Catch phrase craze

I’m sure you’ve seen the buzz about “The 100 Greatest TV Quotes & Catch Phrases” thing coming up on TV Land (since when did they make headlines?)

The gist of it: TV Land compiled what they think are the greatest TV catch phrases of all time, and will be counting them down starting Dec. 11.

In alphabetical order, here is TV Land’s list:
–”Aaay” (Fonzie, “Happy Days”)
–”And that’s the way it is” (Walter Cronkite, “CBS Evening News”)
–”Ask not what your country can do for you …” (John F. Kennedy)
–”Baby, you’re the greatest” (Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, “The Honeymooners”)
–”Bam!” (Emeril Lagasse, “Emeril Live”)
–”Book ‘em, Danno” (Steve McGarrett, “Hawaii Five-O”)
–”Come on down!” (Johnny Olson, “The Price is Right”)
–”Danger, Will Robinson” (Robot, “Lost in Space”)
–”De plane! De plane!” (Tattoo, “Fantasy Island”)
–”Denny Crane” (Denny Crane, “Boston Legal”)
–”Do you believe in miracles?” (Al Michaels, 1980 Winter Olympics)
–”D’oh!” (Homer Simpson, “The Simpsons”)
–”Don’t make me angry …” (David Banner, “The Incredible Hulk”)
–”Dyn-o-mite” (J.J., “Good Times”)
–”Elizabeth, I’m coming!” (Fred Sanford, “Sanford and Son”)
–”Gee, Mrs. Cleaver …” (Eddie Haskell, “Leave it to Beaver”)
–”God’ll get you for that” (Maude, “Maude”)
–”Good grief” (Charlie Brown, “Peanuts” specials)
–”Good night, and good luck” (Edward R. Murrow, “See It Now”)
–”Good night, John Boy” (”The Waltons”)
–”Have you no sense of decency?” (Joseph Welch to Sen. McCarthy)
–”Heh heh” (Beavis and Butt-head, “Beavis and Butthead”)
–”Here it is, your moment of Zen” (Jon Stewart, “The Daily Show”)
–”Here’s Johnny!” (Ed McMahon, “The Tonight Show”)
–”Hey now!” (Hank Kingsley, “The Larry Sanders Show”)
–”Hey hey hey!” (Dwayne Nelson, “What’s Happening!!”)
–”Hey hey hey!” (Fat Albert, “Fat Albert”)
–”Holy (whatever), Batman!” (Robin, “Batman”)
–”Holy crap!” (Frank Barone, “Everybody Loves Raymond”)
–”Homey don’t play that!” (Homey the Clown, “In Living Color”)
–”How sweet it is!” (Jackie Gleason, “The Jackie Gleason Show”)
–”How you doin’?” (Joey Tribbiani, “Friends”)
–”I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” (Alka Seltzer ad)
–”I know nothing!” (Sgt. Schultz, “Hogan’s Heroes”)
–”I love it when a plan comes together” (Hannibal, “The A-Team”)
–”I want my MTV!” (MTV ad)
–”I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl …” (Larry, “Newhart”)
–”I’m not a crook …” (Richard Nixon)
–”I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV” (Vicks Formula 44 ad)
–”I’m Rick James, bitch!” (Dave Chappelle as Rick James, “Chappelle’s Show”)
–”Is that your final answer?” (Regis Philbin, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”)
–”It keeps going and going and going …” (Energizer Batteries ad)
–”It takes a licking …” (Timex ad)
–”Jane, you ignorant slut” (Dan Aykroyd to Jane Curtin, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”Just one more thing …” (Columbo, “Columbo”)
–”Let’s be careful out there” (Sgt. Esterhaus, “Hill Street Blues”)
–”Let’s get ready to rumble!” (Michael Buffer, various sports events)
–”Live long and prosper” (Spock, “Star Trek”)
–”Makin’ whoopie” (Bob Eubanks, “The Newlywed Game”)
–”Mom always liked you best” (Tommy Smothers, “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”)
–”Never assume …” (Felix Unger, “The Odd Couple”)
–”Nip it!” (Barney Fife, “The Andy Griffith Show”)
–”No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi, “Seinfeld”)
–”Norm!” (”Cheers”)
–”Now cut that out!” (Jack Benny, “The Jack Benny Program”)
–”Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!” (Stan and Kyle, “South Park”)
–”Oh, my nose!” (Marcia Brady, “The Brady Bunch”)
–”One small step for man …” (Neil Armstrong)
–”Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?” (Grey Poupon ad)
–”Read my lips: No new taxes!” (George H.W. Bush)
–”Resistance is futile” (Picard as Borg, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
–”Say good night, Gracie” (George Burns, “The Burns & Allen Show”)
–”Schwing!” (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy” (Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle)
–”Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids” (Trix cereal ad)
–”Smile, you’re on `Candid Camera”‘ (”Candid Camera”)
–”Sock it to me” (”Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”)
–”Space, the final frontier …” (Capt. Kirk, “Star Trek”)
–”Stifle!” (Archie Bunker, “All in the Family”)
–”Suit up!” (Barney Stinson, “How I Met Your Mother”)
–”Tastes great! Less filling!” (Miller Lite beer ad)
–”Tell me what you don’t like about yourself” (Dr. McNamara and Dr. Troy, “Nip/Tuck”)
–”That’s hot” (Paris Hilton, “The Simple Life”)
–”The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat” (Jim McKay, “ABC’s Wide World of Sports”)
–”The tribe has spoken” (Jeff Probst, “Survivor”)
–”The truth is out there” (Fox Mulder, “The X-Files”)
–”This is the city …” (Sgt. Joe Friday, “Dragnet”)
–”Time to make the donuts” (”Dunkin’ Donuts” ad)
–”Two thumbs up” (Siskel & Ebert, “Siskel & Ebert”)
–”Up your nose with a rubber hose” (Vinnie Barbarino, “Welcome Back, Kotter”)
–”We are two wild and crazy guys!” (Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as Czech playboys, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”Welcome to the O.C., bitch” (Luke, “The O.C.”)
–”Well, isn’t that special?” (Dana Carvey as the Church Lady, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”We’ve got a really big show!” (Ed Sullivan, “The Ed Sullivan Show”)
–”Whassup?” (Budweiser ad)
–”What you see is what you get!” (Geraldine, “The Flip Wilson Show”)
–”Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” (Arnold Drummond, “Diff’rent Strokes”)
–”Where’s the beef?” (Wendy’s ad)
–”Who loves you, baby?” (Kojak, “Kojak”)
–”Would you believe?” (Maxwell Smart, “Get Smart”)
–”Yabba dabba do!” (Fred Flintstone, “The Flintstones”)
–”Yada, yada, yada” (”Seinfeld”)
–”Yeah, that’s the ticket” (Jon Lovitz as the pathological liar, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”You eeeediot!” (Ren, “Ren & Stimpy”)
–”You look mahvelous!” (Billy Crystal as Fernando, “Saturday Night Live”)
–”You rang?” (Lurch, “The Addams Family”)
–”You’re fired!” (Donald Trump, “The Apprentice”)
–”You’ve got spunk …” (Lou Grant, “The Mary Taylor Moore Show”)

OK, not bad. But here is my top ten list of ones they left out, or at least phrases that I like (maybe they didn’t resonate with anyone but me.)

** “What’s up doc?” (Bugs Bunny, “Looney Tunes”)
** “He shoots, he scores!” (Foster Hewitt, “Hockey Night in Canada”)
** “Not that there’s anything wrong with that” (Jerry Seinfeld, “Seinfeld”)
** “Eat my shorts” (Bart Simpson, “The Simpsons”)
** “Ha ha!” (Nelson Muntz, “The Simpsons”)
** “Exterminate!” (Daleks, “Doctor who”)
** “Not!” (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, “Saturday Night Live”)
** “You are the weakest link. Goodbye.” (Anne Robinson, “The weakest link”)
** “Survey says:” (Richard Dawson, “Family Feud”)
** “I pity the fool!” (B.A. Baracus, “The A Team”)

After those ten, here are some other personal suggestions:

** “That’s the news, and I am outta here” (Dennis Miller, “Weekend Update” on SNL)
** “I did not have sex with that woman” (Bill Clinton)
** “Sorry about that, Chief” AND
“Missed it by that much” (Maxwell Smart, “Get Smart”)
** “Hogaaaaaan!” (Col. Wilhelm Klink, “Hogan’s Heroes”)
** “I’m in hot pursuit!” (Rosco P. Coltrane, “The Dukes of Hazard”)
** “Are you kidding me?” AND
“Break out the salami and cheese, this one’s over” (Chuck Swirsky, Raptors announcer)
** “Hello every bod-yyyyy!” (Grover, “Sesame Street”)
** “Hey there Boo Boo!” AND
“I’m smarter than the average bear!” (Yogi Bear, Hanna-Barbera cartoons)
** “Meep meep!” (The Roadrunner, “Looney Tunes”)
** “Kermit the frog here” (Kermit, “The Muppet Show”)
** “Oh my God, Magnum!” (Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, Magnum P.I.)
** “Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!” (crowd, “The Adventures of Superman”)
** “Scooby dooby doo!” (Scooby-Doo, “Scooby-Doo, Where are You!”)

As you can see, I think cartoons are hugely under-represented. And of course I could have picked dozens of other phrases from The Simpsons, SNL, Seinfeld etc., but I figured I’d just select a couple.

What else was missed by TV Land (and me)? Let me know!

Posted by: Paul Gorbould | 11-28-2006 | 03:11 PM
Posted in: Television