"Brotherisms"

What are Brotherisms?

"Brotherisms" are recurring terms, names and phrases that have been invented, modified or implemented by the McElroy brothers in their lifelong pursuit of hilarious goofs. Although they may include one-offs that are harped on in one episode and then never again addressed or referenced, the McElroy patois is rife with these delightful and recurring turns of phrase. Strongly recurring Brotherisms are typically coined during the McElroys' real lives as brothers outside of the podcast, but anything appearing on the show may be considered a canonical Brotherism.

List of Brotherisms (And Their Contexts)

The Brothers Three

• "Goof" (Joke or premise for a bit)
• "Unless...", said by one brother and then immediately echoed by the other two. (Typically followed by a hypothetical situation that totally contradicts their immediately previous, often adamant advice. Frequently used to interrupt another brother's point mid-sentence.)
• "Boy" (Any given person. Expect to hear this one a lot.)
• "My dude" (Usually addressing a question-asker)
• "Deep cut." (A particularly obscure reference. Believed to come from radio broadcasting parlance, through Clint)
• "Part/open the kimono." (To reveal all secrets about something. Taken from a game developer. Depreciated, due to orientalist undertones.)
• "...behind the veil" (often used during liveshows to reference why they are doing something)
• "Scrowdy row." (In a messy/incomplete state.)
• "That dog don't hunt." (When describing a plan that is either not working or will not work.)
• "Put [something] on blast." (To be harshly critical of something.)
• "Salting your game." (Similar to putting on blast. To be overly negative about someone's plan or actions to the point of disappointing that person.)
• "Chomping [someone's] flavor" (Appropriating someone's signature schtick as one's own)
• "Lean into [something]." (To embrace something momentarily uncomfortable, usually for some long-term benefit.)
• "From downtown." (describes a joke that landed well, from the sport of basketball)
• "Yuck your yum." or "yuck any yums." (To pass judgment or be negative about someone's personal tastes, usually sexual. Over the years, the brothers have learned not to yuck any yums.)
• "Buckwild" or "Hogwild"
• "Not like this!" (To indicate distress over something going extremely wrong. Originally from The Matrix, in which a character expressed their wish for a better death than the one they had.)
• GREATJOB (it was supposed to be a celebratory car horn but evolved into a saying that Lin "The Most Precious Boy" Manuel Miranda forces his famous friends into saying ON CAMERA so he can later show the mackel three)
• "Pobody,s Nerfect" (a beautiful statement that the brothers make when they are saying that everyone's an idiot and no one should give a FUCK)
• "™ ™ ™" (the brothers apparently think saying "™" repeatedly trademarks an original idea of theirs and prevents big corporations from profiting from it)
• "This is (comedy/audio) poison." (used to refer to bits that are boring in podcast form and are believed to lose listeners)
• "Put the tiger on the table and yell at it." (to call attention to something)
• The War between Humans and Birds (An ongoing conflict between mankind and birdkind. Acts of aggression by birds, such as seagulls hitting people in the face, birds pulling the Earth into the sun, and the swan that bit a young Griffin McElroy, are part of this war. Humans that have won battles against birds include Randy Johnson and Sully Sullenberger.)
• "Is this anything?"/"This is nothing." When the boys question whether a goof is going well, or actively declare that a goof isn't very funny.
• ”Walk it/this one back” (Used to describe the process of backtracking, and trying to undo the verbal damage done with immediately previous conversation)
• "The juice." (Money, usually exchanged for shady reasons)

Justin McElroy

• "Doubles." (Doubles refers the practice of going to a restaurant and ordering two meals, one to eat now, one to take home and eat later. The term was coined by Justin, who first mentioned it in Episode 160, but Sydnee finds it embarrassing and unacceptable.

)

• Cookie Points (A system in which you earn points for eating healthful foods that can be redeemed for junk foods)
• "Hachi Machi" (An expression of shock. Taken from The Critic.)
• "Oofa Doofa"
• "Hey, guys?" (Often used when Justin is addressing the entire male gender for some behavior as well as call out the audience for some stupid shit.)
• "...modren..." (The way that Justin often, but not always, pronounces "modern", possibly lifted from the short film "Your Studio And You," or the Styx song "Mr. Roboto". he just said it wrong in the first ever episode and it became a bit)
• "Put some jelly on it." (In order to make something sticky and gross, not more delicious; frequent suggestion for a solution to a problem)
• "Natch." (Abbreviation of "Naturally.")
• "Dummo." (Synonymous with "dumbass." As in, "Those guys are real dummos.")
• "Skewed perspective" (Justin will often refer to the concept of giving advice or making observation with ironic disdain using this phrase. Often paired with: "That South Park humor")
• "Grossaroony" (Another way to say "gross")
• "'gized" (Abbreviation of "energized," typically used to express extreme interest or excitement. Do not pronounce it the way it is spelled.)
• "That's where I'm at." (Used to emphasize one's current mental/spiritual state)
• "I'm [age]-years-old." (Used to point out that the speaker is too old for something)
• ”Now, hold on...” (Used after saying something troubling or debatable, to—usually unsuccessfully—curb argument or interruption from the other boys before explaining himself)
• “This one” (Used as an adverb, to refer to ANYTHING, often an impractical and unspecified concept existing only in Justin’s head)

Travis McElroy

• "Let me throw this out there." (A suggestion, which Travis has no faith in even as he suggests it. Travis has been making an effort to stop using this, after it was brought to his attention that it had become a verbal tic of his)
• "I can't stress this enough..." (often before giving a well-considered, but quite possibly ridiculous, warning or tidbit of information)
• "Is it possible..." (often said before offering a possible excuse for behavior deemed unacceptable by the other brothers)
• "We-ell..." and "Hoolld on..." (in a high-pitched voice, used to express doubt about a usually absurd statement)
• "Have you guys seen Looper?" (Travis often brings up the film and its core premise of time travel loops when trying to problem-solve.)
• "It's like jazz; it's all about the notes you don't play.”

Griffin McElroy

• "Pack your bags and move away." (Often used during relationship advice during the podcast's early years.)
• "In the Japanese style." (Griffin maintains an intense admiration for Japanese culture since a visit to Japan during his honeymoon. He often notes the ways he finds Japanese culture superior, using this phrase)
• "That sweet, sweet Doja." (Referring to marijuana)
• "That DANK KUSH." (Referring to marijuana. Capitalized letters wildly mispronounced for comedic effect)
• "That kind bud." (Also referring to marijuana)
• "cotton" (the cloud produced when vaping)
• "Chopped and screwed." (To appropriate and reinterpret something aggressively, far beyond the original intent.)
• "Play with me!" (Inviting a brother, usually Travis, to suspend disbelief and take part in the bit, usually when a brother thinks the question might not be true.)
• "Explore the space." (To exercise one's creativity to the fullest extent; usually in the context of continuing a bit, but also used sarcastically in contexts where creativity is not necessarily desirable, e.g. during a driving exam. Often used in conjunction with "Play with me!")
• "That South Park humor." or "That Family Guy humor." (Griffin occasionally says he "loves that South Park humor" in a sarcastic or derisive tone; refers to humor that is crass or offensive for offensiveness' sake.)
• "...What are you talking about?" (After one of the brothers makes a statement that Griffin finds ridiculous, Griffin will appear to tacitly agree with the statement before punctuating it with a "...What are you talking about?")
• "...Idiot." (Variation of the above.)
• "Do the damn thing"
• "Extremely good" or "good good"
• "Down to Clown" (ready to do something usually illegal)
• "OOOOOOOOOH MOOOMY" (real good flavor; this comes from comically pronouncing umami)
• "Aw beans" (when something unfortunate occurs)
• "Ghost ride the whip." (to dance/swagger alongside your car while it rolls in neutral.)
• "No rules, just right." (a tagline for Outback Steakhouse)
• ”Jeezer Creezer.” (An exclamation, vis a vis ‘Jesus Christ’)
• “Trim“ (As a reference to ‘getting pussy’—Travis vehemently dislikes this terminology. Like 'dank kush', is often wildly mispronounced.)
• "Yeah baby, grip it and rip it!" (Enthusiasm for when someone [Justin] opens a can of soda on-air.)

References & Links

• On-going list of all made-up names from across the McElverse