Month: August 2017

“You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

From: Batman (1989)

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Jack/Joker

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Tim Burton’s first take on Batman way back in 1989. The movie was a smash hit and, believe it or not, shed the “campy” mystique mainstream audiences associated with the character thanks to the (still rather wonderful) Batman live-action television series left. It made general audiences aware of Batman’s original dark roots and the movie lent a hand to the revival of superhero films.

The quote actually is mentioned several times throughout the film and can be considered to be Jack Napier/The Joker’s (played by Jack Nicholson) catchphrase. In one memorable instance, when confronted by Bruce Wayne (played by Michael Keaton) while in Vicki Vale’s (played by Kim Basigner) apartment, he delivers the quote and explains that he just likes how the phrase sounds.

Geek wisdom: Although Jack/Joker says it doesn’t really mean anything, there is a way to interpret the quote to have a deeper meaning. Essentially, The Joker delivers the catchphrase to anyone he’s about to kill. This could be his way of asking them if they ever tempted fate and did something so dangerous that their life may be threatened.

While it may be sometimes exhilarating to do something death defying, it may sometimes be better not to, especially if there is a chance of perishing because of it. You only live once, you know.

“Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!”

From: Rick and Morty

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Rick Sanchez

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty, which is aired during their late night programming schedule called Adult Swim. The show was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland and follows the sci-fi misadventures of the nihilistic and cynical drunkard Rick Sanchez and his rather paranoid and nervous grandson Morty Smith (both voiced by Justin Roiland). The show has become a huge hit due to its dark humor and creativity.

The quote first came at the end of the episode entitled Meeseeks and Destroy. Rick proclaimed it to be his catchphrase and used it sporadically throughout the first season.

While the entire family, including Morty, thought it was just a nonsense string of words Rick strung together, it was revealed otherwise during the final episode of the first season, Ricksy Business. During the closing moments of the episode, one of Rick’s friends, Bird Person, informs Morty that the phrase does have a sadder meaning in his language…

Fun fact: if you search for the exact quote in Google, it will actually translate the phrase for you from Bird Person’s language.

Geek wisdom: There may people around you that are feeling great pain and you may not even know it. It could be they are too proud to admit that they need help or they might feel that even their loved ones will not understand why they feel that way. If we do feel that someone close to you isn’t feeling well, either physically and mentally, the best thing you can do is, at least, acknowledge that they feel that way and not dismiss it. Better yet, be there for them when they do need you.

“What are you standing up for?”

From: Street Fighter and Guilty Gear… somewhat

Genre: Video Games

Who said it?: Ricki Ortiz and various announcers/commentators

The story behind the quote: While this quote doesn’t come directly from a video game per se, it is video game adjacent and actually is very important.

The quote actually has two origins in a sense. The first time the quote was uttered was during a Street Fighter IV match between Ricki Ortiz and Wolfkrone. Wolfkrone’s C. Viper managed to perform a clutch Ultra combo on Ricki Ortiz’s Rufus. Wolfkrone thought he won and stood up to raise his hands in victory. However, he was wrong and Ricki managed to come back to steal the victory. In a fit of hype, Ricki exclaimed the quote and UltraDavid, one of the commentators for the match mirrored Ricki’s statement. This was the actual birth of the quote.

However, the quote only really gained notoriety during EVO 2015’s winners semi-finals for Guilty Gear Xrd. In a do-or-die situation, Woshige managed to win the second round against Ogawa to stay alive in the tournament. However, he apparently forgot he needed to win two rounds because Woshige prematurely left his controller to celebrate. This didn’t matter to Ogawa as he immediately pummeled his opponent’s helpless character to move on in the tournament, all the while the commentators echoed Ricki and UltraDavid’s words…

Geek wisdom: Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. Sometimes you can prematurely celebrate “a sure thing” but there are going to be times when these “sure things” actually don’t push through. It’s better to actually celebrate after achieving your goals rather than do it before it actually happens.

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”

From: Saturday Night Live

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Stuart Smalley

The story behind the quote: We’ve never really published a quote from Saturday Night Live, a show that has a wealth of quotes just rife with Geek Wisdom. Well, that’s all about to change starting now.

This week’s quote comes from one of Saturday Night Live’s cavalcade of characters, Stuart Smalley (who was usually played by Al Franken). Even though Stuart Smalley isn’t a licensed therapist but he does have a lot of experiences with various 12-step programs. Despite this, he does have his own self-help television program called Daily Affirmations. Whenever he starts the show, he would go look at the mirror and deliver the quote to himself.

Geek wisdom: The only one who needs to believe in you is yourself. People will even try to bring you down and say that you’re not good enough for this and that. But you actually don’t need their consent to do or be what you want to be in life. All you have to do is believe that you can do it; what they think is ultimately irrelevant.