Foolish or easily manipulated people, or comedians who perform slapstick humor.
Unknown origin, possibly from Yiddish 'shtuges' or created as a made-up theatrical term. First appeared in American usage in the early 1900s. It became famous through the comedy group 'The Three Stooges' in the 1920s-1930s.
The Three Stooges were so iconic that they basically branded the word—their name became permanently linked with slapstick comedy! But the word's unknown origin makes it mysterious: no one's totally sure why comedians came to be called 'stooges' in the first place.
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