10 Hilarious TV Running Gags That Lasted An Insanely Long Time

Going back to a more classic series, Laverne & Shirley is home to one of the longest running gags in sitcom history, with over 70 instances of it in this complication alone. 

Lenny and Squiggy are two goofy, somewhat creepy dudes who are almost always seen together, with the latter being a super obnoxious greaser. All the time, characters will make a comment with some sort of negative connotation, and then Lenny and Squiggy will enter as if in response to what they just said. Laverne says that "there is nothing in this place that will make me sick," only for Lenny and Squiggy to enter, implying they make her sick. Other setups include "...everything around us is worthless," "...people I don't ever wanna see again," "...the biggest fool in the world," "...a strange creature from another world," and "...the creepiest looking thing I've ever seen." Oftentimes, what they say ironically describes the total opposite of the duo, like "...the idol of millions of American housewives!" 

Oh, and every single time they enter, Squiggy always yells, "Hello!" It's always in the exact same tone, too. This is one of those running gags that's different enough as to not really get old, more of a continued joke structure than one thing repeated again and again. Sometimes, those are the ones that work the best of all.