# "Oh, bite me!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2000, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249 "2000-04-26T20:23:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/1 "2000-04-26T20:23:00Z")
I must admit, I like this expression. Do we have any William Safires here who can tell me when it originated? I first recall hearing it on MST3K a coiple of years ago, but now it’s become ubiquitous. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/2 "2000-04-26T20:37:00Z")
Just thought I would share this with you, Eve, I did a search on the internet and found a message where someone was asking “What’s the origin of the phrase ‘Bite Me!’” ? Unsuspectingly, I clicked on the link “Next Response” and saw [url=http://www.mrcranky.com/movies/antoniasline/2/101.html]this answer[/utl] (warning, not for young eyes.) I don’t suppose this was what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/3 "2000-04-26T20:38:00Z")
Upon reflection, it’s probably better that my link was incorrectly UBB-coded. :o ---
**Author:** ![maralinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@maralinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maralinn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/4 "2000-04-26T21:37:00Z")
You must call your library and see if they have the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang! It’s really great, and they use an amazing amount of examples from MST3K. However, not on “Bite me.” For “Bite me,” they first say it derives from “Bite it” and other related expressions (“Bite the rag,” “Bite the bag,” etc.) going back to 1949; and then for “Bite me” itself they cite Married with Children, 1992. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/5 "2000-04-27T09:13:00Z")
I’m pretty sure I heard “bite me” from David Letterman, prior to 1992. Anyway, I’ve always assumed it was a TV-ized version of “eat me”. ---
**Author:** ![Crystalguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@Crystalguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crystalguy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/6 "2000-04-27T09:28:00Z")
I used to hear it in high school, back in the 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/7 "2000-04-27T11:25:00Z")
Bart Simpson * * * \*\* _Sigh_. So many men, so few who can afford me \*\* _Original by Wally_ _I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it._ Homepage: [www.superlativeandsassy.com](http://www.superlativeandsassy.com) Occupation: Temptress Location: Ultra, California Interests: surpluses, excesses, abundances, extras, lagniappes _profile by UncleBeer_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/8 "2000-04-27T11:36:00Z")
It’s 0430 and I haven’t had coffee. Must be time for a WAG. ## How about this? “Bite me” (or “Kiss my ass” or whatever) is shorthand for “Perform fellatio on me. This will prove that I am weak and that you can do anything you want to me. I will stop you, proving that I am the stronger, and will cause you great bodily injury.” “I must leave this planet, if only for an hour.” – Antoine de St. Exupéry Are you a turtle? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/9 "2000-04-27T13:04:00Z")
Oh, dear, I hope it wasn’t invented by Letterman or “Married with Children,” or I’ll have to stop using it. Ultress, I thought Bart Simpson’s leitmotif was “eat my shorts,” though I suppose that could involve some residual biting of Bart himself. Maralinn, thanks for the dictionary reference and Arnie, thanks for the porn. And Crystalguy, you obviously went to the coolest high school in the U.S.! ---
**Author:** ![EnochF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/779978/32.png) [@EnochF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnochF)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/10 "2000-04-27T19:49:00Z")
_1992_? That can’t be right… 1991 was the golden age of MST3K. Classic episodes like _Gamera vs. Barugon_, _Santa Claus Conquers the Martians_, _The Amazing Colossal Man_ and _Pod People_ aired in 1991. There _must_ be at least one “bite me” in there somewhere. There’s probably a few in the 1990 episodes, too. I can’t vouch for Letterman or Bart, but I know we can push back the first use of “bite me” past 1992… ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/11 "2000-04-28T05:09:00Z")
I have no idea where this saying comes from, but my wife of 11 years used it on our third date. From then on, when ever she said “bite me” I gave her a chomp on her A\*\*! Hence, my internet user name! Anyway, I’ve heard this term at least since 1989! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/12 "2000-04-28T07:05:00Z")
I’m ashamed to admit knowing this but the expression “Bite me, fan-boy!” was a popular taunt among comic book fans back in the '80’s. It originated with the DC character Lobo where I believe it was used to answer reader mail in character. So, Eve, you were upset thinking you were imitating Letterman or MWC? Do you feel better now that you know you also sound like a comics geek? ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/13 "2000-04-28T08:24:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by EnochF: > \*\*_1992_? That can’t be right… > > 1991 was the golden age of MST3K. Classic episodes like _Gamera vs. Barugon_, _Santa Claus Conquers the Martians_, _The Amazing Colossal Man_ and _Pod People_ aired in 1991. There _must_ be at least one “bite me” in there somewhere. There’s probably a few in the 1990 episodes, too. I can’t vouch for Letterman or Bart, but I know we can push back the first use of “bite me” past 1992…\*\* Look, the ONLY MST3K that was worth beans were the ones that Joel was in. The new guy is lame, and so are the messed up voices that the bots have now. ## Wow, I really miss Joel on the show… And remember kids, crack doesn’t smoke itself! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/14 "2000-04-28T12:18:00Z")
what is MST3K? am I just culturally illiterate? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-bite-me/11249/15 "2000-04-28T12:25:00Z")
JTI—Yes, you are culturally illiterate, but don’t feel badly. I realize that I never know 50% of what anyone’s talking about, ever. MST3K is short for the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000, which went off the air last year after a ten-year run. It bascially made fun of bad movies and at its best was perfectly corking.