Who's on first./?

We have previously had discussion in class about numerous types of humor from the past:  Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, The Three Stooges, The Little Rascals, and Abbott and Costello.  All of these names were acclaimed not only in their day, but even into modern times.  However, I thought it was interesting that Dr. Williams had a hard time watching the episode of the The Three Stooges recently.  An episode that he found hilarious when he was a child.  Again in class the other day, Dr. Williams mentioned that a previous student of his spoke about how The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock had such a little impact on him.  I thought of a question that many theorists and people alike have likely thought of, what makes a work (specifically a humorous work) survive the test of time?  Are people more funny today or is it easier to find humor in the time period in which you live in?  With that in mind, a few days ago while watching Sportscenter on ESPN, the last duo I mentioned (Abbott and Costello) came onto the TV.  Sportscenter was doing a tribute to a great sports related comedic act by the duo, "Who's on first?"  The tribute showed how the act has survived the test of time and many today still try and emulate it today, even Jimmy Fallon.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Jg7pvVzKk)

Abbott and Costello fire back and forth so quickly that it enhances the intentional miscommunication between the two.  The language used is simple and yet the two cannot make sense of each other.  When Costello (right) uses other words than "who" such as "what" and "I dont know," Abbott quickly says that those men are on second and third base.  The way the skit makes use of a simple baseball question and spins it into dysfunction I found to be among the act's more funny qualities.  This act today has millions of YouTube views and I believe will continue to be enjoyed years into the future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M