You were expecting...

"You were expecting...?" is a joke format, typically used as a rejoinder or sarcastic reply to stating the obvious. The name of a celebrity or famous organization is used as the punchline. The joke often includes the word "maybe," and in some versions a Yiddish vocal inflection, because of its origins. It was the trademark gag of Jewish housewife Mrs. Nussbaum on the radio series The Fred Allen Show in the 1940s. When knocking on her door every week, Fred Allen would exclaim "Mrs. Nussbaum!" as if surprised. The lady in question would respond, combining a topical celebrity reference with either a Yiddish word or common Jewish name, such as "You were expecting maybe Weinstein Churchill?" 
As with other popular radio gags, the phrase entered the popular vernacular and was used in cartoons (including Looney Tunes and Darkwing Duck), on Saturday Night Live, and even a 1951 issue of Tales from the Crypt (with the Cryptkeeper, announcing a mail-in offer for a picture of himself, saying "You were expecting maybe Van Johnson?") 
As with many other old show biz jokes, the Muppets have made use of it on multiple occasions.
==References==
* The purest use of the joke, closest to the original radio delivery, occurs in The Muppet Show episode 421. Fozzie Bear, trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat, instead pulls a rabbi. The gentleman says, "You was expecting The Pope, maybe?" Fozzie repeats the attempt and this time gets a robot, who riffs on the previous reply: "You were expecting R2-D2, maybe?"
* Oscar the Grouch, when popping out of a trash can in Sesame Street Episode 1419, says, "You were expecting Mork from Ork?"
* The Moose Head in the Muppet Treasure Island video game, asks, "You were expecting Bullwinkle?"
* Kermit the Frog, when appearing in the special Smithsonian Fantastic Journey, addresses the audience, "You were expecting maybe Barney?"
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Category:Joke References
Category:Radio References