# Simpsons and use of "Noooooo!!!!" and "Whaaaaaaa?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311 "2007-09-06T23:50:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ernesto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@ernesto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ernesto)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/1 "2007-09-06T23:50:22Z")
I noticed on a lot of Simpsons episodes the characters say “Noooooo!!!” when something bad is happening. I don’t believe that is original but a take off of something else? If it is not original what it’s a take off of. And another catchphrase is "Whaaaaaaaaa? (instead of “What?”). Is this original or not. If not what’s it taken from? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/2 "2007-09-07T00:10:46Z")
I’m not sure they are parodies of a specific movie or moment - they might just be parodies of tropes, things that everybody has seen on TV at some point. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/3 "2007-09-07T01:20:39Z")
Their worst catchphrase is the “yesssssssssssssssssssssss?” one and the worst character is the guy who says it. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/4 "2007-09-07T02:39:06Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Their worst catchphrase is the “yesssssssssssssssssssssss?” one and the worst character is the guy who says it. [/QUOTE] That’s referring to a particular guy, [Frank Nelson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0625372/), a wonderful character actor. You may have seen him in such shows as _I Love Lucy_, _Sanford and Son_ or _The Jack Benny Program_. Yesss. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/5 "2007-09-07T03:58:01Z")
You whaaaaaaaaa? No, I was calling my assistant. Euwa, get in here. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/6 "2007-09-07T16:29:48Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Their worst catchphrase is the “yesssssssssssssssssssssss?” one… [/QUOTE] Worse than “woozle-wozzle”? I think not! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/7 "2007-09-07T16:46:07Z")
Jon Stewart also tosses out a “Whaaaaa?” now and then. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/8 "2007-09-07T16:54:18Z")
Juh? ---
**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/9 "2007-09-07T17:59:05Z")
Won’t somebody think of the children?! Nobody likes Moleman. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/10 "2007-09-07T18:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=Shecky] Nobody likes Moleman. [/QUOTE] Lesbians? This isn’t my army reunion. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/11 "2007-09-07T18:28:25Z")
[QUOTE=Shecky] Won’t somebody think of the children?! Nobody likes Moleman. [/QUOTE] Hey, I like Moleman. But I think the correct line is “Nobody’s gay for Moleman.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/12 "2007-09-07T18:29:10Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] Hey, I like Moleman. But I think the correct line is “Nobody’s gay for Moleman.” [/QUOTE] On the other hand, “Nobody likes Milhouse!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/13 "2007-09-07T19:13:12Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Jon Stewart also tosses out a “Whaaaaa?” now and then. [/QUOTE] His tend to remind me of Scooby-Doo’s puzzled “Mruh?” ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/14 "2007-09-07T20:00:29Z")
“Rhut-rhowh!” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/15 "2007-09-08T02:54:50Z")
What about the “a-oy, oy” sorta sound and the collar fingering when someone is in trouble? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/16 "2007-09-08T06:15:45Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] What about the “a-oy, oy” sorta sound and the collar fingering when someone is in trouble? [/QUOTE] That was the recently-deceased Charles Nelson Reilly’s shtick. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/17 "2007-09-08T07:13:30Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] On the other hand, “Nobody likes Milhouse!” 😃 [/QUOTE] Not when “Everything’s comin’ up Milhouse!” ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/18 "2007-09-08T07:18:05Z")
[Dirty Work] **Sam** : So, you mean to tell me that that sweet girl’s grandmother runs a whorehouse out of the building we’re about to destroy? **Mitch** : Yeah, I feel awful doing this to Kathy. **Sam** : Hey, uh, Mitch, you’re really starting to like this Kathy, aren’t ya? **Mitch** : [with a huge, smirking grin] Nooooooo. **Sam** : Mitch, I know you, man. When you say “no” like that, you really mean yes. **Mitch** : What are ya talking about? **Sam** : Watch, I’ll show you. Mitch, uh, did you ever rob a bank? **Mitch** : [definitely] No. **Sam** : Did you ever climb Mount Everest? **Mitch** : [more definitely] No. **Sam** : Did you ever say that you can see why women find Sean Connery sexy? **Mitch** : [with a huge, smirking grin] _Nooooooo_. [/DW] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/19 "2007-09-08T19:43:42Z")
[QUOTE=ernesto] I noticed on a lot of Simpsons episodes the characters say “Noooooo!!!” when something bad is happening. I don’t believe that is original but a take off of something else? If it is not original what it’s a take off of. [/QUOTE] I don’t know if it’s this, but one very famous ‘Noooooo!’ is the one uttered by Luke Skywalker when Darth Vader reveals thatRosebud is the name of his sled -you can watch the clip here: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h6sj89xgnl4/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/h6sj89xgnl4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque And an excellent take on it from Toy Story 2 here: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/38W6G3Ud7ms/hqdefault.jpg "Buzz i am your father!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38W6G3Ud7ms) ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311/20 "2007-09-08T22:10:33Z")
I’m usually very well behaved in movie theaters, but at the end of Crap Prequel #3 (I’ve long since forgotten the title) when Darth stands up, shakes his fist in the air, and yells “Nooooooooooo” I freaking _lost it_. I was laughing so hard, it made me sick. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-and-use-of-noooooo-and-whaaaaaaa/418311.md?page=2)