The Big Bang Theory has become a beloved, long-running sitcom, known for its quirky characters and iconic catchphrases. One such phrase that has become synonymous with the show is “bazinga,” uttered by the eccentric genius Sheldon Cooper. But did you know that this catchphrase didn’t actually originate from the show itself?
The Birth of Sheldon’s “Bazinga”
Sheldon’s distinctive door knock and the accompanying “Penny. Penny. Penny.” didn’t appear until the tenth episode of the series. Amazingly, the term “bazinga” (sometimes spelled “buzzinga” in the closed captioning) wasn’t introduced until the season finale of the second season. The term first showed up in the writers’ room, as the catchphrase of writer Stephen Engel, who would use it whenever he played a prank on a fellow writer.
The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady recalled a time when Engel gave him a grapefruit, but when Prady went to eat it, it turned out to be hollowed out and carefully put back together. Engel then said, “Bazinga!”
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How this catchphrase was born?
In the season 2 finale, “The Monopolar Expedition,” Sheldon uses the term “bazinga” three times to denote that he has played a prank on the other characters. As it turns out, the word wasn’t initially in the script. Sheldon just told Leonard that it was a prank, and the producers and writers decided to insert the term “bazinga” right before taping.
Parsons later recalled, “It was like ‘That would work in here. What if he said ‘bazinga’ after that?'” And the rest is history, the catchphrase was born, and Sheldon’s iconic usage of the term has become a beloved part of the show.
Interestingly, the term “bazinga” didn’t originate with The Big Bang Theory. It has been in use for years, often as a variation of the popular word “zing,” which people use to denote a “gotcha” moment. The earliest known on-screen usage of the term was in a 2000 episode of The X-Files, where a character named Chuck Burks says “Bazinga” after discovering a voice in the Lazarus Bowl. The term also appeared in a 2001 episode of Family Guy, where Stewie Griffin uses the variant “Bazing!”
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Bazinga in Young Sheldon
While The Big Bang Theory has pulled back on using the term “bazinga” in recent years, the prequel series Young Sheldon has kept the tradition alive. In an episode from Season 2, titled “A Stunted Childhood and a Can of Fancy Mixed Nuts,” young Sheldon (Iain Armitage) is shown embracing his mischievous side and using the term “bazinga” to denote his various pranks. From tricking his dad with a fake stick of gum to fooling his sister with a whoopee cushion, Sheldon’s love for “bazinga” moments is on full display.
As the narrator, adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) reflects, “And that’s how I became the madcap prankster all my friends know and love.” It’s a fun nod to the origins of the iconic catchphrase that has become so closely associated with the character.
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