The origins of "That's what she said"?

[dt]

So I've been hearing that phrase a lot recently. "That's what she said," it seems, can be added to virtually any remark these days. Now, I know that character Michael Scott in the U.S. version of TV show "The Office" uses this phrase from time to time, and up until recently I had assumed that that show is the origin of the phrase. However someone told me the other day that it had been used prior to the show's creation. So now I'm curious. Was "that's what she said" used prior to the days of "The Office"? :p

[Berserk87]

that line has been used before the birth of Jesus.

[Rob Veteran]

Historically I expect it came from the other innuendo exclamation 'said the actress to the bishop', which has its roots reportedly in Edwardian England. Interestingly the above linked Wikipedia article mentions how Ricky Gervais (the main character in the original The Office from which the US remake is based) uses this phrase often - Steve Carrell's use of the phrase is almost certainly an homage to this character trait from the original series, albeit remade for an American audience.

[Shycho]

It's also in Studio 60 during their spit takes.

But i can't actually remember where it all started.

[gomaki]

The first instance of it in pop culture was the film "Wayne's World" in 1992, actually. :)

[Matrix XII]

that line has been used before the birth of Jesus.

haha true

OP: had you not heard of that saying until the Office? :unsure: