# Original source of Step 3: Profit?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 21, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290 "2004-04-21T21:27:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/1 "2004-04-21T21:27:05Z")
We’ve all see it all over the net:
Step 1: \_\_\_
Step 2: ??
Step 3: Profit!
I’ve seen it so darn much I can’t even remember the original. Was it the Far Side? Simpsons? Dilbert? Monty Python?
And forget googling. There’s too much noise muddying the signal on this one. I’m sure I knew once, but it’s gone.
As for what I’m planning on doing with this information, let’s just call this “Step 1”.
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### Author:  [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/2 "2004-04-21T21:30:22Z")
The first place I saw it was on South Park with the underpants gnomes.
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/3 "2004-04-21T21:45:53Z")
South Park Season 2 Episode 17
> [@](#):
>
> Gnome: Collecting underpants is just phase 1. Phase 1: collect underpants.
> Kyle: Sooo, what’s phase 2?
> Gnome: [has no response. Looks around, then calls out to the other gnomes on the underpants mound] Hey, what’s phase 2?
> Gnome 2: Phase 1: we collect underpants.
> Gnome: Yeah yeah yeah, but. What about phase 2?
> Gnome 2: [says nothing, then] Well, phase 3 is profit. Get it?
> Stan: I don’t get it.
> Gnome 2: [walks up to a large chart] You see,
> Phase 1: collect underpants. Phase 2: … Phase 3: Profit.
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### Author:  [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/4 "2004-04-21T22:14:16Z")
And IIRC, it was based on the [dot.com](http://dot.com) boom at the time. Alot of websites were being thrown up as step 1. Step 2 was ?? And step 3 was Profit!
It worked at the time.
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### Author:  [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/5 "2004-04-21T22:45:07Z")
And, of course, this has become a massive in-joke on Slashdot.
Of course, Slashdot is a massive in-joke on Slashdot.
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### Author:  [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/original-source-of-step-3-profit/241290/6 "2004-04-22T14:17:45Z")
now would be a good time for a smackie. if he were around.
Of course! South Park. Thanks, guys.