# "DEETZ NUTS"--when did the phrase begin? Who started it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774 "2025-07-12T14:57:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/1 "2025-07-12T14:57:11Z")
When did the phrase begin? Who started it? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/2 "2025-07-12T15:08:15Z")
Dr Dre, apparently. > **[deez nuts Meaning & Origin | Slang by Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/deez-nuts/)** > > Deez nuts is an expression used to deliberately interrupt or divert a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/3 "2025-07-12T18:32:54Z")
Dre’s album but I think that was Snoop Dogg making the call on the album. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/4 "2025-07-12T18:47:51Z")
I’ve never seen it written as Deetz Nuts, and on [the album it’s actually “Deeez Nuuuts”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronic). Perhaps you ran across [Dietz Nuts](https://store.dietzandwatson.com/products/original-dietz-nuts) which seems like it would share the pronunciation of the OP’s spelling. They are the result of the deli meat supplier, Dietz and Watson, having a little fun with the phrase (trademarked well after the Dre album). They aren’t even actual nuts. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/5 "2025-07-12T19:05:35Z")
In 2015, a fifteen-year-old from Iowa filed with the Federal Election Commission as a candidate for the U.S. Presidency, under the pseudonym “Deez Nutz” (undoubtedly borrowed from the song), and generated a fair amount of publicity (and actually getting a non-zero amount of “support” in polls), undoubtedly due to the silly name. > **[Vote 2016 Remembers: Deez Nuts, failed independent candidate for president](https://wjla.com/news/election/vote-2016-remembers-deez-nuts-failed-independent-candidate-for-president)** > > WASHINGTON (ABC7) - On Election Day 2016, we look back at one of the most memorable candidates of the bunch.An independent from Iowa by the name of Deez Nuts shocked us all in August 2015 with (relatively) high poll numbers.A public policy poll in... ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deetz-nuts-when-did-the-phrase-begin-who-started-it/1020774/6 "2025-07-12T19:32:02Z")
And for anyone wondering, it was originally a little skit between songs on the classic rap album “The Chronic.” Snoop Doggy Dogg (as he was then known) calls up a young lady and says, “Hey did, uh, wass-his-name get at you yesterday?” She replies, “Who?” To which Snoop hits her back with “Deeeez nuuuuts!” And a meme was born.