# Real life '"I didn't do it!" boys' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2023, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950 "2023-10-23T10:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/1 "2023-10-23T10:26:00Z")
In an episode of _The Simpsons_ Bart accidentally becomes vey popular due to an accident. His “I didn’t do it!” leads to variations but all on the exact same joke. He rides a wave of popularity for a while but he has nothing else so people turn hostile and then he’s forgotten. What are the best examples of people who managed to ride the wave for a while on variants of just one joke/schtick but were abandoned after it became clear they had nothing else? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/2 "2023-10-23T12:02:27Z")
Fonzie on Happy Days. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/3 "2023-10-23T12:07:55Z")
William Hung with his performance on American Idol. Brief surge of fame, even appeared on Arrested Development, then basically went away. Relatively famously, Vaughn Meader made a big album imitating John Kennedy. Once Kennedy died, it was no longer funny to people and he struggled to find another schtick that could draw an audience. > **[JFK Impersonator Vaughn Meader: Death of a Career](https://mobituaries.com/news/the-podcast/season-3/season-2/season-1/jfk-impersonator-vaughn-meader/)** > > For one brief shining moment in the early 1960s, John F. Kennedy impersonator Vaughn Meader was on top of the world. He was the voice of the hit comedy album "The First Family" which broke sales records and even won the Grammy for Album of the Year.... > [@kayaker](#): > > Fonzie on Happy Days. I mean, he has a catch phrase “Ehhhhhh!”, but he was on for 10+ years. I don’t think this matches the OP topic. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/4 "2023-10-23T12:11:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > he has a catch phrase “Ehhhhhh!”, but he was on for 10+ years. I don’t think this matches the OP topic. I saw him two or three times, then walked away unimpressed. Ten years? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/5 "2023-10-23T12:38:16Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I mean, he has a catch phrase “Ehhhhhh!” He did? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/6 "2023-10-23T12:58:27Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > What are the best examples of people who managed to ride the wave for a while on variants of just one joke/schtick but were abandoned after it became clear they had nothing else? I know this is CS, so I won’t say the name, but the OP _ **is** _ asking for real life examples. I’m hoping this will be the ultimate fate of a certain businessman turned TV star turned politician. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > I mean, he has a catch phrase “Ehhhhhh!” > > He did? Ha, yeah, I’m imagining a depressed Fonz with a lack of emotional affect and Anhedonia: **The Jones twins:** “Hey Fonz, want to take us both out to Lookout Point to watch the submarine races?” **Fonzie:** Ehhhhhhhh. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/7 "2023-10-23T13:22:33Z")
[Antoine Dodson,](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Dodson) made briefly noteworthy by Autotune the News. He made a go at trying to catapult his meme status into actual fame, but he couldn’t stick the landing. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/8 "2023-10-23T13:30:17Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > What are the best examples of people who managed to ride the wave for a while on variants of just one joke/schtick but were abandoned after it became clear they had nothing else? The opposite but the “Cash me outside, how bout dat” girl went on to be a successful rapper who claims a total earnings over $50M and is making millions on OnlyFans. > **[Bhad Bhabie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhad_Bhabie)** > > Danielle Marie Bregoli (born March 26, 2003), better known by her stage name Bhad Bhabie (pronounced "bad baby"), is an American rapper, songwriter, and media personality. She gained viral recognition after appearing on the talk show Dr. Phil in 2016, when her one-liners and catchphrases briefly became Internet memes. Bregoli's 2017 debut single, "These Heaux", peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made her the youngest female rapper to have a song enter the chart. She then signed wi... ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/9 "2023-10-23T13:38:37Z")
On the political side, There was Joe the Plumber who went viral at a Obama campaign stop and then tried spinning that fame into a bunch of different ventures, including a doomed run for Congress in 2012. He briefly popped up in the news again this year when he died from cancer. > **[Joe the Plumber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_the_Plumber)** > > Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (/ˈwɜːrzəlbɑːkər/ WUR-zəl-bah-kər; December 3, 1973 – August 27, 2023), commonly known as "Joe the Plumber", was an American conservative activist and commentator. He gained national attention during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign season when, during a videotaped campaign stop in Ohio by Democratic nominee Barack Obama, Wurzelbacher raised concerns that Obama's tax policy would increase taxes on small business owners. Wurzelbacher was a member of the Republican P... Then there was Ken Bone who asked Obama a question at the presidential debates and went briefly viral for his affable demeanor and red sweater before people noticed he was being a little too horny on main with his reddit account. > **[2016 United States presidential debates | Ken Bone phenomenon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_debates#Ken_Bone_phenomenon)** > > Questioner Ken Bone, a power plant operator from Illinois, had a media presence and became an Internet meme in the days following the debate. His rise to popularity was due to his name, his red sweater, and his use of a disposable camera prior to and after the debate. Bone appeared on ESPN College GameDay and @midnight. He was portrayed by Bobby Moynihan during the cold open of NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live's October 15 episode, dancing to the song "Get Ready for This". Bone rece ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/10 "2023-10-23T14:24:58Z")
[Raymond J. Johnson Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Saluga) A comedian playing a one-joke character that got old _real_ quick. > [@](#): > > Saluga’s [shtick](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shtick) as the character “Johnson” would be, when someone would refer to him as “Mr. Johnson” or by the common [generic nickname](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placeholder_name) “Johnson,” to exaggeratedly feign offense and list off all permutations of the name Raymond J. Johnson Jr. and nicknames thereof that do not mention the word “Johnson:” > > > “NOOO!!! You don’t have to call me Johnson! My name is Raymond J. Johnson Jr. Now you can call me Ray, or you can call me J, or you can call me Johnny, or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me Junie, or you can call me Junior; now you can call me Ray J, or you can call me RJ, or you can call me RJJ, or you can call me RJJ Jr. . . but you doesn’t hasta call me Johnson!” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/11 "2023-10-23T14:36:32Z")
Reminds me of the character actor in old black & white sitcoms whose catchphrase was just “Hello”. Must have been hilarious at the time, because he’d often be something like a shopkeeper who’d turn around, audience would laugh in recognition, then the drawn-out “Hellllllloooo!” and the audience erupts. Even the other actors are having a hard time keeping straight faces. eta: no luck finding a video… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/12 "2023-10-23T14:38:10Z")
I know who you mean, but can’t remember his name. He showed up on Jack Benny’s show a lot, IIRC. ---
**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:** [October 23, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/13 "2023-10-23T14:48:52Z")
Are you sure it was “hello”? [Frank Nelson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_r1Ynl4Ls) was one of the performers on Benny’s show but his catchphrase was a drawn-out “yesssssss”. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/14 "2023-10-23T14:51:26Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > [Raymond J. Johnson Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Saluga) > > A comedian playing a one-joke character that got old _real_ quick. I know this isn’t Saluga … but I had no idea that this “_you can call me Ray_ …” was a national bit. **[This ad was all over New Orleans television](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmGYsne_T6w)** for a spell in the early- to mid-1980s. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/15 "2023-10-23T14:56:34Z")
Wasn’t _The Simpsons_ spoofing [Steve “did I do that?” Urke](https://youtu.be/xz3ZOoYSMuw?si=A0A3EhkhTTN6k8zr)l? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/16 "2023-10-23T15:30:25Z")
“Where’s the beef?” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/17 "2023-10-23T15:31:33Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > [Raymond J. Johnson Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Saluga) > > A comedian playing a one-joke character that got old _real_ quick. That’s who I thought of, too. There was also Rod Hull, a comedian who would appear with his stuffed emu under his arm and cause general mayhem. For those who don’t remember, I found a clip of him with the Hudson Brothers, also a bit of a flash in the pan. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3De6sBNyoq8/hqdefault.jpg "Rod Hull And Emu - How To Groom An Emu") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3De6sBNyoq8) ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/18 "2023-10-23T16:10:36Z")
Jimmie Walker, “J.J.” on _Good Times_, was kind of the proto-Urkel. (Ur-Urkel, perhaps?) He has kept himself active in show business since then, though, so possibly not quite what the OP was looking for. For that matter, Jaleel White has consistently worked in show business as well - the _Family Matters_ residuals must be respectable. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/19 "2023-10-23T16:13:16Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [Frank Nelson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_r1Ynl4Ls) was one of the performers on Benny’s show but his catchphrase was a drawn-out “yesssssss”. Thanks so much. Looks like his schtick was to say any greeting in that way: I found a bunch, from “Yessss…”, to [“Howww do you do?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M68b2yww32A) to “Can I helllllp you?” The protagonist (usually Jack Benny) would say _"Why_ do I keep running into you?" or “On second thought, I’ll just help myself.” And that, grandkids, is what we had for comedy… ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950/20 "2023-10-23T16:19:19Z")
Lots of stand-up comics who flashed and died, but one in particular sticks in my mind. Male, probably from the 80’s, youngish and fairly buff, I think he had longish brown hair. He had two schticks: one was his “dawg” who loved “salsa sawce” (he had a thick accent, maybe Jersey, I don’t know); the other was based on sleeping nude with his wife, getting up to pee in the night, and cleverly using the guest towels to blot his dick so that he was all nice and dry when he got back into bed. That was it, all I remember about his act. He probably got a couple of years’ worth of national TV appearances on variety shows with that stuff. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-i-didnt-do-it-boys/991950.md?page=2)