"D'oh!" ( /ˈdoʊ/ doh) is a catchphrase used by the fictional character Homer Simpson, from the long-running American animated sitcom The Simpsons (1989–present). It is typically used when Homer injures himself, realizes that he has done something stupid, or when something bad has happened or is about to happen to him. All his prominent blood relations – son Bart, daughters Lisa and Maggie, his father, his mother and half-brother – have also been heard to use it themselves in similar circumstances. On a few occasions Homer's wife Marge and even non-related characters such as Mr. Burns and Krusty the Clown have also used this phrase.
In 2006, "D'oh!" was listed as number six on TV Land's list of the 100 greatest television catchphrases.[1][2] The spoken word "D'oh" is a sound trademark of 20th Century Fox.[3] Since 2001, the word has appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary.[4]
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During the voice recording session for a Tracey Ullman Show short, Homer was required to utter what was written in the script as an "annoyed grunt". Dan Castellaneta rendered it as a drawn out "d'ooooooh". This was inspired by Jimmy Finlayson, the mustachioed Scottish actor who appeared in 33 Laurel and Hardy films. Finlayson had used the term as a minced oath for suggesting the word "damn!" without actually saying it. Matt Groening felt that it would better suit the timing of animation if it were spoken faster. Castellaneta then shortened it to a quickly uttered "D'oh!"[5] The first intentional use of "d'oh!" occurred in the Ullman short "Punching Bag" (1988),[5] and its first usage in the series was in the series premiere, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".[6] It is typically represented in the show's script as "(annoyed grunt)", and is so spelled out in the official titles of several episodes. Some episodes feature variations of the word such as "Bart of Darkness" (season six, 1994), where Homer says "D'oheth"[6] after an Amish farmer points out to him that he has built a barn instead of the swimming pool he was intending; "Thirty Minutes over Tokyo" (season ten, 1999), where Homer says "D'oh" in Japanese (with English subtitles); or The Simpsons Movie (2007) where Homer shouts "d'oooohme!" after the EPA seals the Simpsons' home town, Springfield, in a giant dome.[7]
As the word arose out of Castellaneta's interpretation of a non-specific direction, it did not have an official spelling for several years. Instead, it was always written in Simpsons scripts as "(Annoyed Grunt)". In recognition of this, four episodes feature the phrase "(Annoyed Grunt)" in the episode title:
After the word became well-defined, other episodes just had it written in their titles as 'D'oh':
The term "d'oh!" has been used or adopted by many Simpsons fans, and even non-fans. The term has become commonplace in modern speech and demonstrates the extent of the show's influence. "D'oh!" was first added to the The New Oxford Dictionary of English in 1998 under the definition "(usually [in a manner] mildly derogatory) used to comment on an action perceived as foolish or stupid."[4] The term has also been used in popular culture beyond The Simpsons, sometimes as a reference to the program. In SpongeBob SquarePants, the character Patrick Star frequently says "D'oh!" when hurt.
In 2001, the word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary;[8][9] The definition given is:[8][10]
The headword spelling is doh, but d'oh – Matt Groening's own preferred spelling of the word, and the version most commonly used on official Simpsons merchandise – is listed as a variant (as is dooh). The etymology section notes "the word appears (in the form D'oh) in numerous publications based on The Simpsons".[8] Eight quotations are cited: the earliest is from 1945; two others are Simpsons-related.[8]
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