Top 10 Funniest Insults & Comebacks on Sitcoms
#10: The Cookie Fight “New Girl” (2011-18)
Top 10 Funniest Comebacks on Sitcoms
A bromance gets knocked off course when Schmidt dares to buy Nick a great cookie. The roommate who received the treat can’t accept that it would be given away for no reason. After a while, Schmidt calls his friend out for not appreciating the gesture. But Nick responds with a hilariously brutal and explicitly detailed response. However, the insult backfires anyway and everyone leaves the conversation a little bit burnt. Luckily, the usually tough Nick crumbles later on and reconciles with his roommate. This wasn’t the only time he was involved in food-related controversy either. A few minutes after Nick ate a kid’s sandwich, Cece hit him with a blistering insult.
#9: Many Ways to Say No “Scrubs” (2001-10)
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You couldn't talk about sitcom insults and ignore Dr. Cox's famous rants. They became a fan-favorite running gag throughout the series for good reason. We'd be remiss to leave out his "Wrong Song." And we can’t forget the time when Dr. Cox took Elliot down with one biting remark after she proudly announces that she's off the market. While we adore his typical rambly monologues, one of our favorites is a much simpler exchange with J.D. In this iconic scene, the sardonic medic simply reels out a long list of ways to say no. It’s a simple but brutal series of negative responses that definitely gets the job done.
#8: Red Goes for the Head “That '70s Show” (1998-2006)
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There are two things we know for sure about Red Foreman: He's often ill-tempered and loves to call people. However, he spices up his insults every now and again to give us some of his most iconic firebacks. For instance, when Eric upsets Donna after kissing another girl, Red offers him some fatherly advice. The build up is so priceless that we don’t even mind that he uses his go-to quip. But one of Red’s finest insults comes when Eric’s nursing a hangover. The patriarch offers a unique explanation for his son's headache. (insert broll "My head hurts" "...”) It's brilliantly witty, and we unanimously yelled "Burn!" at our TVs. We also memorized this iconic line in hopes of using it on our own unruly teens someday.
#7: The Opposite of Batman “Community” (2009-15)
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Troy’s hit Britta with several stinging insults over the years. He may have hit his peak when the duo tries to help Abed cope with a tv show’s change in schedule. Although Britta distracts Abed with a new program, it ends after an extremely short run. Out of frustration, Troy whips out rapid fire zingers that are as offensive as they are obscure. (“You are…”) Being told that you’re like the feelings of tennis elbow and burning the roof of your mouth must’ve stung a lot. While those jabs might seem silly, calling Britta the opposite of Batman was a clever way of calling her a Joker. If you ever wanted to call someone out who completely botches a good deed, this is how you do it.
#6: Holt vs. Wuntch “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)
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There’s perhaps no rivalry as fiery as the one between Captain Holt and his arch-nemesis Madeline Wuntch. But much to our delight, she always brings out his sassy side. Throughout the series, the pair have thrown many epic insults back and forth. Some highlights include whenever he creatively implies that she’s the devil or a witch. In just one of our all-time favorite examples, Holt offers his enemy a seat while still throwing her a snide remark. She rebuffs him for the unoriginality of his insult with a good jab of her own. However, Raymond gets the last laugh by revealing a surprise twist. He sure goat her baaaaaaaad!
#5: Michael’s Iconic Zinger to Dwight “The Office” (2005-13)
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You know a zinger's effective when it transcends its origins to become a pop-culture phenomenon. What makes this “Office” burn a standout was that it was carefully orchestrated between Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute as part of a rehearsed skit. (Dwight you ignorant slut) It was short, sweet, powerful and quickly took on a life of its own. We imagine many "The Office" fans even adopted this cutting and hilarious putdown in real life. Despite being the most iconic insult, the most savage one was aimed at Toby. Sure, he isn't everyone's favorite person, but ouch! It felt like we were watching him get hit by two emotional bullets.
#4: Chandler Can’t Hold Back Anymore “Friends” (1994-2004)
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Chandler Bing is, without equal, the king of sarcasm who can throw out a brilliant clapback at a moment’s notice. His qtip comment to Joey is just one example of his many fan favorite zingers. (xref). After throwing out a hurricane of insults, Ross bets Chandler that he can’t go the entire year without mocking his buddies. This task proves especially hard since they all continuously bait him. In the end, Ross wins when Chandler can’t even get through the episode, let alone year, without making fun of his friends. The sarcastic friend cements his loss with a legendary tirade. Apparently, Chandler’s at his funniest when he’s been denied from sharing his truest thoughts. His relief about being able to let go practically radiates through our televisions.
#3: “Too Ugly to Live” “The Golden Girls” (1985-92)
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The stars of this show never missed a “Golden” opportunity to fling cheeky zingers at each other. Narrowing down their most sublime scenes was not easy. We know fans often recall Sophia’s side-splittingly hilarious wisecrack after Blanche declares that she treats her body like a temple. However, it feels like Dorothy’s attempts to ask her friends for fashion advice stand above any other harsh words. Her innocent questions lead to her being savagely roasted. Her face says it all as her friends relentlessly criticize her appearance. Luckily, Dorothy can spar with the best of them and doesn’t miss a beat in firing back. Even when she’s the target, Dorothy is the queen of comebacks.
#2: Basically, Anytime Karen Walker Speaks “Will & Grace” (1998-2006; 2017-20)
“Will & Grace” writers definitely knew how to pen witty and memorable insults. Most of our favorites were delivered by the fabulously wry Karen Walker. Practically every time she opened her mouth, she unleashed a biting remark on whoever was around. It would be impossible to choose just one of her iconic insults. Some of her favorite victims included Grace’s fashion sense, Will’s personality, her socialite circle, the less fortunate, and of course, Rosario. Even Jack couldn’t always evade her sharp tongue— or hand. But she always keeps it classy; she’s a lady, after all. But we still recommend keeping an ice pack on hand whenever Karen's around because whatever she says is going to burn. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Why Don’t You Act like an Adult?”, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-96) Will’s Snappy Zingers Always Make Us Laugh Out Loud “Ya Basic,” “The Good Place” (2016-20) You Can’t Go Wrong with Eleanor’s Classic Catchphrase Disgruntled Pelican, “Schitt's Creek” (2015-20) Admit It; You’ve Called Someone a “Disgruntled Pelican” After Watching This Episode The Bug Spray, “Family Matters” (1989-97) At Least Laura Thought about Urkel? The Jerk Store, “Seinfeld” (1989-98) George Was Pretty Proud of Himself for That Comeback
#1: Most of Niles & C.C.’s Conversations “The Nanny” (1993-99)
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Niles never failed to take the trope of being a sarcastic butler to the next level. He was always ready with a witty and savage remark, especially when C.C.’s around. In fact, their heated dynamic provided much of the series’ hilarity. Nothing was off limits. Niles took shots at C.C.’s appearance, character, and non-existent sex life. He once even sent a singing telegram to throw shade on his behalf. And sometimes, serendipity stepped in to lend a hand. Even after the pair finally confessed their true feelings for each other, the zingers didn’t stop flying. Throughout the series, C.C. occasionally tried to match his barbed tongue. But Niles usually got the last laugh.
