# Push the button! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678 "2005-05-13T14:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [May 13, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/1 "2005-05-13T14:27:13Z")
This is shouted, in a voice that sounds as if the person is mentally disabled. _PUSH THE BUT-TON!_ It’s one of those phrases I picked up somewhere, and use from time to time. Anyone know where it’s from? ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/2 "2005-05-13T14:43:10Z")
Well, if it’s “Push the button, _Frank_,” it’s the closing tag line on MST3K. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/3 "2005-05-13T14:52:16Z")
“Push the button, Max!” is from [The Great Race](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059243/). ---
**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:** [May 13, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/4 "2005-05-13T15:18:02Z")
No, not MST3K. And the reference is later than TGR. I almost want to say it’s from a Comedy Central commercial. I get the image in my head of the ‘Lupo the Butcher’ character, but that doesn’t seem right either. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/5 "2005-05-13T15:22:39Z")
The red, SHIN-EY button! The pretty CANDY-COLORED BUTTON! _Ren & Stimpy_, dude. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/6 "2005-05-13T15:29:39Z")
Let’s not forget _Tiny Toons_\*, which featured a young Plucky Duck. In his stories, he’d always find something like an “elelator,” and want to push the button. And would say so much like the OP says. He’d also sometimes throw in an, “Wanna do it 'gain.” The little duck was OBSESSED with pushing buttons and flushing toilets. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/7 "2005-05-13T15:39:34Z")
> [@](#): > > PUSH THE BUTTON PULL THE SWITCH CUT THE BEAM C’MON MAKE IT MARCH. Sign me up as a diplomat - my only office is the park Jefferson Starship, blows against the empire. I believe the first part of the line is a quote from Heinlein’s ‘The Roads Must Roll’. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/8 "2005-05-13T15:46:54Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Let’s not forget _Tiny Toons_\*, which featured a young Plucky Duck. In his stories, he’d always find something like an “elelator,” and want to push the button. And would say so much like the OP says. He’d also sometimes throw in an, “Wanna do it 'gain.” > > The little duck was OBSESSED with pushing buttons and flushing toilets. Elelator go down the HO-LE!!! Eleator go down the hole… Nanna Come back!!! ---
**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:** [May 13, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/9 "2005-05-13T15:52:42Z")
HEY! **Johnny**! Anybody hit the mark, yet? ---
**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:** [May 13, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/10 "2005-05-13T15:55:44Z")
The penny hasn’t dropped yet. ---
**Author:** ![silverfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@silverfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silverfish)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/11 "2005-05-13T16:27:01Z")
At the end of Hollywood by Madonna there is a bit that goes: Push the button Don’t push the button Trip the station Change the channel ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/12 "2005-05-13T17:19:03Z")
I first started using the phrase when I was introduced to the Nuclear War card game, which included a layout sheet with a button marked “Press to Test.” ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/13 "2005-05-13T17:54:24Z")
Airplane. Robert Stack. George ---
**Author:** ![justafriend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@justafriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justafriend)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/14 "2005-05-13T17:56:40Z")
“Push **a** button” is from Yellow Submarine. Don’t remember which Beatle though. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/15 "2005-05-14T15:18:20Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > The red, SHIN-EY button! > The pretty CANDY-COLORED BUTTON! Nitpick: I watched this yesterday again, and it’s actually: The beautiful, SHIN-EY button! The jolly, CANDY-LIKE button! (One of my favorite lines, by the way. Gotta love that History Eraser Button. Can he hold out, folks? _Will_ he hold out?) ---
**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:** [May 14, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/push-the-button/303678/16 "2005-05-14T15:25:55Z")
I wonder what happens if I push this button? Don’t! Ah. A little sign came on that says ‘Don’t press this button again.’