Columnist Sidney Skolsky wrote in his 1970 memoir that he came up with the term in 1934 under pressure for a deadline, mocking Vaudeville comedians who asked "Will you have a cigar, Oscar?"
kˈɑːləmnˌɪst sˈɪdni skˈɑːlski ɹˈoʊt ɪn hɪz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti mˈɛmwɑːɹ ðæt hiː kˈeɪm ˌʌp wɪððə tˈɜːm ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi fˈoːɹ ˌʌndɚ pɹˈɛʃɚ fɚɹə dˈɛdlaɪn, mˈɑːkɪŋ vˈɔːdvɪl kəmˈiːdiənz hˌuː ˈæskt "wɪl juː hæv ɐ sᵻɡˈɑːɹ, ˈɑːskɚ?"