# Why Do Vampires Say "Bleh?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2003, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695 "2003-09-15T07:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/21 "2003-09-15T20:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*I don’t know but I long for a return to the good ole days when vampires wore capes, turned into bats and said “bleh! bleh!” I’m sick of these pretentious, introspective vampires who hang out in raves all night wearing leather pants, Armani shirts, listening to techno and carrying customized Belgian machineguns. \*\* I agree. Vampires are supposed to be eerie. Not angst ridden, like a group of goths at a high school. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/22 "2003-09-15T21:04:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rabid Child \* > I agree. Vampires are supposed to be eerie. Not angst ridden, like a group of goths at a high school. \*\* Exactly. Vampires have slowly gone from the high school football jocks of the monster world to the AV club nerds. ---
**Author:** ![WhiteyFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WhiteyFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhiteyFoo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/23 "2003-09-15T21:12:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*Exactly. Vampires have slowly gone from the high school football jocks of the monster world to the AV club nerds. \*\* And Kung-Fu! Don’t forget the Kung-Fu! “Hiyah! Bleh!” ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/24 "2003-09-15T22:09:31Z")
In Allan Sherman’s “My Son, the Vampire” (the theme song to the 1952 film of the same name), he sings the word “blood” in a cheesy faux-European accent so it sounds like “bluuuuuh!” > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duke of Rat \* > \*\* > The girl always has on a low cut dress, showing ample cleavage. Something I’d really like to suck, but NO!! All I get to do is lay a turbo hickey on her neck. Picture Sharon Tate in “The Fearless Vampire Killers” and tell me all you’d suck would be her neck. > \*\* You may be pleased to hear that the vampire of folklore, as well as early literary vampires, went for the chest (heart) rather than the neck. The neck-biting vampire was probably popularized by film. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/25 "2003-09-15T22:25:50Z")
I think it was George Hamilton who told a Johnny Carson audience how to practice to speak like a vampire. There are two methods: stacatto (when the vampire is excited) and langorous (normal conversation tone). To practice the stacatto: use the words “Palo Alto, California”, loudly and quickly, with a Romanian accent, running the first two words together, and the third word separately. All syllables are equally stressed except for the final “to” and “nia”, which drop off softly. PALOALto CALIFORnia To practice the languorous: use the word “antipasto”, saying it slowly, sounding all sinister, and with the Romanian accent and lisping the “s”. "ahnti-pahhth-toe ---
**Author:** ![Specific\_Ocean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Specific\_Ocean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Specific_Ocean)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/26 "2003-09-15T23:33:40Z")
\ Here in Canada, because we have two official languages, all product packaging must be in both English and French. Sometimes at my grocery store, they place the products so that the French side faces outwards. In particular, I notice that they do this with odd irregularity for a particular brand of cracker - I can’t remember which. In French, the crackers are called “Fins de Ble”. Whenever I see this, I can’t help but use my best version of a vampire accent to say, out loud, “fins de ble…BLE… **BLE**!”. (The “blah” coming with increasing intensity with each repetition.) People usually give me a sideways glance or two, but that only helps to increase my amusement. \ ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/27 "2003-09-15T23:53:43Z")
After wearing vampire fangs last Halloween, I can attest that Dracula would have had a wicked lisp. I’m sure he would have hit on “Bleh!” as something he could say without embarassing himself. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/28 "2003-09-16T00:08:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*I don’t know but I long for a return to the good ole days when vampires wore capes, turned into bats and said “bleh! bleh!” I’m sick of these pretentious, introspective vampires who hang out in raves all night wearing leather pants, Armani shirts, listening to techno and carrying customized Belgian machineguns. > > Vampires aren’t supposed to reflect - in mirrors or on the meaning of their existance. “Ooooo! Woahh is me! I’m a Vampire! I can’t go out in the daylight! I have to drink blood to live! Dude…suck it up (excuse the pun). You don’t here The Mummy acting like a little bitch!” \*\* This is perhaps the best riff on “When I was a kid, the world was better” that I’ve seen! “When I was a kid, we didn’t have it easy… we walked seven miles to school evry day, and then home again – uphill, both ways. When I was a kid, we had vampires who were \*real \*vampires, not angst-laden introspective vampire-wannabes…” 😃 Actually, they say “Bleh” at the additives-laden, low-calorie, artificial-sweetener-bearing blood that’s all they can get these days. ---
**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:** [October 12, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/29 "2022-10-12T22:22:57Z")
Halloween is coming, so I’m resurrecting a zombie. I remember reading an article about why Dracula says, ‘Bluh! Bluh! Bluh!’, so I looked for it. > **[On the History and Origin of Dracula’s Use of the Bizarre Expletive “Bleh!” |...](https://maximumfun.org/news/history-and-origin-draculas-use-bizarre-expletive-bleh/)** > > On this week’s episode of Judge John Hodgman, His Honor set a task for devoted listeners. As your Halloween homework, he asked you to research the origin of Dracula’s use of the term “Bleh! The article says [**emphasis** mine]: > Nathaniel Reha promoted this theory, lifting a quote from **the Straight Dope boards** … Hypotheses on the page suggest the origin may be: - Bela Lugosi parodying his character in the 1953 musical satire _My Son, The Vampire_; - Allan Sherman in his c. 1964 song of the same name. The film was renamed from its original title _Vampire Over London_ for its 1963 re-release; - Comedian Gabe Dell’s performance on Steve Allen’s Plymouth Show in 1957 and 1959, and on a 1963 recording; - Lenny Bruce doing a Dracula parody in the '60s. The article concludes, ‘So who’s right? Only one man can judge the true winner of this contest! And we await his verdict.’ ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/30 "2022-10-12T22:33:21Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/krD4hdGvGHM/hqdefault.jpg "Arte Johnson - Very interesting - YouTube.flv") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krD4hdGvGHM) ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/31 "2022-10-12T22:35:09Z")
Which man would that be? ---
**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:** [October 12, 2022, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/32 "2022-10-12T23:57:16Z")
I’m guessing Bela. The wait may be long… or will it? 🎶 Duh, duh, duhhhhh! 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/33 "2022-10-13T00:18:19Z")
If that wasn’t the intention it has worked out to make the most sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/34 "2022-10-13T00:30:13Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > Yeah, if all I did was suck blood for a living, I’d be “bleh!” too. > > The girl always has on a low cut dress, showing ample cleavage. Something I’d really like to suck, but NO!! All I get to do is lay a turbo hickey on her neck. Picture Sharon Tate in “The Fearless Vampire Killers” and tell me all you’d suck would be her neck. > > Bleh!! I say, BLEH! Clearly, being undead kills a person’s sex drive. Another example: > **[Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112896/mediaviewer/rm143004417?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_12)** > > Lysette Anthony in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) ---
**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:** [October 13, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/35 "2022-10-13T00:40:52Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/khUJmo4YLu8/maxresdefault.jpg "I don't say Blah Blah Blah xD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khUJmo4YLu8) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/36 "2022-10-13T00:47:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Comedian Gabe Dell’s performance on Steve Allen’s Plymouth Show in 1957 and 1959, and on a 1963 recording; Allegedly from the 1959 broadcast: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tBG1Te7A8So/maxresdefault.jpg "Gabriel Dell as vampire on The Steve Allen Show") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBG1Te7A8So) I didn’t notice any blehs. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/37 "2022-10-13T02:56:53Z")
I found this from Lugosi’s 1931 Dracula. It’s not exactly “bleh” but it’s close. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IVPxAgy7lBA/hqdefault.jpg "Bela lugosi Dracula") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVPxAgy7lBA) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/38 "2022-10-13T11:40:20Z")
Beat me to it, @Johhny\_L.A. 🙂 I didn’t notice that this is a zombie and I really thought the OP was referencing this scene. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/39 "2023-10-31T22:02:12Z")
The Maximum Fun article that cites the SDMB has turned up again [history of - When did Dracula first say Blah Blah Blah? - Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange](https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/280418/when-did-dracula-first-say-blah-blah-blah) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-vampires-say-bleh/201695/40 "2023-10-31T22:14:35Z")
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