Bart Simpson’s catchphrase, “Eat my shorts!” has become one of the character’s defining expressions. However, the iconic line predates The Simpsons and originated long before the show.
Bart Simpson often used the catchphrase to express his rebellious attitude. In a recent statement, Nancy Cartwright explained how the entire phrase originated in her high school marching band days. In a video posted on X, Cartwright stated, “Hey Bart fans, did you ever wonder where the expression eat my shorts came from? Well, I’ll tell you. It was high school. I was in the marching band. I was a squad leader, trumpet player, and we were marching. Eat my shorts. Eat my shorts. 200 of us saying ‘Eat my shorts.'”
She further added, “16 years later at a reading for The Simpsons, and this was just off the top. It was an ad-lib that Bart called out, ‘Eat my shorts.’ And everybody locked it in, and that became the first catchphrase for Bart.”
How Bart Simpson became one of TV’s most recognizable characters
Bart Simpson first debuted on April 19, 1987, in the animated short Good Night. Two years later, on December 17, 1989, a full-length series titled The Simpsons premiered on Fox. In the early seasons of the show, Bart gained huge popularity as the rebellious bad boy.
Bart, a fourth-grade student and the son of Homer and Marge Simpson, was created by Matt Groening and voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Through his character, the audience could see the world from a child’s perspective.
Bart Simpson became so popular that Time named him one of the most important people of the 20th century in 1998. He also became a defining figure of early 1990s pop culture. A global merchandise craze under the tag of Bartmania gained huge popularity as well.
The 38th season of The Simpsons is currently streaming on Fox, with four episodes out so far.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
