# Question about Homer Simpson phrase **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782 "2001-10-22T02:13:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/1 "2001-10-22T02:13:04Z")
“Mmmmm…donuts.”…“Mmmm…chocolate.”, ect. Did the Simpsons invent this phrase or mearly make it popular? ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/2 "2001-10-22T02:29:35Z")
What the heck kinda question is that??? Actually, I think that people did say this differently in the days before the Simpsons, people were a little more likely to say something like… “mmm, MMM - MAStadon” It’s pretty hard to communicate the stress pattern here, the first is said in a higher pitch than the second, and the second has slightly more emphasis. The word that follows (chocolate, beer, sacralicious) is streesed on the first syllable. Homer’s way of saying it seems far more passive…my favorite:“Mmmmmmm…floor pie” ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/3 "2001-10-22T02:32:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ignatzmouse \* > …my favorite:“Mmmmmmm…floor pie” \*\* ::applauds:: Your taste is impeccable. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/4 "2001-10-22T02:53:43Z")
My recollection is that in the baseball episode where Mr. Burns bought a team of ringers, this phrase was introduced. Homer pinch-hit for Darryl Strawberry (you’ve done a fine job today, Darryl, but I’m going with percentages. You’re a lefty, Simpson’s a righty), and, while he was being given a bunch of strategy talk by Mr. Burns, his mind wandered: “I wish I was home right now eating a big bag of potato chips. Mmmmmmm…potato chips…” and, for the first time, Homer went into his catatonic thinking-about-something-he’d-like-to-eat trance. AFAIK “The Simpsons” imbued the phrase “Mmmmmm…(food)” with the necessary ‘meaning-without-context’-ness that made it something more than a literal phrase, and a cultural phenomenon. In short, I think the answer to your question is ‘yes.’ ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/5 "2001-10-22T03:02:48Z")
It also has a tendency to pop into your head when something non-edible but with a foodlike name is mentioned…so I’m sitting in my Renaissance Drama class the other day, and I haven’t had lunch yet, and the professor is talking about Robert Greene’s play _Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay_…and I can hear Homer in my head, loud and clear: “Mmmmmmmm…Bacon…” It was all I could do not to giggle. 😃 (BTW, my favorites are “sacralicious” and “incapacitating,” the latter referring to eggs with pepper spray.) ---
**Author:** ![Chocobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/6 "2001-10-22T03:53:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Katisha \* > \*\* > > (BTW, my favorites are “sacralicious” and “incapacitating,” the latter referring to eggs with pepper spray.) \*\* I feel I must point out that “Sacrelicious” is in reference to a waffle Bart stuck to the ceiling, which Homer thought was God. Homer (to ceiling): Why do you mock me o Lord?! Marge: That’s not God, that’s just a waffle Bart stuck to the ceiling. (Gets waffle down with broom; falls into Homers hands) Homer (to waffle): I know I shouldn’t eat thee…(Bite) MMMmmm…Sacrelicious… Yes, I am full of semi-useless Simpsons trivia. ---
**Author:** ![cykrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@cykrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cykrider)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/7 "2001-10-22T03:58:03Z")
\*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ignatzmouse \* > …my favorite:“Mmmmmmm…floor pie” \*\* IIRC, it’s “Ooooooo…floor pie.” This is one of the few items without the “Mmmm.” I have this wav on my computer and I’ve listened to it over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Chocobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/8 "2001-10-22T03:59:38Z")
Arrgg…missed the ‘latter’ there. Oh well. Now everyone knows what sacrelicious was in reference to. Oh, and I think “Mmmm…” has just evolved into pop culture…not necessarily coming from the Simpsons, but just being made more popular. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/9 "2001-10-22T04:05:05Z")
“Mmmmm… Forbidden Donut…” Yes, it was the Simpsons that popularized this. ---
**Author:** ![Karellen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/779978/32.png) [@Karellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karellen)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/10 "2001-10-22T08:03:48Z")
best non-food use: (Homer tilts chair back) “…mmmmmmmmmmmm…slanty…” ---
**Author:** ![jharding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jharding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharding)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/11 "2001-10-22T12:42:03Z")
How about good old Andy Griffith shilling Ritz(?) crackers on TV back in the 70’s? “Mmmmm… good cracker.” ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/12 "2001-10-22T12:52:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Karellen \* > \*\*best non-food use: > (Homer tilts chair back) > “…mmmmmmmmmmmm…slanty…” \*\* Second best: Homer eating the bride and groom from the top of the cake after Selma’s marriage to Troy McClure: “Mmmmmmmm . . . point . . .” > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by bup_ > **My recollection is that in the baseball episode where Mr. Burns bought a team of ringers, this phrase was introduced.** It actually showed up in the first season, in “Krusty Gets Busted.” While in the Quik-E-Mart, Homer says, “Mmmm . . . chocolate.” There’s a list of all Homer’s “mmmmmms” [here](http://www.snpp.com/guides/mmmm.html). ---
**Author:** ![Racer\_Named\_Fisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecc23a/32.png) [@Racer\_Named\_Fisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer_Named_Fisk)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/13 "2001-10-22T14:00:06Z")
mmmmmm…purple. ---
**Author:** ![cmburns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cmburns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmburns)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/14 "2001-10-22T16:17:47Z")
I think he only popularized it, just like people were probably doing stupid things and saying “Doh” long before Homer made it his catchphrase. jharding, I’d forgotten about Andy Griffith’s pre-Homer use of the phrase. I’m surprised the Simpson’s writers haven’t used the good cracker line yet in tribute. Maybe in a Matlock reference. Mmmm…Soylent Green ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/15 "2001-10-22T17:10:29Z")
Mmmmmmmmmmm…Bop. Had to take it there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/16 "2001-10-22T19:14:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmburns \* > \*\* > jharding, I’d forgotten about Andy Griffith’s pre-Homer use of the phrase. I’m surprised the Simpson’s writers haven’t used the good cracker line yet in tribute. Maybe in a Matlock reference. > \*\* I don’t know if this counts as tribute, but Milhouse’s father used to work at a cracker factory. In the episode where his Kirk and Luann divorce, the factory is shown. It’s motto is “The dryyyy cracker.” ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/17 "2001-10-22T21:04:06Z")
Here’s an obscure Simpsons quote: “Mmmmmm… steaky!” It wasn’t said by Homer, though. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/18 "2001-10-22T21:11:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CurtC \* > \*\*Here’s an obscure Simpsons quote: > > “Mmmmmm… steaky!” > > It wasn’t said by Homer, though. \*\* Steakie. The great taste of Worchestshire Sauce in a soft drink. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_The\_Bold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dale\_The\_Bold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_The_Bold)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/19 "2001-10-22T21:20:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Katisha \* > \*\*It also has a tendency to pop into your head when something non-edible but with a foodlike name is mentioned… \*\* [while golfing] Mr Burns: Use an open-faced club. A sand wedge. Homer: Mmmmm…open faced club sandwedge. Glahglahglah (no one ever adds the drooling effect). I always thought the forbidden donut was sacrilicious. It was frobidden because he sold his soul o the devil for it, thus he downed the last morsel and quipped “Mmmmm…forbidden donut…sacrilicous.” But I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-homer-simpson-phrase/88782/20 "2001-10-22T22:37:14Z")
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