Top 10 Catchphrases We Got from Reality TV
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Even when they're trashy, reality shows are a wealth of fiery lingo. Welcome to MsMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 CatchPhrases That Were Invented by Reality TV.
For this list, we're opening the dictionary on quotes from reality shows that are now part of our pop culture language. We're basing our picks on a mix of colorful wordplay, subtle humor and how easily each phrase rolls off the tongue. This is reality shows only however, so no game show catchphrases this time around.
#10: “Bloop, bloop, bloop.”
From the moment Phaedra joined "Real Housewives" on season three, star NeNe Leakes was critiquing her left and right. So when they got into a heated chat on their reunion episode, NeNe ended their fight in the most passive aggressive way possible. "Bloop Bloop" had a fun edge of sass, since Leakes was essentially just using sounds to leave a conversation. While it wasn't as bafflingly self-praising as "Gone with the Wind" fabulous, "Bloop Bloop" had a versatility that made it fun to see pop up again and again. So as meaningless as "Bloop Bloop" was on the surface, it has replay value that's kept fans laughing.
#9: “The Tribe has spoken.”
In the tribal competition of "Survivor," the players take a democratic approach to deciding who comes out on top. So presenter Jeff Probst's verbal send-off to eliminated players dramatically sums up how their friends are turning against them. In such a constantly changing show, there is something utterly satisfying to hearing Probst close each episode with " The Tribe Has Spoken." Along with the building tension of each council meeting, "The Tribe Has Spoken" excitingly brings the emotions to a head. The phrase is also endlessly fun to use in real life when shutting down the one dissenting voice in a group. So whether you have torches or a business meeting, " The Tribe Has Spoken" can be a potent way to accent any decision.
#8: “Can You Believe?”
Jonathan Van Ness has such a bubbly personality that we want to quote everything he says on "Queer Eye." So when he hears the elderly Tom get truly impressed by his green stick magic in the first episode of season 1, Van Ness is so overjoyed that he cuts out a word from his sentence. Jonathan's hysterical look along with the "Can You Believe" are priceless, and it shows us how silly he can be. Meanwhile, the flamboyant nature of this line is so fun that it’s survived as a meme for surprised people too. Plus it helps that Tom is just as enthusiastic as Jonathan about the makeup. And while "Can You Believe?" is a fun phrase to throw around, it's also a testament how easily Van Ness can win over anyone.
#7: “Forgive You and Forget You”
Despite the strong bond between Lauren and Heidi at the start of "The Hills," Heidi's relationship with Spencer slowly tore them apart. So apologies were definitely in order when Spencer's malicious rumors threatened to end their friendship. But given the fact that Heidi denied any responsibility in the feud, Lauren pulled out a genuinely badass line to end the situation for good. Lauren's flip on "Forgive and forget" was wickedly clever, and it also left you thinking she was going to forgive everything. Best of all however was that "Forget You" evolved into a classic phrase to allow you punish toxic people in your life and still move on.
#6: “Bible.”
You're only as good as your word, so the Kardashian family invokes the holiest book possible when they need to be honest. Though "Bible" is mostly used in place of "I Swear" or "Amen" in the show, it's also often used to check that people aren't lying. It's genuinely laughable how everyone in the family seems to respect the phrase too, especially in otherwise stressful situations. Since the term "Bible" isn't heavily specific to the show either, it's easy for fans to keep it going after watching as well. And following all these seasons of "Bible" being used behind compliments and serious arguments, it's truly part of the larger reality TV vocabulary these days.
#5: “GTL.”
To keep themselves in shape and achieve their trademark beach looks, the boys of the Jersey Shore swear by the letters "GTL." The gym, tan, laundry mantra epitomizes the testosterone-fueled image of Mike and his friends, and as Vinny puts it, “that’s how they like, make the guidos. "GTL" serves as an exciting catchphrase for the boys to call out as they leave the house as well. Though they might still throw around their lewd "Smush" euphemism with more smiles, there would be far less smushing without "GTL." And much like the booming cries of "Cabs Are Here," Gym, Tan, Laundry helps energize the guys through tedious activities too. So even if you don't do it every day, anyone can see the appeal of a little GTL.
#4: “That's Hot.”
No matter how many jobs Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie struggled with, they never failed to compliment someone with their signature phrase. Whether it was cute boys, bosses or the elderly, "That's Hot" worked with everything. While the line was usually just a silly in-joke between friends, it was also funny hearing Nicole and Paris say it to kill awkward silences. Lighthearted and playful, the pair's continuous ironic use of "That's Hot" kept it fresh well into the later seasons of "The Simple Life" too. And considering how well it encapsulated their ditzy personas, it’s clear why it became part of their branding.
#3: “Soggy Bottom.”
With all the moisture involved in baking, contestants on "The Great British Bake Off" often run the risk of having droopy bases to their pastries. However, judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry's rather naughty sounding term "Soggy Bottom" keeps fans giggling through all the overly moist desserts. Though its prevalence on the show definitely helps etch it in viewers' minds, some cheeky delivery shows us that the presenters and bakers are in on the joke too. "Soggy Bottoms" is easily the show's most recognizable phrase too, as parodies consistently bring them up for laughs. Troublesome as they are, "Soggy Bottoms" are one of the sweetest parts of "Bake Off" and a phrase fans can bring into their own kitchens.
#2: “Sashay Away.”
After all the stylish dancing and runway challenges on each episode of "Drag Race," Ru sends off losing contestants with an equally elegant goodbye. "Sashay Away" fits in perfectly with the glamorous nature of the show, while also avoiding the often mean-natured energy of other elimination shows. The catchphrase is a clever reference to RuPaul's song "Supermodel" as well, since it pairs with "Shantay you stay" for the surviving queen of the week. Though it's goofy to hear Ru drop a "You Better Work" ahead of challenges too, "Sashay Away" comes with the drama of sending people home. Next to the dozens of quotable lines from "Drag Race," "Sashay Away" maintains the mood of the show while keeping it classy for viewers.
#1: “Smize.”
Thirteen seasons into "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks made a point of teaching the contestants about smiling with their eyes. Dubbed as a "Smize," the clever portmanteau centered on expressing more of the details of your face that you'd normally ignore. But the wacky enthusiasm of Tyra and the judges quickly helped burn the phrase into our vernacular permanently. "Smize" was also just ridiculously fun to say, which may be why it's dropped dozens of times in a single episode. The results of a good "Smize" are stunning however, and proved that Tyra was absolutely right regardless of her ridiculous saying.
For this list, we're opening the dictionary on quotes from reality shows that are now part of our pop culture language. We're basing our picks on a mix of colorful wordplay, subtle humor and how easily each phrase rolls off the tongue. This is reality shows only however, so no game show catchphrases this time around.
#10: “Bloop, bloop, bloop.”
"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" (2008- )
From the moment Phaedra joined "Real Housewives" on season three, star NeNe Leakes was critiquing her left and right. So when they got into a heated chat on their reunion episode, NeNe ended their fight in the most passive aggressive way possible. "Bloop Bloop" had a fun edge of sass, since Leakes was essentially just using sounds to leave a conversation. While it wasn't as bafflingly self-praising as "Gone with the Wind" fabulous, "Bloop Bloop" had a versatility that made it fun to see pop up again and again. So as meaningless as "Bloop Bloop" was on the surface, it has replay value that's kept fans laughing.
#9: “The Tribe has spoken.”
"Survivor" (2000- )
In the tribal competition of "Survivor," the players take a democratic approach to deciding who comes out on top. So presenter Jeff Probst's verbal send-off to eliminated players dramatically sums up how their friends are turning against them. In such a constantly changing show, there is something utterly satisfying to hearing Probst close each episode with " The Tribe Has Spoken." Along with the building tension of each council meeting, "The Tribe Has Spoken" excitingly brings the emotions to a head. The phrase is also endlessly fun to use in real life when shutting down the one dissenting voice in a group. So whether you have torches or a business meeting, " The Tribe Has Spoken" can be a potent way to accent any decision.
#8: “Can You Believe?”
"Queer Eye" (2018- )
Jonathan Van Ness has such a bubbly personality that we want to quote everything he says on "Queer Eye." So when he hears the elderly Tom get truly impressed by his green stick magic in the first episode of season 1, Van Ness is so overjoyed that he cuts out a word from his sentence. Jonathan's hysterical look along with the "Can You Believe" are priceless, and it shows us how silly he can be. Meanwhile, the flamboyant nature of this line is so fun that it’s survived as a meme for surprised people too. Plus it helps that Tom is just as enthusiastic as Jonathan about the makeup. And while "Can You Believe?" is a fun phrase to throw around, it's also a testament how easily Van Ness can win over anyone.
#7: “Forgive You and Forget You”
"The Hills" (2006-10)
Despite the strong bond between Lauren and Heidi at the start of "The Hills," Heidi's relationship with Spencer slowly tore them apart. So apologies were definitely in order when Spencer's malicious rumors threatened to end their friendship. But given the fact that Heidi denied any responsibility in the feud, Lauren pulled out a genuinely badass line to end the situation for good. Lauren's flip on "Forgive and forget" was wickedly clever, and it also left you thinking she was going to forgive everything. Best of all however was that "Forget You" evolved into a classic phrase to allow you punish toxic people in your life and still move on.
#6: “Bible.”
"Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (2007- )
You're only as good as your word, so the Kardashian family invokes the holiest book possible when they need to be honest. Though "Bible" is mostly used in place of "I Swear" or "Amen" in the show, it's also often used to check that people aren't lying. It's genuinely laughable how everyone in the family seems to respect the phrase too, especially in otherwise stressful situations. Since the term "Bible" isn't heavily specific to the show either, it's easy for fans to keep it going after watching as well. And following all these seasons of "Bible" being used behind compliments and serious arguments, it's truly part of the larger reality TV vocabulary these days.
#5: “GTL.”
"Jersey Shore" (2009-12)
To keep themselves in shape and achieve their trademark beach looks, the boys of the Jersey Shore swear by the letters "GTL." The gym, tan, laundry mantra epitomizes the testosterone-fueled image of Mike and his friends, and as Vinny puts it, “that’s how they like, make the guidos. "GTL" serves as an exciting catchphrase for the boys to call out as they leave the house as well. Though they might still throw around their lewd "Smush" euphemism with more smiles, there would be far less smushing without "GTL." And much like the booming cries of "Cabs Are Here," Gym, Tan, Laundry helps energize the guys through tedious activities too. So even if you don't do it every day, anyone can see the appeal of a little GTL.
#4: “That's Hot.”
"The Simple Life" (2003-07)
No matter how many jobs Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie struggled with, they never failed to compliment someone with their signature phrase. Whether it was cute boys, bosses or the elderly, "That's Hot" worked with everything. While the line was usually just a silly in-joke between friends, it was also funny hearing Nicole and Paris say it to kill awkward silences. Lighthearted and playful, the pair's continuous ironic use of "That's Hot" kept it fresh well into the later seasons of "The Simple Life" too. And considering how well it encapsulated their ditzy personas, it’s clear why it became part of their branding.
#3: “Soggy Bottom.”
"The Great British Bake Off” [aka “The Great British Baking Show"] (2010- )
With all the moisture involved in baking, contestants on "The Great British Bake Off" often run the risk of having droopy bases to their pastries. However, judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry's rather naughty sounding term "Soggy Bottom" keeps fans giggling through all the overly moist desserts. Though its prevalence on the show definitely helps etch it in viewers' minds, some cheeky delivery shows us that the presenters and bakers are in on the joke too. "Soggy Bottoms" is easily the show's most recognizable phrase too, as parodies consistently bring them up for laughs. Troublesome as they are, "Soggy Bottoms" are one of the sweetest parts of "Bake Off" and a phrase fans can bring into their own kitchens.
#2: “Sashay Away.”
"RuPaul's Drag Race" (2009- )
After all the stylish dancing and runway challenges on each episode of "Drag Race," Ru sends off losing contestants with an equally elegant goodbye. "Sashay Away" fits in perfectly with the glamorous nature of the show, while also avoiding the often mean-natured energy of other elimination shows. The catchphrase is a clever reference to RuPaul's song "Supermodel" as well, since it pairs with "Shantay you stay" for the surviving queen of the week. Though it's goofy to hear Ru drop a "You Better Work" ahead of challenges too, "Sashay Away" comes with the drama of sending people home. Next to the dozens of quotable lines from "Drag Race," "Sashay Away" maintains the mood of the show while keeping it classy for viewers.
#1: “Smize.”
"America's Next Top Model" (2003- )
Thirteen seasons into "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks made a point of teaching the contestants about smiling with their eyes. Dubbed as a "Smize," the clever portmanteau centered on expressing more of the details of your face that you'd normally ignore. But the wacky enthusiasm of Tyra and the judges quickly helped burn the phrase into our vernacular permanently. "Smize" was also just ridiculously fun to say, which may be why it's dropped dozens of times in a single episode. The results of a good "Smize" are stunning however, and proved that Tyra was absolutely right regardless of her ridiculous saying.
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