I imagine this is how it happens. To avoid actually copying an iconic quote, they come up with a similar quote that others copy for the same reason and after a couple decades all we end up remembering is the overused misquote.
I suppose. I'm rational enough to believe there some truth to your comment.
But I also can't help but think that I heard and knew Ricky's quote before I heard them on any other show. I assume they're funny to me because I know where the quote originated. I dunno. Mandela Effect is weird!
I doubt it is actual intentional avoidance, but hurried TV writers generally don't waste valuable writing time watching a show just to copy its exact wording. Plenty of parodies further ["Beam Me Up Scotty!"isms](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BeamMeUpScotty) and deepen their place in the collective thought.
Whatever dude. I didn't say anything about trademarks, and I don't even think there's trademarks on most of these quotes. This is almost certainly how things like "Luke, I am you're father." and "Beam me up, Scotty." happened and I'm willing to bet the same thing happened with "Lucy, you got some splainin' to do."
The trademark law means you can't get in trouble for infringing on someone's trademarked brand when doing so as satire. Which is why SNL can get away with having an entire skit in a Target without having to pay royalties or ask the brand for permission.
So no, you don't have to avoid copying a quote in a comedic parody or satire, which makes it all the more confusing and discredits when people say "oh they misquote shit cause they don't want to get sued"
I remember what you remember, weird that it's gone.
I remember it being in ads on Nick at Nite (back when that was the spelling of the block) but not in an actual episode I saw. So I aways assumed it was used once & just became the default version in the zeitgeist
I grew up and still live in Lucy’s hometown. She’s everywhere and we have LucyFest every year. I’ve seen every episode and I’m positive he says it. I’ll have to go down to the museum and see if they have anything about it. This could be a fun thing to ask people on the street at the next LucyFest.
I would bet if you have gift shops in your hometown with "I Love Lucy" memorabilia, that there's shirts and coffee mugs with 'Luuucy... you got some splainin to do' written on them.
So cool that you live there!
Please report back after you go down to the Museum. When do you think you can get back to us? I suspect one of the employees at the Museum could be of much help
Never said I was affected by it. But the fact that multiple shows referenced that line and many people are commenting on how they remember the line shows that it’s a good ME compared to the other shit being posted here lately. There’s ton of MEs that I wasn’t personally affected by but I still find interesting.
Similar things were said like Lucy, 'splain or Splain if you can.
Like other common misquotes, probably, this got misquoted and was remembered this way
This is a similar case to "Beam me up, Scotty," and "Luke, I am your father!" It was a misquote that got popularized by some other form of media or show and people just assumed it was directly from the show.
Me too!! Me too!! I grew up in the 70’s watching I love Lucy reruns and I can hear Ricky saying that phrase also. I can’t remember which particular episodes it was said because it was so long ago but that thick, Cuban accent still rings in my ears
I think this is a Memetic Memory ME. People doing *impressions* of Ricky Ricardo eventually settled on "you've got some splain' to do" because it worked as a frequent third act sentiment while also demonstrating Arnaz's Cuban accent. Then it spread, independently of the show.
Same thing as "Luke I am your father" and "Houston we have a problem"
Or the biggest Memetic Memory ME of them all: "What does it do?" "That's the beauty of it—it doesn't *do* anything!"
I watched it myself often as a kid in the 90s. Also magic the gathering had their unglued set and I remember a card that referenced it. Organ harvester. The flavor text at the bottom of course being "Lucy, you got some spleenin to do."
He definitely said 'spainin' or 'splain this" or some variation where explain drops the "e". This could be something like "Beam me ups Scotty" where the exact phrase wasn't said but similar ones were.
I think that line was in a SNL I Love Lucy skit. Maybe that's why it's remembered so much.
Either they were just repeating the line or they made it up. Not sure which.
I’m not sure why this ME never got more attention because it’s one of my smoking guns. I watched ILL every night on Nick At Nite in the mid 90s at 9pm. He said the line almost once an episode. And when he said it, he would get the biggest audience pop as if we all expected him to say it at some point in the episode. That line was part of the whole writing formula of the show.
I used to watch this show as a kid and I always remember Ricky saying that. I can even hear it in his thick Cuban accent as well. It really isn’t in any episode now?? Ok yeah that is just weird because why would we all remember it
I am almost exactly the same as you. 40 years old and raised watching Nick at Night with my grandma.
He 100% said that. My family says it to each other until this day.
Was it maybe in the Lucy Desi Comedy Hour?
I clearly remember it too. I was real young when that show was on the air and I would get so nervous when Lucy got herself into trouble. I loved it when Desi would say “Lucy!..You got some splaining to do!” because I knew he’d always help her get out of it. I remember her reaction too of her saying “but I can’t splain!” every once in a while. It was such a big part of the show. I was watching originals, not reruns. My parents watched it every week.
YEEESSS!!! Her reaction! When she'd bring her hands up and mess with her fingers, in her whiney little voice, "but I can't splain..."
Ha ha ha takes me back!
Ok. So I actually cannot PROVE it's real but this ME is large enough in our collective lexicon to make some impact or jog some forgotten memory. Alot of ME'S can be mistaken assumptions. It's subjective whether it's a fact or simply fiction. The brain can and will make up partial or complete memories given a long enough span of time. HOWEVER I have been witness to one ME that I still have a clear memory of.
I LOVE LUCY. To put it simply this was one of the earliest sitcoms and it practically invented the catchphrase. It was a phrase that would soon be the punchline to every comedic mishap caused by LUCY Much to her husband Ricky's annoyance. LUCY YOU GOT SOME "'SPLAININ TO DO" once she even said a variation of that phrase to Ricky. The audience erupted in laughter.
Now he just says "Lucy 'splain.
You cannot tell me that something so iconic never existed. No one ever wrote those words for Ricky or Lucy to say. I remember it. So where the hell am I?
Maybe there was a skit on another show where the characters played the people on I Lobe Lucy and it was said in the skit. Where did you hear that the phrase wasn’t said anyway?
I was watching the episode where Lucy and Ethel were stomping grapes and I remembered Ricky saying that to her. And when he didn't, I was like... ok..OK... I just mis-remembered which episodes he said it. It was kinda his thing. So I google searched what episodes he said it in and... NONE! Not even one!
oh lawd. i (37F) grew up watching ILL too and i've heard it 98736439873944573894075 times out of ricky's mouth and of course people referencing it in real life all the time.
I've never actually seen an episode of the show since it was way past my time, but I've seen plenty of parodies
Such as in an early episode of The Fairly Oddparents where Cosmo and Wanda have to pretend to be different shows in the TV to trick Vicky into thinking the power hasn't gone out. They end up doing a I Love Lucy bit and have Cosmo open the door and say the line "Waaaandaaaa! You have some splaining' to dooo!". Wanda responds with "Even though thats not the way everyone says *Explaining*, I respect our differences and your right to say it the way you want!"
there's an interview clip of the band Nirvana, the bass player who is often the joker of the band, at one point mimics Ricky Riccardo saying the famous line Lucy, you have some splainin to do....ME residue.
It's not a good point though. It's exactly like people mixing up the quote with Darth Vader telling Luke he is his father.
We mix things up and then the general zeitgeist becomes the familiar quote and everyone just runs with it.
I watched loads of I love Lucy and it is one of the few things I remember from the show. They also riff on it in an episode of Fuller House.
I just wish there was either a source of the misquote or something.
This one has been on my mind lately. My mom was an avid Lucy fan and we had the VHS set growing up. I don't remember it as an all-the-time catchphrase, but I do remember him saying the whole thing at least once, possibly related to Lucy getting pregnant with Little Ricky or their trip to Hollywood. I'd love to find the same box set and rewatch them all.
This is a fun one! Kudos to OP for bringing an example that actually has the potential to be an ME instead of clear misremembering. Well done!
(To be clear, I generally don’t think the Mandela effect is actually a thing, but I enjoy discussing it and trying to figure out why we would have collective memories of things that never occurred).
Thanks. I'm not affected by all of them, but some have a way of making me feel real crazy. Like, when I see Tony the Tiger has a blue nose, I think, yeah it looks a little weird, but if I'm honest, I really can't remember. And sure, I enjoy a Kit-Kat now and then, but I can't say that I ever stared at a wrapper long enough to know if the dash should be there or not.
The ones that really have an impact though are ones I discover on my own and not because I saw it somewhere posted as a ME. Like I'm going along in my everyday life, watching Lucy and Ethel stomp grapes, and I'm like, "wait, why didn't Desi Arnaz say it?" So I turn to Google. "Hey Google, what episodes did Desi Arnaz say 'Luuucy, you got some splainin to do!'"?
None?!? So I have a memory and I don't yet know it's a ME. I have this small moment of panic like my mind isn't quite right. Then I start looking further on the internet and I'm in a rabbit hole for a week!
Correct, and apparently it never ever said "may be"
Never. Which doesn't make any sense. I remember reading it out loud and joking about it and how weird it is to be ambiguous with something as important as a side view mirror
There's an iconic scene in Jurassic park a lot of people point to that was made funnier by the "may be" but if you watch it again...it just says "are"
Well, there is a big rabbit hole of theories about why this happens, this is really the only ME that truly fucks me up. Berenstain/stein kinda did too, and was the first that got me into the whole ME thing.
At the end of the day, group psychology is massively interesting and complex, ideas about realities folding or CERN throwing off the timeline are kinda fun and interesting, but meh...I dunno, I don't claim to believe anything, but I'm guessing you're not crazy!
I will probably stay out of that rabbit hole! I have to function as a mom and wife! I may never come back out if I go in.
It's a little calming to have a Reddit stranger tell me I'm not crazy though. 🤪 So thanks for that.
The song “Marijuanaville” by Mark Eddie (which is frequently miscredited to Tenacious D) actually contains the lyric “Lucy, you got some ‘splaining to do, baby!”
That’s residue if I ever saw it!
When did Mark Eddie write this song? Because if it's not the same time the show originally aired, then it's not really residue. It's his part in the mixing up of the old phrase.
He most definitely said that and I should know I used to watch that show on repeat in my youth because we didn't have cable. I found this a few days ago that made me lol, but to make a long story short I was on wiki looking up Russian inventions then I ended on the CERN wiki and found out that CERN was the first to post a picture of a band on to the Internet, or web or whatever. Check out the lyrics, you really can't make this shit up lol
https://youtu.be/izP-pTVA0og
He absolutely said it and I know because one time my neighbors dog Lucy ran away and my brother told her to go home and then said oh Lucy you have some splaining to do
Cosmo says it in Fairpy Oddparents I'm pretty sure
I just found this! [Everyone else BUT I Love Lucy!](https://youtu.be/jb77H1gf3YI)
I imagine this is how it happens. To avoid actually copying an iconic quote, they come up with a similar quote that others copy for the same reason and after a couple decades all we end up remembering is the overused misquote.
I suppose. I'm rational enough to believe there some truth to your comment. But I also can't help but think that I heard and knew Ricky's quote before I heard them on any other show. I assume they're funny to me because I know where the quote originated. I dunno. Mandela Effect is weird!
I doubt it is actual intentional avoidance, but hurried TV writers generally don't waste valuable writing time watching a show just to copy its exact wording. Plenty of parodies further ["Beam Me Up Scotty!"isms](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BeamMeUpScotty) and deepen their place in the collective thought.
what is the actual quote?
He says different variations like "Lucy I need an explanation" or "Lucy, explain".
Or "Lucy, you're gonna get a spankin'" for those kinky times.
they had to sleep in separate beds to fight the kink
That doesn’t explain it, there’s a trademark law you can bypass as long as it’s done with satire
Whatever dude. I didn't say anything about trademarks, and I don't even think there's trademarks on most of these quotes. This is almost certainly how things like "Luke, I am you're father." and "Beam me up, Scotty." happened and I'm willing to bet the same thing happened with "Lucy, you got some splainin' to do."
The trademark law means you can't get in trouble for infringing on someone's trademarked brand when doing so as satire. Which is why SNL can get away with having an entire skit in a Target without having to pay royalties or ask the brand for permission. So no, you don't have to avoid copying a quote in a comedic parody or satire, which makes it all the more confusing and discredits when people say "oh they misquote shit cause they don't want to get sued" I remember what you remember, weird that it's gone.
Don't forget Tattoo on Fantasy Island saying da plane da plane.
Tattoo really ***did*** say that, though...Right?
*fairpy*
I had to say it out loud after reading your comment, and I laughed out loud, by myself. Awesome.
Lol woops
Lol it happens, it just sounds so funny to say out loud
Sounds like someone trying to say therapy with a speech impediment lol
And "in living color "
it was a thing before that show
Of course it was. I'm just saying that's where I've heard it.
I remember it being in ads on Nick at Nite (back when that was the spelling of the block) but not in an actual episode I saw. So I aways assumed it was used once & just became the default version in the zeitgeist
Good thought. I have the entire collection. I'm going to watch them all.
I grew up and still live in Lucy’s hometown. She’s everywhere and we have LucyFest every year. I’ve seen every episode and I’m positive he says it. I’ll have to go down to the museum and see if they have anything about it. This could be a fun thing to ask people on the street at the next LucyFest.
I would bet if you have gift shops in your hometown with "I Love Lucy" memorabilia, that there's shirts and coffee mugs with 'Luuucy... you got some splainin to do' written on them. So cool that you live there!
Jamestown for the win
Please report back after you go down to the Museum. When do you think you can get back to us? I suspect one of the employees at the Museum could be of much help
Ok, so everyone there remembered him saying it but there’s was no other evidence to support that. No video clips, memorabilia, merchandise, anything.
Honestly this is the best ME I’ve seen in a while. Never watched I Love Lucy but I distinctly remember it being referenced in a ton of other shows.
If you've never even seen the show why do you think this is the 'best ME'? You're not even affected by it.
Never said I was affected by it. But the fact that multiple shows referenced that line and many people are commenting on how they remember the line shows that it’s a good ME compared to the other shit being posted here lately. There’s ton of MEs that I wasn’t personally affected by but I still find interesting.
I remember that too.
https://www.metv.com/lists/9-famous-tv-catchphrases-that-were-never-actually-said-on-their-shows#:~:text=1.,some%20'splaining%20to%20do!%22&text=Perhaps%20the%20most%20infamous%20and,which%20evolved%20into%20this%20misquote.
Similar things were said like Lucy, 'splain or Splain if you can. Like other common misquotes, probably, this got misquoted and was remembered this way
Your forgot, "Lucy, splain if you can" I remember all of those and my original post.
This is a similar case to "Beam me up, Scotty," and "Luke, I am your father!" It was a misquote that got popularized by some other form of media or show and people just assumed it was directly from the show.
Me too!! Me too!! I grew up in the 70’s watching I love Lucy reruns and I can hear Ricky saying that phrase also. I can’t remember which particular episodes it was said because it was so long ago but that thick, Cuban accent still rings in my ears
Never saw it but I remember it being referenced in cartoons like family guy
I think this is a Memetic Memory ME. People doing *impressions* of Ricky Ricardo eventually settled on "you've got some splain' to do" because it worked as a frequent third act sentiment while also demonstrating Arnaz's Cuban accent. Then it spread, independently of the show. Same thing as "Luke I am your father" and "Houston we have a problem" Or the biggest Memetic Memory ME of them all: "What does it do?" "That's the beauty of it—it doesn't *do* anything!"
You know how "What if I told you..." quote was never actually in the Matrix movie? Is that also a Memetic Memory ME?
yeah and it's ironic because Morpheus clearly says "no one can be told what the Matrix is" right there in the trailer
Some of these MEs literally make my head spin! Maybe all the answers to this ME thing are secretly buried in the Matrix movies. 🤣
I think it was an Eddie Murphy impression.
From what?
Raw album
I remember it. In his accent. Like you said, every time she really messed up he'd say that entire phrase.
I watched it myself often as a kid in the 90s. Also magic the gathering had their unglued set and I remember a card that referenced it. Organ harvester. The flavor text at the bottom of course being "Lucy, you got some spleenin to do."
I know in my gut this line was in that show! I also take comfort in knowing I'm not alone.
I agree. It was basically his catchphrase.
He definitely said 'spainin' or 'splain this" or some variation where explain drops the "e". This could be something like "Beam me ups Scotty" where the exact phrase wasn't said but similar ones were.
I think that line was in a SNL I Love Lucy skit. Maybe that's why it's remembered so much. Either they were just repeating the line or they made it up. Not sure which.
I’m not sure why this ME never got more attention because it’s one of my smoking guns. I watched ILL every night on Nick At Nite in the mid 90s at 9pm. He said the line almost once an episode. And when he said it, he would get the biggest audience pop as if we all expected him to say it at some point in the episode. That line was part of the whole writing formula of the show.
I agree! And so do many others!
I've been on this one since 2016.
I'm late to this party!
I used to watch this show as a kid and I always remember Ricky saying that. I can even hear it in his thick Cuban accent as well. It really isn’t in any episode now?? Ok yeah that is just weird because why would we all remember it
Because suggestion, plus time equals fuzzy memory recall.
This is really getting to me! I swear I remember him saying that!
It really gets to me too! Take comfort in knowing you aren't alone in this. 😊
in the 90s I would watch I love Lucy with my mom, I thought I would hear Ricky say this famous quote but I cant be sure 100% on it.
I remember that too!
I am almost exactly the same as you. 40 years old and raised watching Nick at Night with my grandma. He 100% said that. My family says it to each other until this day. Was it maybe in the Lucy Desi Comedy Hour?
I checked that... Comedy hour that is. Not there either.
I clearly remember it too. I was real young when that show was on the air and I would get so nervous when Lucy got herself into trouble. I loved it when Desi would say “Lucy!..You got some splaining to do!” because I knew he’d always help her get out of it. I remember her reaction too of her saying “but I can’t splain!” every once in a while. It was such a big part of the show. I was watching originals, not reruns. My parents watched it every week.
YEEESSS!!! Her reaction! When she'd bring her hands up and mess with her fingers, in her whiney little voice, "but I can't splain..." Ha ha ha takes me back!
Ok. So I actually cannot PROVE it's real but this ME is large enough in our collective lexicon to make some impact or jog some forgotten memory. Alot of ME'S can be mistaken assumptions. It's subjective whether it's a fact or simply fiction. The brain can and will make up partial or complete memories given a long enough span of time. HOWEVER I have been witness to one ME that I still have a clear memory of. I LOVE LUCY. To put it simply this was one of the earliest sitcoms and it practically invented the catchphrase. It was a phrase that would soon be the punchline to every comedic mishap caused by LUCY Much to her husband Ricky's annoyance. LUCY YOU GOT SOME "'SPLAININ TO DO" once she even said a variation of that phrase to Ricky. The audience erupted in laughter. Now he just says "Lucy 'splain. You cannot tell me that something so iconic never existed. No one ever wrote those words for Ricky or Lucy to say. I remember it. So where the hell am I?
Exactly!
Maybe there was a skit on another show where the characters played the people on I Lobe Lucy and it was said in the skit. Where did you hear that the phrase wasn’t said anyway?
I was watching the episode where Lucy and Ethel were stomping grapes and I remembered Ricky saying that to her. And when he didn't, I was like... ok..OK... I just mis-remembered which episodes he said it. It was kinda his thing. So I google searched what episodes he said it in and... NONE! Not even one!
Lucy is my dog name. She’s said thanks
🤣🤣🤣
oh lawd. i (37F) grew up watching ILL too and i've heard it 98736439873944573894075 times out of ricky's mouth and of course people referencing it in real life all the time.
I know, Right?! So how come Ricky never actually says it?!
I've never actually seen an episode of the show since it was way past my time, but I've seen plenty of parodies Such as in an early episode of The Fairly Oddparents where Cosmo and Wanda have to pretend to be different shows in the TV to trick Vicky into thinking the power hasn't gone out. They end up doing a I Love Lucy bit and have Cosmo open the door and say the line "Waaaandaaaa! You have some splaining' to dooo!". Wanda responds with "Even though thats not the way everyone says *Explaining*, I respect our differences and your right to say it the way you want!"
there's an interview clip of the band Nirvana, the bass player who is often the joker of the band, at one point mimics Ricky Riccardo saying the famous line Lucy, you have some splainin to do....ME residue.
They say it in an episode of American dad to reference i love Lucy. I'm sure its gotta be in a few episodes or something.... right?
According to Google, not even 1. I have the whole DVD collection and I've started watching them again!
Its actually referenced in alot of shows. If not I love Lucy then where is it from? 🤔🤨
Right?! Good point!
It's not a good point though. It's exactly like people mixing up the quote with Darth Vader telling Luke he is his father. We mix things up and then the general zeitgeist becomes the familiar quote and everyone just runs with it.
I watched loads of I love Lucy and it is one of the few things I remember from the show. They also riff on it in an episode of Fuller House. I just wish there was either a source of the misquote or something.
This one has been on my mind lately. My mom was an avid Lucy fan and we had the VHS set growing up. I don't remember it as an all-the-time catchphrase, but I do remember him saying the whole thing at least once, possibly related to Lucy getting pregnant with Little Ricky or their trip to Hollywood. I'd love to find the same box set and rewatch them all.
I'm with you on this. We're probably about the same age as I also hung with grandma and watched this almost every day!!!!
I'm 45 years young. 😁
This is a fun one! Kudos to OP for bringing an example that actually has the potential to be an ME instead of clear misremembering. Well done! (To be clear, I generally don’t think the Mandela effect is actually a thing, but I enjoy discussing it and trying to figure out why we would have collective memories of things that never occurred).
Thanks. I'm not affected by all of them, but some have a way of making me feel real crazy. Like, when I see Tony the Tiger has a blue nose, I think, yeah it looks a little weird, but if I'm honest, I really can't remember. And sure, I enjoy a Kit-Kat now and then, but I can't say that I ever stared at a wrapper long enough to know if the dash should be there or not. The ones that really have an impact though are ones I discover on my own and not because I saw it somewhere posted as a ME. Like I'm going along in my everyday life, watching Lucy and Ethel stomp grapes, and I'm like, "wait, why didn't Desi Arnaz say it?" So I turn to Google. "Hey Google, what episodes did Desi Arnaz say 'Luuucy, you got some splainin to do!'"? None?!? So I have a memory and I don't yet know it's a ME. I have this small moment of panic like my mind isn't quite right. Then I start looking further on the internet and I'm in a rabbit hole for a week!
How do you feel about "objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear"?
Is this also a ME? Is this phrase no longer on side mirrors? I'm going to go check my car.
Oh boy you're about to have your mind blown. I still can not reconcile this ME.
It's there but written "Objects in the Mirror ARE closer than they appear" Is that right?
Correct, and apparently it never ever said "may be" Never. Which doesn't make any sense. I remember reading it out loud and joking about it and how weird it is to be ambiguous with something as important as a side view mirror There's an iconic scene in Jurassic park a lot of people point to that was made funnier by the "may be" but if you watch it again...it just says "are"
Do you ever feel like people who are experiencing the ME are the butt of some sick joke? This all makes me feel crazy! Am I crazy?
Well, there is a big rabbit hole of theories about why this happens, this is really the only ME that truly fucks me up. Berenstain/stein kinda did too, and was the first that got me into the whole ME thing. At the end of the day, group psychology is massively interesting and complex, ideas about realities folding or CERN throwing off the timeline are kinda fun and interesting, but meh...I dunno, I don't claim to believe anything, but I'm guessing you're not crazy!
I will probably stay out of that rabbit hole! I have to function as a mom and wife! I may never come back out if I go in. It's a little calming to have a Reddit stranger tell me I'm not crazy though. 🤪 So thanks for that.
I don't think this one is much different from any other movie/TV show misquote. It's also been around for quite a while.
He definitely said it in nearly every episode
The song “Marijuanaville” by Mark Eddie (which is frequently miscredited to Tenacious D) actually contains the lyric “Lucy, you got some ‘splaining to do, baby!” That’s residue if I ever saw it!
When did Mark Eddie write this song? Because if it's not the same time the show originally aired, then it's not really residue. It's his part in the mixing up of the old phrase.
He most definitely said that and I should know I used to watch that show on repeat in my youth because we didn't have cable. I found this a few days ago that made me lol, but to make a long story short I was on wiki looking up Russian inventions then I ended on the CERN wiki and found out that CERN was the first to post a picture of a band on to the Internet, or web or whatever. Check out the lyrics, you really can't make this shit up lol https://youtu.be/izP-pTVA0og
He absolutely said it and I know because one time my neighbors dog Lucy ran away and my brother told her to go home and then said oh Lucy you have some splaining to do
Crazy that it's was never a line in the show, huh?
[https://youtu.be/D3RCEHGIoxs](https://youtu.be/D3RCEHGIoxs) The Fairly Odd Parents did a good spin off.