The Huffington Post reports that filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock recorded the first known “that’s what she said” (actually it’s “as the girl said”) during a sound test for his 1929 film “Blackmail”:
HP also includes video of every TWSS ever uttered on The Office (from the first four seasons):
(Would love to see this updated with all six seasons!)
Tipster: Mark
“As the girl said to the soldier”
That was really funny!
Wasn’t David Brent’s version of TWSS something along the lines of, “as an actress said to a bishop”? This video reminded me of that. Who knew Michael’s favorite joke was so old – and had so many variations? Very interesting!
Who knew there was so much historical significance behind “that’s what she said”…
This video only has three comments? Such a shame. Hitchcock is awesome–even more awesome now!
Hitchcock did NOT first record Michael’s iconic “That’s what she said!”
The “joke” Hitchcock made, “as the girl said,” was to use the innocent words of a woman to highlight some low-class sexual innuendo.
This notion of using a woman’s innocent remarks as a foil for male cheap sexual “humor” is nothing new. The sentiment behind “That’s what she said” has been a staple of male disrespect of women’s words for thousands of years. Keep in mind that men say this in front of the woman, totally disregarding her feelings of embarrassment.
Sexually frustrated men who’ve never really had mature relationships with women often resort to cheap sexual innuendos around women to cope with their sexually arrested development.
Our lovable Michael fits this profile exactly with his “That’s what she said!”. Said thoughtlessly right in front of the woman, this remark epitomizes his complete misunderstanding of women and social decorum. Guys laugh, even women laugh along.
The question still remains: Besides the writers of The Office, who deserves the credit for originating the exact phrase “That’s what she said!”?
It’s not Hitchcock!
Maybe Shakespeare… “me thinks the lady doth say it!”?
Well, I think the point was missed here. I don’t think it’s supposed to be credited as “the first known ‘that’s what she said’,” but rather the first *recorded “that’s what she said.” Like Drew pointed out, this kind of humor has been going around for a long time! But considering this was one of the first talkies, it very well could be the first recorded twss joke!
Wasn’t the first “that’s what she said” from Wayne’s World? I’ve been quoting it since 2000 when I first understood the joke.
Hitchcock didn’t say it. Besides, he said his quote in response to something he himself was saying. That’s not allowed in TWSS land.
Way before Wayne’s World. Chevy Chase used it during weekend update back in 1975. Long before that, the Brits used, “said the actress to the bishop”(or “said the bishop to the actress,” depending on circumstance.)