“One large roast of beef, one small roast of beef

Take the two roasts and put them in the oven.

When the little one burns, the big one is done.”

                                                                --Gracie Allen

It doesn't get any easier than that: the recipe and the joke.

Recently, I was trawling around the Internet while thinking about old-time comedy acts, when I stumbled upon the above "recipe" by one-half of one of the most sublime comedy teams ever.

Gracie Allen and George Burns with CBS microphone.

Gracie Allen’s on-stage and on-air persona was considered a scatterbrained housewife. In today’s world, her stage act would be considered an insult to most worldly women.

However, her punch lines were of the delayed reaction time. It took you a few seconds (sometimes minutes) to get her and really appreciate the sophistication in her humor. For instance, “this used to be a government of checks and balances. Now it's all checks and no balances.” Even Letterman couldn’t come up with that one.

And the best part of her jokes (and those of her generation) was that she did not have to drop the F-bomb every two seconds to get a laugh.

Gracie Allen presenting George Burns with a cake. 

Gracie Allen, George Burns’s better half (and comedic foil), would have been 108 years old yesterday.

Happy Birthday, Gracie!

Gracie Allen 

In memory of Gracie Allen,

Born July 26, 1902

Died August 28, 1964  

Some more witticisms by Gracie:

• When I was born I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half.
  
• When my mother had to get dinner for 8 she'd just make enough for 16 and only serve half.

Sources:

Roast Beef Joke

George Burns and Gracie Allen with CBS microphone

Gracie presenting cake to George Burns

Birthdate

More Jokes