# "Kick his ass, seabass" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079 "2004-03-08T04:45:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/1 "2004-03-08T04:45:00Z")
A few months ago, a colleague of mine received this response from an email bcc: to opposing counsel: _Kick his ass, seabass._ Catchy, right? But where the hell did it come from? A week or so ago, I heard the same phrase on the Discovery Channel show _American Hotrod_. If you do a Google search, it comes up more than a few times. But where the hell did it come from? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/2 "2004-03-08T04:49:21Z")
I recall it from the movie “Dumb and Dumber” when Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are in the bar about to get beaten by the truckers as one of the truckers tells one of the others to “kick his ass, seabass!” Haven’t heard it anywhere else really… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/3 "2004-03-08T04:49:59Z")
I believe the first usage was from “Dumb and Dumber.” When either Harry or Lloyd - I can’t remember who - heaves a salt shaker over his shoulder after spilling the salt, it hits Seabass, a big mean redneck. He marches over to demand who the hell threw the salt and one of his friends yells, “kick his ass, Seabass!” It’s actually his name, not just a rhyming expression. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/4 "2004-03-08T05:09:02Z")
[http://www.geocities.com/dumbsounds/](http://www.geocities.com/dumbsounds/) About the 18th one down from the top. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/5 "2004-03-08T05:10:36Z")
The previous two posters are right. I just wanted to point out that the character of Seabass is played by Cam Neely, who played hockey with the Boston Bruins and recently had his number 8 retired. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/6 "2004-03-08T06:06:50Z")
Does “ass” rhyme with “seabass”, if one has an American accent? I’m speaking it aloud, but I can’t seem to make the two rhyme. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/7 "2004-03-08T06:11:46Z")
I get the feeling that “Dumb and Dumber” is this generation’s “Citizen Kane.” My apologies for my social retardation. And my thanks for being surrounded by people who know the cinematic genius of said film. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/8 "2004-03-08T06:17:57Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > Does “ass” rhyme with “seabass”, if one has an American accent? I’m speaking it aloud, but I can’t seem to make the two rhyme. > 😕 In an American accent, yes: the “a” in each is the same as in the words “flat” or “fact” or “happy”. We would transcribe your (presumably UK) pronunciation as “arse” or “ahss” or even “Oz” with a hard “Ess” instead of a “Zee” (which you would call a “Zed”). The “a” in your pronunciation is presumably the same as in “bravo”. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/9 "2004-03-08T06:25:04Z")
Ah, thanks. I pronouce “ass” as “arse”/“ahhse” and “seabass” with a flat A (“see-bas”), so they don’t rhyme well. Australian pronounciation, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/10 "2004-03-08T06:41:32Z")
> [@Jurph](#): > > In an American accent, yes: the “a” in each is the same as in the words “flat” or “fact” or “happy”. Not this American, at least. I pronounce the a in “ass” or “bass” like I pronounce it in air or fair. Sort of like ayas, or bayas, except the y sound isn’t really enunciated…air would be ayer. ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/11 "2004-03-08T14:56:25Z")
What’s the soup du jour? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/12 "2004-03-08T15:00:40Z")
> [@keithnmick](#): > > What’s the soup du jour? It’s the soup of the day. 😃 (So, will this degenerate into a _Dumb and Dumber_ quote-fest?) ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/13 "2004-03-08T15:07:33Z")
> [@keithnmick](#): > > What’s the soup du jour? That’s the soup of the day. ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/14 "2004-03-08T15:09:30Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > It’s the soup of the day. > > 😃 > > (So, will this degenerate into a _Dumb and Dumber_ quote-fest?) [Homer S] Why you little… [/Homer S] ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-his-ass-seabass/233079/15 "2004-03-08T15:19:31Z")
I don’t know if this is germane, but maybe it’s a hockey thing. The Pittsburgh Penguins Goalie, Jean Sebastien Aubin is nicknamed Seabass (short for the Sebastien part).