There isn’t any query, Household Issues was one of many biggest TGIF comedies of all time. In huge half, it’s due to Jaleel White and his character, Steve Urkel, whose principal mission was to chase his next-door neighbor, Laura Winslow, break each piece of furnishings he ran into, and say “Did I do this?” Nonetheless, earlier than Urkel’s “Did I do this?” grew to become the final word quote synonymous with this implausible sitcom, White tried out totally different catchphrases, and I’m so glad they didn’t stick.
There was little doubt that Steve Urkel was uncoordinated. It appeared like he couldn’t undergo one scene with out breaking one thing. On the intense facet, it gave live-studio audiences an actual chortle once they heard him say the well-known catchphrase “Did I do this?” proper after. Nonetheless, in a clip for a brand new episode of Pod Meets World, Jaleel White revealed that there have been different catchphrases Household Issues tried out first earlier than they landed on that iconic line, and I’m so glad they didn’t work out:
They tried one million darn catchphrases. And the primary one which they ever tried actually was Steve would simply stumble upon an finish desk or a lamp, knock it over and say, ‘Excuse me.’ That was it, he’d simply say ‘Excuse me.’ Then they tried to borrow one which was already in existence, ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t rise up.’ We did about three of them, and ‘Did I do this’ simply caught. And it’s a kind of belongings you lob them out to the viewers.
Wanting again, I do keep in mind these strains coming into play. Steve Urkel would say “excuse me” to a chunk of furnishings he made tumble or the fixed “I’ve fallen and I can’t rise up!” Nonetheless, I’m actually glad these did not grow to be the catchphrase.
Certain, the “excuse me” line was humorous the primary time, however I do not suppose it packs the identical punch. And “I’ve fallen and I can’t rise up” jogs my memory of the infomercials that marketed Life Alert, that are removed from humorous. “Did I do this” simply does a fantastic job defining the ABC fan-favorite character’s responsible conscience when he knocks one thing over.
Like Gabriel Iglesias as soon as stated throughout his run of Netflix’s Mr. Iglesias, capturing in entrance of a reside studio viewers is vital since you get speedy suggestions about which comedy hijinks work. Jaleel White felt the identical approach concerning the studio viewers, crediting them for why “Did I do this” grew to become the well-known catchphrase we all know now:
Again then, [it] was fully concerning the speedy viewers response. You had that reside studio viewers to let you know in actual time what was working. There was no social media. I feel that’s the factor I miss most about our period, although, of tv. We didn’t have to listen to from the haters.
Jaleel White beforehand informed the story behind the basic catchphrase, saying that the supply of the road made “Did I do this” so well-known. I can perceive that because it introduced out Steve Urkel’s nasally voice extra. Plus, his scrunched-up responsible look when he stated that line was icing on the cake. Studio audiences positive had a expertise for choosing the weather of Household Issues that ended up sticking long-term. And that is partially why Steve Urkel is taken into account a facet character followers ended up loving greater than the principle characters.
It’s an enormous reduction that “excuse me” and “I’ve fallen and I can’t rise up” didn’t grow to be Steve Urkel’s famed catchphrases. Between the fixed quoting and the merchandise that got here from our favourite nerd, “Did I do this” made a large affect on the zeitgeist and it is an ideal catchphrase for this beloved character.
Be at liberty to take heed to the catchphrase that’s in all 9 seasons of Household Issues with a Max subscription.