The rimshot has its roots in vaudeville and burlesque theatres, where house drummers marked comics' punchlines so audiences knew when to laugh. It carried into radio, television variety shows and stand-up clubs through the twentieth century, becoming shorthand for a joke, good or bad. As meme soundboards and short video edits spread online, the sting escaped the stage and became a reaction sound anyone could add in post, which is why it now appears in gaming clips, chat videos and parodies far from live comedy.