Bazinga is a catchphrase from CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, said by physicist Sheldon Cooper after pulling a prank on his friends. First aired in May 2009, it later fueled an ironic 4chan and Tumblr parody scene mocking the show's brand of geek humor.
Origin
Bazinga debuted in "The Monopolar Expedition," the Season 2 finale that aired on CBS on May 11, 2009[1]. Sheldon uses the line three times across the episode, each stinger following a prank meant to show off his cleverness at Leonard's expense[2]. Warner Bros. Entertainment filed a US trademark application for the word "Bazinga" on January 4, 2011, giving the studio a legal claim on the phrase for apparel and other merchandise[3].
- Platform: The Big Bang Theory (CBS) / 4chan (parody spread)
- Creator: The Big Bang Theory writers
- Date: 2009
Overview
Bazinga is a nonsense interjection used like "zing" or "gotcha," which Urban Dictionary contributors define as a catchy phrase to accompany a clever prank[4]. On CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper (played by Jim Parsons) yells it after tricking a friend or landing a joke[1]. The word sounds vaguely scientific because it stitches together the chemical symbols for Barium (Ba), a fictional element Zuunium (Z) from the in-show Timber Wolf comics, Iodine (I), Nitrogen (N), and Gallium (Ga)[3].
Two very different fandoms grew around the line. Fans of the show wore it on t-shirts and mugs sold at pop-culture retailer Hot Topic[5]. An anti-fandom on 4chan and Tumblr turned bazinga into shorthand for what they saw as the show's cheap, over-explained geek humor, spawning a wave of deliberately unfunny parody comics[5].
How It Spread
By April 2012, at least fifteen user-submitted definitions for Bazinga sat on Urban Dictionary, with the top entry passing 7,700 upvotes by December of that year[4]. A fan Facebook page for the catchphrase cleared 339,000 likes by late 2012, and the word picked up entries on Wiktionary and Word Reference forums[5].
The parody counter-scene started on 4chan's /tv/ board on December 25, 2012, when a thread asking why users disliked The Big Bang Theory drew replies with fake variants like "bazoopie," "bazonkers," and "bazopple"[3]. A follow-up thread the next day filled with low-resolution Comic Sans comics running flat science jokes, each ending on a triumphant "BAZINGA!"[5]. On December 27, Tumblr user zebeckblogs posted a compilation of the parody reactions that pulled more than 2,000 notes within hours, while a repost of the /tv/ comics on the 4chan subreddit passed 9,574 upvotes the same day[5].
How to Use
The parody template typically pairs a crude MS Paint drawing with a bad, over-explained science pun set in Comic Sans, capped by a giant "BAZINGA!" that is unfunny on purpose[5]. Fans of the show use the word straight, dropping it after any prank in the spirit of Sheldon's delivery[2].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bazinga?
Bazinga is a catchphrase from The Big Bang Theory that character Sheldon Cooper uses after pulling a practical joke, similar to "zing" or "gotcha"[1].
Where did Bazinga come from?
The word debuted in the Season 2 finale "The Monopolar Expedition," which aired on CBS on May 11, 2009[1].
What does Bazinga mean?
It is a nonsense stinger to punctuate a prank, and Urban Dictionary defines it as a catchy phrase to accompany a clever joke[4].
How do you use Bazinga?
Fans of the show yell it after any successful prank[2], while the parody version pairs it with a Comic Sans MS Paint comic built around a bad science joke[5].
Is Bazinga still popular?
The parody comics saw heavy sharing on Reddit and Tumblr in late 2012, with one compilation crossing 9,500 upvotes on the 4chan subreddit in a day[5].
