Can You Top This?
Edward Ford
Read by Peter Donald
Can You Top This? was a popular radio panel show where comedians shared jokes in an unrehearsed format. Sponsored at one point by Colgate-Palmolive, the show was created by veteran vaudevillian "Senator" Edward Ford, who conceived the idea during a joke session at a New York theatrical club. The format bore similarities to a previous series, Stop Me If You've Heard This One, which featured Ford and cartoonist Harry Hershfield as panelists.
Listeners contributed around 3,000 jokes weekly, with host Peter Donald selecting the best ones, each centered on a different topic. A "laugh meter" measured audience reactions, and the panelists, known as the "Knights of the Clown Table," attempted to outdo each other with their own jokes. The show debuted on New York's WOR radio in 1940 and was picked up by NBC in 1942, continuing for 12 more years.
Can You Top This? made its television debut on ABC on October 3, 1950, featuring Ward Wilson as host, but it lasted only until March 26, 1951. Throughout its run, various hosts included Peter Donald, Ward Wilson, Roger Bower, and Dennis James.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
| Restaurants | 28:16 |
| Suitors | 28:31 |
| Names | 29:13 |
| Tickery | 29:33 |
| Stupidity | 29:32 |
| Employers | 29:43 |
| Secretary | 27:02 |
| Service | 29:20 |
| Only Health | 15:02 |
| Bus | 29:18 |
| Psychiatry | 28:59 |
| Indignation | 27:24 |
| Barbers | 28:15 |
| Hats | 29:14 |
| Salesmen | 27:09 |
| Gossip | 23:34 |
| Campaign | 24:53 |
| Railroads | 23:47 |
| Reprimands | 21:11 |
| Punishment | 23:23 |
| Economy | 21:33 |
| Help | 22:57 |
| Automobile | 23:34 |
| Receptions | 22:14 |
| Ghosts | 22:56 |
| Advertising | 22:29 |
| Panhandler | 21:20 |
| Conceit | 22:05 |
| Quarrel | 21:11 |
| Information | 24:07 |
| Bragging | 21:18 |
| Jobs | 22:27 |
| Sailor | 16:55 |
| Tramp | 24:05 |
| Treatment | 23:14 |
| Mishap | 22:05 |
| Customer | 19:51 |
| Choose Your Own Subject | 23:37 |
| Irish Wit | 28:25 |
| Jail | 28:00 |
| Office | 22:49 |
| Suggestions | 25:44 |
Reviews
Date Correction
Bobby P
The episode entitled "Names" should be dated July 26, 1947, not 1946.
Re: Date Correction
Matt Sweeney136
This is one of those comments you regularly find on IA that should always be prefaced with something like: . "Thank you for your upload! Just a note for the purists [insert whatever minutia you feel is crucial to share here.] . But they rarely are, so it usually seems like they're complaining about a thoughtful gift for no other reason than their name was spelled slightly wrong on the package.