[Ads-l] Quip Origin: A Committee is a gathering of important people who, singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The quip in the subject line has many variants. Here are two more examples:

(1) A committee is a body of people who individually can do nothing
but collectively they may decide that nothing can be done.

(2) A conference is a gathering of important people who, singly can do
nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done.

This gag has been attributed to U.S. comedian and radio broadcaster
Fred Allen (stage name of John Florence Sullivan). Allen did use it
1940, but the earliest match I found appeared in October 1934 within
an English newspaper which pointed to "St. Martin's Review" as the
source. I have not yet seen "St. Martin's Review":

[ref] 1934 October 6, Evening Sentinel, Crocks and Crazes: A Broadcast
Objection, Quote Page 3, Column 3, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire,
England. (British Newspaper Archive) [/ref]

Begin excerpt]
>From the same Review — A Committee is a gathering of important people
who, singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can
be done.
[End excerpt]

Here is a link to the QI article:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2025/07/03/committee-decide/

Feedback and illuminating citations would be welcome.
Garson O'Toole
QuoteInvestigator.com

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