NEW YORK – Sometimes it takes only a word, or just a few, to become immortalized in television history.
The TV Land cable network has compiled a list of the 100 greatest catchphrases in TV, from the serious – Walter Cronkite’s nightly signoff “And that’s the way it is” – to the silly: Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd proclaiming, “We are two wild and crazy guys!”
The network will air a countdown special, “The 100 Greatest TV Quotes &Catch Phrases,” over five days starting Dec. 11.
“We have found that television is such a huge part of baby boomers’ DNA that it makes sense that so much of America’s pop culture jargon has come from TV,” said Larry Jones, TV Land president.
The greatest number of moments, 26, come from the 1970s. TV Land identified nine moments from this decade. Ten are from commercials, and 28 from comedies, including six from “Saturday Night Live.”
Here’s a selection of phrases from the list, in alphabetical order:
* “Come on down!” (Johnny Olson, “The Price is Right”)
* “D’oh!” (Homer Simpson, “The Simpsons”)
* “Don’t make me angry … ” (David Banner, “The Incredible Hulk”)
* “Gee, Mrs. Cleaver … ” (Eddie Haskell, “Leave it to Beaver”)
* “Good grief” (Charlie Brown, “Peanuts” specials)
* “Heh heh” (Beavis and Butt-head, “Beavis and Butt-head”)
* “Here’s Johnny!” (Ed McMahon, “The Tonight Show”)
* “Holy (whatever), Batman!” (Robin, “Batman”)
* “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” (Alka Seltzer ad)
* “Let’s get ready to rumble!” (Michael Buffer, various sports events)
* “Live long and prosper” (Spock, “Star Trek”)
* “No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi, “Seinfeld”)
* “Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!” (Stan and Kyle, “South Park”)
* “Say good night, Gracie” (George Burns, “The Burns &Allen Show”)
* “The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat” (Jim McKay, “ABC’s Wide World of Sports”)
* “Up your nose with a rubber hose” (Vinnie Barbarino, “Welcome Back, Kotter”)
* “Well, isn’t that special?” (Dana Carvey as the Church Lady, “Saturday Night Live”)
* “What you see is what you get!” (Geraldine, “The Flip Wilson Show”)
* “Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?” (Arnold Drummond, “Diff’rent Strokes”)
* “Would you believe … ?” (Maxwell Smart, “Get Smart”)
* “Yabba dabba do!” (Fred Flintstone, “The Flintstones”)
* “Yada, yada, yada” (“Seinfeld”).
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