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"Up your nose wit' a rubber hose!" - Insult used by Brooklyn high
school student Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), a member of a group of
inner-city toughs known as the Sweathogs on the sitcom WELCOME BACK,
KOTTER/ABC/1975-79. The insult's often rhymed according to what body part
he chose to assault as in "Off my case, potato face!" Vinnie's other
catchphrases were "I'm so confused"; "Who?, what?, where?"; and "Ooookay,
fine."
Another of Vinnie's put-downs: "Well, you little snow-capped
leprechaun, it looks like somebody played Danny Boy on your face with an
ugly stick."
When asked "You don't know who Americo Vespucci was?" Vinnie responds
"Of course, I know who he was. That was, that was Chef Boyardee's maiden
name."
TRIVIA NOTE: Gabe Kaplan who played Mr. Kotter originated the “Up your nose” phrase. Kaplan explained during a 2011 cast reunion that Barbarino's catchphrase was based on what they really said in Brooklyn in the 50s. He added the original phrase was somewhat vulgar and needed to be cleaned up for television. "We couldn't do that so we came up with 'Up your nose with a rubber hose.'" The actual phrase was “Up your ass, with Mobil gas.” |
