Funniest sitcom moment ever?

[11 Bravo]

As an inveterate sitcom viewer, I have many, but I'll stick to my absolute favorite so as not to step on someone else's choice.
I have never laughed as hard in my life as I did during the famous WKRP in Cincinnati Thanksgiving turkey give-away episode and I heard those immortal words: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

[Bombero1956]

1. Taxi

When Jim takes the drivers license exam and keeps asking Bobby what the meaning of a yellow light is.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvn-tBeLpCk

[11 Bravo]

4. Whaaaat doooooes a yeeeelloooow liiiight meeeean?

That one was high on my list!

[pokerfan]

51. lol

Reminds me of this:

[elocs]

9. That is exactly the first one that came to my mind. A classic.

In fact, that entire episode is great.

[sarge43]

58. The other great Reverend Jim episode

His first encounter with loaded brownies and the additional bennie of a very young and funny Tom Hanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACF4XDznGEs

[blondeatlast]

2. That one--and the classic Dick Van Dyke Show "Wrong Baby" episode

closing shot.

Not a sitcom, but honorable mention to the Carol Burnett Show's brilliant parody of "Gone With the Wind:

"Why, thank you; I just saw it in the window and had to have it!" that would fall flat if not for the brilliant Bob Mackie's costuming:

[BeachBaby]

3. Murphy Brown.

She goes into labor, and Miles dives underneath her, between her legs, to catch the baby. OMFG - I almost threw up from laughing so hard.....

[Haole Girl]

13. I like the labor scene where the nurse tells her she is not prepared...

then they cut to her holding the mattress and screaming at the top of her lungs. That was a hilarious episode! lol

[Bertha Venation]

92. and Murphy says of breastfeeding: "It's like one day discovering that

you can get bacon out of your elbow."

[Sheltiemama]

39. Oh, that was hysterical!

[Initech]

5. Animated or non animated?

Animated I have to go with the entire "Lisa's Rival" episode from the Simpsons.

Non animated I have to go with Seinfeld where Elaine hosts a Jamaican marathon runner and he says to Kramer - "This son of a bitch is ice cold!"

[pokerfan]

6. Chuckles Bites the Dust

The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Season 6 Episode 7
October 25, 1975

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-AB2eYvmbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmZVaGaaG6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CWFXIKkY8g

[11 Bravo]

7. A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.

That one made my cut as well. (And I posted from memory without visiting your links. Now I'm off to enjoy them. Thanks!)

[begin_within]

43. Thanks, that is one of the classic sitcom moments.

[sarge43]

55. All the snark about Chuckles' death.

As memory serves, "He was a showman to the end. Born in trunk ... died in trunk."

"Shucked to death."

[Bertha Venation]

8. Mary Tyler Moore cracking up at Chuckles' funeral

[kentauros]

20. Absolutely!

:rofl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CWFXIKkY8g

[begin_within]

42. I was just going to post that

and when the minister says "go ahead and laugh, Chuckles would have wanted laughter" she breaks down crying. One of the most memorable sitcom moments.

[sohndrsmith]

71. Man, I'd forgotten how funny that show could be...

my favorite sitcom moments in general are probably those where the actors lose it.

: )

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. One from 'WKRP' that almost no one remembers, it seems

Mr. Carlson was futzing with the Venetian blinds in his office, with his back to the door, and — well, anybody who's had Venetian blinds knows what can happen. One side goes up, then the other, etc. etc. etc., and the operator gets more and more frustrated.

In mid-futz, Andy entered the room, unbeknownst to his preoccupied boss, and stood there, watching.

Finally, Mr. Carlson gave the sash cord one good yank and the blinds came crashing to the floor. As he turned and saw Andy, he got this look on his face and said, "Well, whadda YOU want, dammit?!"



I don't remember the episode, and it was a throwaway bit, but it was absolutely marvelous slapstick.

[blondeatlast]

19. I do remember that bit but not the episode--so out of character and yes, hysterical.

So glad to see WKRP back on the air; so funny!

[Sheltiemama]

35. "God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

And Les Nessman saying, "Oh, the humanity!" as the turkeys hit the ground and parked cars like bombs as they were tossed out of the news chopper.

Oops. Should have posted this after the original post!

[motely36]

11. The last episode of Newhart

when he wakes up in bed with Suzanne Pleshette

:rofl:

[Shakespeare]

22. Seconded.

One of the funniest didn't-see-it-coming moments EVER on TV.

[av8rdave]

47. I recently read Newhart's autobiography, "I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This!"

He says in there that the ending scene with Pleshette was his real life wife's idea.

[Jamastiene]

12. Three's Company

Jack is ironing and cooking something at the same time, then the doorbell rings. He ends up all battered and bruised and burned from the best slapstick scene ever in a sitcom.

[11 Bravo]

14. That one didn't make my list, but ...

John Ritter is grossly underrated in terms of being one of the great physical comedic actors.

[motely36]

15. his skills are showcased in the movie version of Noise Off!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105017/

[11 Bravo]

17. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

[av8rdave]

48. Noises Off is one of the best stage productions ever

I first saw it at the Savoy Theater in London in the mid 80s.

[motely36]

57. I actually got to direct this for my community theatre

we had a blast and got hugh audiences.

[av8rdave]

62. One of the best productions of this play I ever saw was at a local community theater some years ago

It's a wonderful story and a wonderful script.

You must have had a blast with that!

[netania99]

49. Similar scene with Niles and an iron (Frasier)

It was too too funny. He cuts himself and keeps fainting from seeing his blood and ends up setting the sofa on fire. Also Niles as Jesus in a Christmas show. Frasier was never my favorite show, but those two scenes were hysterical.

[yy4me]

80. Have to agree with you on the iron episode. My husband and I

laughed for days over that. Niles was the best character on that show.

[Jamastiene]

63. Also, the episode of Yes, Dear where they take a trip to the Grand Canyon.

That surprised me. The show was funny, but not normally THAT funny. :rofl:

[Orrex]

64. John Ritter was a truly gifted physical comic

And a fine actor in general, of course. But his talent for slapstick is often overlooked and sadly under-utilized in his too-short career.

[Bucky]

16. That episode of Friends when Slater & Zack accidentally made out

And Joey was totally all like "whoa!" I laughed and laughed until I thought about it.

[CreekDog]

32. I see you are trying to trap me into telling you the error in your post

but it's not happening! :spank:

[Mad_Dem_X]

18. On "Seinfeld" - it lasted only a couple of seconds:

Jerry walks into his apartment and sees Kramer and Newman making sausages in his kitchen. They are dancing around to this crazy accordion music, and sausages are hanging all over the place. Like I said, it was only a few seconds long, but I laugh my butt off whenever I see it.

[Arugula Latte]

24. I liked the couple-of-seconds scene in the diner when Jerry whispers to George

what kind of "dirty" talk was going on w/ Jerry's girlfriend the night before. George is holding a squeeze bottle of ketchup, and when Jerry tells him he inadvertently squirts a big arc of ketchup into the air. I could watch that over and over.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

25. ...and Lloyd Bridges' reaction when he enters and sees all the sausages.

All right, we're going to take it up a notch!

[pokerfan]

37. Similar to the scene in The Dinner Party

When George and Estelle walk in on Frank and Kramer dancing while trying on and making adjustments to the 'bro' aka the 'Mansiere.'

For me, it's the final scene in The Marine Biologist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u8KUgUqprw

[Justyce]

56. Uncle Leo's eyebrows scene

where they're burnt off & Elaine draws them back on with a marker. :rofl:

And speaking of eyebrow scenes, I also like the one on Friends where Joey waxes his eyebrows...

[Skittles]

74. that Uncle Leo character is priceless

:rofl:

[busybl]

21. Bob Newhart wakes up and

tells his wife he dreamt he ran an inn and she sits up and it's Suzanne Pleshette.

[blueknight]

23. tim conway

as the dentist on carol burnett

[WolverineDG]

28. Tim Conway as anyone

on Carol Burnett. :rofl:

dg

[Duppers]

77. tell me this doesn't bring tears! ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qqE_WmagjY

and here's the dentist sketch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9T8i4FkNVo

[Amerigo Vespucci]

46. That was my first choice...

...not because it was "ha-ha funny," but because it was one of the most staggeringly original and unexpected moments on a sitcom.

For "funny" moments, I like the "Face Punching Contest" bit in "Happy Days," in which Fonzie is encouraged to show up early to "get the best faces."

:rofl:

[surrealAmerican]

26. Any of the numerous "cone of silence" bits from Get Smart.

Those cracked me up every time.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

27. Seinfeld had a number of scenes over the years where a guest would go into anover-the-top monologue.

Mr. Bookman, the library cop reaming out Jerry.
The cleaning lady when George gives her the cashmere sweater.
The old girlfriend who Jerry bumps into at the baby shower ("You thought you'd never run into me again but YOU WERE WRONGGGG!!!")

[Skittles]

75. LOL

"I heard you had sex with the cleaning lady at work."

"Who told you that?"

"She did."

"Was that wrong?"

"You're fired."

:rofl:

[yellowdogintexas]

29. "Brownies" Barney Miller and from the first Newhart show when Bob and

the neighbor and the dentist buddy are batching it and they get falling down drunk and order chinese take out.

that's drrrrr Hartley.

moo goo goo goo

[myrna minx]

33. That's deee arrrreeee period. Duuurrrrr Hartley.

"More Gooo to goooo" I love that scene. :hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

30. Farty Towels.

I mean, Fawlty Towers, when Basil is attempting to head off a rock star from sneaking groupies into his room. He ends up on a ladder looking into the room of an aged husband and wife, nearly undressed, who turn around and see him plainly outlined in the window, on a ladder.

The expression on John Cleese's face, trying to appear non-chalant!

[raouldukelives]

69. Hoping someone else mentioned Fawlty

My favorite scene involved the Major, Manuel and a stuffed moose head that speaks english.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxJykPKWX_g

[meegbear]

83. Germans!

"Whatever what do, don't mention the war!"

:rofl:

[Xipe Totec]

31. Greg the Bunny - Jewel Heist

Chelsea: Oh my God. Oh my God. James, what did he do to my dog?! Make it stop!

Jimmy: Hey, what happened?

Greg: Oh, Jimmy. Come on--what do you want me to say, man? You want me to say that Jack came over here, neutered the pooch and replaced his kabangers with Sammy Davis, Jr.'s eyes? Is that what you want me to say?

[Mojambo]

70. God, Greg the Bunny was SO fucking funny. n/t

[Submariner]

34. Tim Conway's Elephant story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qqE_WmagjY&eurl=http://metube.blogspot.com/2008/01/siamese-elephants.html

[Sheltiemama]

38. Ah, yes, the Siamese elephants.

Didn't Harvey actually fall off the couch during that bit?

[Duppers]

78. here ya go....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qqE_WmagjY

I think that was Dick VanDyke who fell off the sofa, along with Tim.

[GCP]

36. Father Ted - when Father Jack shoots Ted's guitar

With a shotgun, after the most horrible performance ever made on a guitar.

[yellowdogintexas]

44. oh hell, if we are letting the Brits in....ANY scene from Father Ted trumps everything

else.

[GCP]

45. .

:thumbsup:

[deucemagnet]

53. The Chinese think Father Ted is a Nazi.

Second scene in clip below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6XSEmv7cQs

:rofl:

[GCP]

81. It's all just comedic gold

Such a pity he died soon after.

[Sheltiemama]

40. "And that was the night the lights went out in Georgia!"

Maybe not the funniest, but right up there. From "Designing Women," about Suzanne twirling fire batons so high they hit the rafters during the Miss Georgia pageant.

[LisaM]

41. It was on an episode of "Home Improvement"

Tim was supposed to get a picture of Jill for a testimonial dinner in her honor. He kept putting it off and putting it off, and at the last minute slipped them the only picture he could find. She gets to the dinner, and there's a poster-sized picture outside the room of her old driver's license photo - squinty eyes, pink background, toothy leer on her face.


They showed Jill showing up at the dinner and seeing that picture. I was home alone and I laughed so hard I thought I could very well die from it. I remember thinking, "I'm going to die laughing, and no one will ever know what happened!"

[mentalsolstice]

50. For me: Seinfeld - "Delores!"

The episode was funny. However, as an attorney I watched and studied the resulting sexual harassment trial, which was highly entertaining.

[blue neen]

52. Taxi

Reverend Jim analyzes Latka's cookie recipe.

[applegrove]

54. I like the WKRP where Johnny is drinking on the air to show people how reaction

time slows down when you are drunk..and to the officer's consternation Johnny's reaction time keeps getting quicker.

[begin_within]

59. I thought Lucy did a beautiful job with "VitaMeataVegaMin"

[UTUSN]

60. "Don't Shoot Me" -- any episode, especially Wendie!1 n/t

[pokerfan]

65. Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie!

Best episode of JSM ever!

Like "Rescue Me", this episode was written and directed by creator Steve Levitan. Levitan had been pitching this idea to his staff for quite some time. They rejected the idea as being too potentially offensive. Only when someone came up with the idea of having David Cross play the character was it approved. They were familiar with Cross, and realized he was possibly the only person who could portray this character in both a humorous and non-offensive way. In fact, it was agreed that the episode would be done if and only if they could get Cross for the role. They had to wait several months for Cross to come free of some commitments, but when he finally did and agreed to play the part, the show was promptly filmed.

http://www.tv.com/just-shoot-me/slow-donnie/episode/17417/summary.html

Donnie: Donnie wants a kiss.
Maya: Oh, that's... sweet.
Donnie: Kissy?
Maya: Oh, why not? (kisses Donnie on the cheek)
Donnie: No, Donnie want a kiss like on Showtime!

Jack: Hey, Donnie. I think I finally have these tubes figured out.
Donnie: (quietly) Kill me now.
Jack: See, it's hot air that pushes things through the tubes.
Donnie: Donnie says vacuum.
Jack: Boy, when you get an idea in your head, you stick to it like taffy. See, when air gets hot, it rises.
Donnie: Vacuum!
Jack: No, hot air. It's what causes a Pop-Tart to pop out of the toaster, or how helicopters...
Donnie: Oh, for the love of God! It's not hot air! It's not magnets! It's a vacuum, Jacko! Like a straw! You ever use a straw, huh, lab partner? Air taken out from one end is replaced from the other end, that creates air pressure that propels things through the freaking tubes!
(Notices everyone is looking)
Donnie: (Slow Donnie voice) I love you, tubes.
(everyone still stares)
Donnie: Green quarter.
(still staring)
Donnie: Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie!
Elliot: Donnie, what the hell?
Donnie: (normal voice) Oh, crap. Now I gotta get a job.

[Mad_Dem_X]

90. Oh yes!

"Chicken pot pie" was a classic! I remembering folks repeating that line everywhere after that episode aired. :rofl:

[pokerfan]

91. David Cross was perfect!

In the hands of a lesser skilled comic actor that episode could have easily been the train wreck the producers feared.

[Zavulon]

61. This classic line from Paul on Spin City:

"When I bite into a York Peppermint Pattie, I get shot."

[slutticus]

66. I think it was season 1 of Seinfeld....when Kramer was trying to load a washing machine w/ concrete

He gets some in his eye and what results is one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

I still remember watching that for the first time and gasping for air at the end of it.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

67. "Family Matters" gets canceled

I laughed my ass off

[Art_from_Ark]

68. I'm kind of partial to a Hogan's Heroes episode

where Major Hockstetter gets particularly peeved at Colonel Klink and finally blurts out "Klink, you schtink!"

[Skittles]

72. Seinfeld - the panties your mother laid out for you

(George and Jerry are in the coffee shop, Jerry's telling George about this girl he was with)
JERRY: ..And then she starts talking about her panties.

GEORGE: (Yelling out to a waitress) Gonna need some water here!

JERRY: So I said something.

GEORGE: Ok, what did you say?

JERRY: (Defensively) Now, bear in mind, I am just trying to keep up.

GEORGE: Of course.

JERRY: Okay? So, she's taking about her panties, so, uh.. So, I said, "You mean the panties your mother laid out for you?"

GEORGE: (Takes a few seconds to mull this one over. Shooting Jerry a confused look, he repeats it) "The panties your mother laid out for you"? (Jerry nods) What does that mean?

JERRY: (Throwing up his hands) I don't know! It just popped out.

[cynatnite]

73. Carol Burnett show...Scartett wears the drapes...

Rhett compliments her dress. She saw them in a window.

The show probably isn't considered a sitcom, but that is a favorite moment of mine.

[orleans]

76. ellen show, her at airport, confidentially telling someone

and it gets picked up by the microphone:
"I'M GAY"

[slay]

79. Arrested Developement chicken dance!

Buster: "Chicken's don't clap." Michael: "Has anyone in this family ever even seen a chicken?"


Arrested Development: Chicken -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIT5sFhw4sU

[peekaloo]

82. Curb Your Enthusiasm 'Grand Opening' final scene in restaurant

Suzie's entrance made me howl.

[Initech]

84. Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Danny DeVito trips acid and thinks he is in a winnebago bathroom

And then Charlie trips acid and thinks he is Green Man. So random, so hilarious.

[Rambis]

85. Sammy Davis Jr. kisses Archie Bunker (nm)

x

[PRETZEL]

86. either that or when the Jefferson's were first introduced

into the show and Edith invites them over for dinner.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

87. If you include non-traditional sitcoms (i.e. no laugh track or stage sets)....

....Tobias Funke pretending to be "Mrs. Featherbottom" (a cross between Mrs. Doubtfire and Mary Poppins) in Arrested Development was quite possible the most hilarious moment in television I ever saw:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKXkfLhn6pA

If you are talking about traditional sitcoms, there was a episode of King of Queens where Doug and Carrie's friends Deacon and Kelly got them a painting for their anniversary which was ridiculously hideous. It had Doug with these rabbit teeth and Carrie with a disproportinately large arm. I cried laughing when I first saw it.

[Nye Bevan]

88. "Only Fools and Horses"- the chandelier scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLy5sP4gl1g

[driver8]

89. When Fonzie jumped his motorcycle over the shark tank...

or, the pot brownie episode of Barney Miller!

"Mushie, Mushie..."