'!
    • And now for a little subverting. First, "Windsor Hassle":
      Queen Elizabeth: (knocks on door) Knock knock.
      Wakko: Who's there?
      Queen: The Queen.
      Wakko: The Queen who?
      Queen: The Queen of England!
      Wakko: It's not a very funny knock-knock joke ...
    • Second, with Pinky and the Brain, from "Welcome to the Jungle":
      Snowball: Here's a little joke for you, Pinky. "Knock knock."
      Pinky: Well, that's not a very funny joke, is it?
      • Once Snowball finds someone more receptive:
        The Brain: Who's there?
        Snowball: The Brain.
        The Brain: The Brain who?
        Snowball: Exactly.
  • In the CatDog episode "Dummy Dummy", we get this exchange:
    Cat: Hey, Dog, knock knock.
    Dog: Who's there?
    Cat: Orange.
    Dog: (laughs) Orange! That's a good one, Cat! (continues laughing) What's an orange doing knocking at the door?
  • A King of the Hill episode when the gang are at the alley after Hank cried at a romance film.
    Dale: Bill. Knock knock.
    Bill: Who's there?
    Dale: Boo.
    Bill: Boo who?
    Dale: Boo-hoo Hank, waaaaaaaah!
  • From Beavis And Butthead:
    Beavis: Knock knock.
    Butthead Who's there?
    Beavis: Ura.
    Butthead: Ura who?
    Beavis: You're a buttmunch, dillhole, dumbass, and a turd!
    • Later
      Butthead: Knock knock.
      Beavis: Who's there?
      Butthead: Ura.
      Beavis: Ura who?
      Butthead: Ura-ine. Urine.
  • An absolute classic from an episode of Home Movies, while Linda is giving birth.
    Brendon: KNOCK KNOCK!!!!!
    Linda: WHO'S THERE?!?!?!
    Brendon: FUCK YOUUUUU!!!!!!!
    • Possibly stolen from Space Ghost Coast to Coast:
      Zorak: Alright, here we go. Er, uh, um... Knock knock?
      Space Ghost: Um, who's there?
      Zorak: (beat) F*ck you.
  • The Simpsons, "Last Exit to Springfield":
    [doorbell rings]
    Homer: Who is it?
    Goon: Goons.
    Homer: Who?
    Goon: Hired goons.
    Homer: Hired goons? [opens door]
  • Subverted in Spongebob Squarepants:
    Spongebob: Knock knock.
    Squidward: Who's there?
    Spongebob: I am! (laughs)
    Squidward: (rolls eyes)
  • In the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode "Make New Friends but Keep Discord", Discord attempts to tell one, but when he says "Knock Knock", everyone just stares at him confused.
    Discord: You're supposed to say "Who's there?"! It's the most basic of jokes!
    Maud Pie: You're the most basic of jokes.
  • Elinor Wonders Why has a handful of these in the episode "Rocky the Rock".
  • In the 3-2-1 Penguins! episode, "Runaway Pride at Lightstation Kilowatt", Zidgel tries to tell this to Kevin, but he just didn't get it.
    Zidgel: Hey, Kevin...knock, knock.
    Kevin: Come in.
    Zidgel: Uh, no, no, you're supposed to say, uh, "Who's there?"
    Kevin: Who's there?
    Zidgel: Hey, wait, not til I say knock, knock.
    Kevin: Sorry.
    Zidgel: Okay, okay, ready? Knock, knock.
    Kevin: Who's there?
    Zidgel: Dwayne.
    Kevin: Your name's not Dwayne.
    Zidgel: I know, I know, it's part of the joke.
    Kevin: Oh, sorry. Come in, Dwayne!
    Zidgel: You're not waiting for me to—
  • From the Danger Mouse episode "The Return of Count Duckula":
    Duckula: Knock knock.
    Coffin voice: Who's there?
    Duckula: Matthew.
    Coffin voice: Matthew who?
    Duckula: Matthew take all the bed clothes? I want to get to sleep!
  • The Powerpuff Girls (1998) and their Professor see one of these.
    Puppet pal Mitch: Knock knock.
    Puppet pal Clem: Who's there?
    Puppet pal Mmitch: Bonk.
    Puppet pal Clem: Bonk who?
    Puppet pal Mitch: Just Bonk.(bonks clem in the head to which Utonium and the girls laugh)
  • Susie Carmichael tries telling one to the Rugrats, but they lose it.
  • In the Ready Jet Go! episode “My Three Suns”, Face 9000 tries to tell one of these jokes, but fails because the "who" was "It's me, Face" and not a pun.
    Face: Knock knock
    Sean: Who’s there?
    Face: It’s me, Face.
    Jet: Face who?
    Face: No, it is I, Face. I am the one who was knocking. [laughs at his own joke while Jet, Sunspot, and Sean stare silently in confusion]
  • The All-New Popeye Hour short "Boo Who" plays with this. As Popeye and Olive Oyl approach the old house, a loose floorboard launches Popeye through the window above the door and into the house.
    [Popeye knocks on the door from inside]
    Olive: Who's there?
    Popeye: Boo!
    Olive: Boo who?
    Popeye: [opening the door] You doesn't have to cries about it, Olive!

    Interrupting Cow 
  • There is a book that claimed that this is the greatest knock-knock joke ever:
    Knock-knock.
    Who's there?
    Interrupting cow.
    Interrupting—
    MOOOOOOOOO!
    • Dominic Deegan a physics joke variant:
      Knock-knock.
      Who's there?
      Interrupting static coefficient of friction.
      Interrupting—
      Mu!!! Joke Explanation 
    • Then there's this one.
    • Half Nelson.
    Dan: Knock knock.
    Drey: Who's there?
    Dan: The interrupting cow.
    Drey: The interrupting cow who?
    Dan: [has to think about it] ...Mooooo.
    • And shows up in Ozy and Millie, but with an interrupting space alien.
  • And on The Big Bang Theory:
    Sheldon: Knock knock.
    Leonard: Who's there?
    Sheldon: Interrupting physicist.
    Leonard: Interrupting physic—
    Sheldon: Muuuuoooon! *giggle*
  • The Stinger to The Vicar of Dibley episode "The Christmas Lunch Incident":
    Geraldine: Right. Knock, knock.
    Alice: Who's there?
    Geraldine: The interrupting sheep.
    Alice: The interrupting shee...
    Geraldine: Baaaaa! You get it?
    Alice: No, sorry, 'cos I hadn't finished my bit. Do it again, and...
    Geraldine: No, that's the joke, you see. The interrupting sheep. Always interrupts people. See?
    Alice: And that's funny?
    Geraldine: Yes, it's hilarious.
    Alice: Oh, well, in that case, I know hundreds of hilarious jokes like that.
    Geraldine: (already regretting this) Do you?
    Alice: Yeah, I do. Knock, knock.
    Geraldine: Who's there?
    Alice: Um, the interrupting cow.
    Geraldine: The interrupting...
    Alice: Moooo! Er, knock, knock.
    Geraldine: Who's there?
    Alice: The interrupting rabbit.
    Geraldine: The interrupting rabbit ... who?
    Alice: (Beat) What noise does a rabbit make? I know they sort of twitch their noses and, um...
    Geraldine: I wonder if I could get the Church to agree to the idea of verger culling?
  • This version from a side-video of Smashtasm:
    1337f0x: Knock knock.
    Super64: Who's there?
    1337f0x: Interrupting falcon.
    Super64: Interrupting falcon...
    Captain Falcon: PUNCH!
  • On If I Were You, Jake and Amir share a variation of the joke their fans can use on Tinder to break the ice (taking advantage of the fact that you can't "interrupt" someone via text):
    You: Knock, knock.
    Them: Who's there?
    You: The interrupting cow.
    Them: The interrupting cow who?
    You: MOO!
    You: Wait. Shit.
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic did his take on the joke with an actual cow (and his father-in-law)!
  • Another popular variation.
    Knock-knock.
    Who's there?
    Interrupting cow with bulimia
    Interrupting cow with bu-
    MOOBLECH!
  • Brawl in the Family has this variation:
    'Waluigi: Knock knock.
    Daisy: Who's there?
    Waluigi: Interrupting Waluigi.
    Daisy: Interrupting Waluigi wh-
    • Daisy thought it was funny until she realized he wasn't stopping.
  • The Adventures in Odyssey episode "Lost by a Nose" features a version of this joke where the cow is named Bob.

    And on this very wiki... 
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Christopher Walken.
Christopher Walken who?
Christopher Walken and then walk out after his cameo.

 
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Samurai Jack - Knock Knock

The Magic Worm tells... or tries to make a knock-knock joke for Jack.

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