Second prize: TWO WEEKS in Swaziland

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

      I'll be going to Switzerland for two weeks, but the classic joke
doesn't apply.  "You know what the casino prizes here are?" I recently said
in Swaziland.  "First prize is one free week in Swaziland.  Second prize is
TWO FREE WEEKS in Swaziland."
     SECOND PRIZE, TWO MONTHS IN LENINGRAD (1984) was a play by Trish
Johnson.  Did the joke originate in Russia?  Was comedian Jackov Smirnov the
first to tell it?
     A usenet check shows that the joke has made it around the world:

10-21-95 posting:  Sounds like a competition.  First prize one week in
Fishguard, second prize two weeks.

4-13-96 posting:  It's sort of like winning a second prize of two weeks in
Armpit Ontario when first prize is one week in Armpit.

7-25-96 posting:  First prize: one week in Central Florida.  Second prize:
two weeks in Central Florida.

2-18-97 posting:  Don't forget the intense and often humorous rivalry between
Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Glasgow Celtic FC had a raffle.  First prize was a
week in Edinburgh, second prize was two weeks in Edinburgh.

3-23-97 posting:  You win first prize, one free week in Moose Jaw,
Saskatchewan.  Kerry wins second prize, which is two free weeks in Moose
Jaw...

6-25-97 posting:  I saw an interesting contest a few years back.  First prize
was a week in Moscow.  Second prize was two weeks in Moscow.

8-6-97 posting:  What's the first place prize?  A trip to Cuba for one week?
What's the second place prize, two weeks in Cuba?

10-10-97 posting:  YELTSIN:  First prize, a week traveling around Russia with
me!  YASTRZHEMBSKI:  Second prize, two weeks.

2-26-98 posting:  That corny old joke used to be said of the city.  First
prize in a raffle--one week in Sheffield.  Second prize--two weeks in
Sheffield.

7-28-98 posting:  First prize--one week in Bangalore.  Second prize--two
weeks in Bangalore!

10-27-98 posting:  Reminds me of the old joke about the raffle--first prize
was a week in Melbourne, second prize was two weeks in Melbourne! (...)  The
funny (?) thing is that I have twice heard this said of Christchurch.

10-30-98 posting:  First prize will be an all expense paid week in beautiful
downtown Liverpool.  Second prize will be two weeks there.

3-16-99 posting:  Remember the competition where the first prize was a week
in Warrington and the second prize was two weeks in Warrington.

3-20-99 posting:  First prize, one week in fashionable Norwalk, CT!  Second
prize, two weeks in Norwalk, CT!