Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Two nonsense syllables and a wobbling salute were enough to make an alien feel like a friend. The greeting carried all of Mork's comic logic: Earth customs reinterpreted by someone who finds them delightful. Fans of 1970s sitcoms still use it as a sign-off, and its borrowed-Vulcan gesture shows how deeply Star Trek had already seeped into everyday American playfulness.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Mork & MindyShow the scene
Mork's greeting from the planet Ork, delivered with a hand gesture that Wikipedia describes as a Vulcan salute crossed with a handshake. Robin Williams's alien first beamed into the Happy Days episode "My Favorite Orkan" (ABC, 28 February 1978), where his improvised performance so astonished the cast that the writers rebuilt the script around him. The spin-off Mork & Mindy followed on 14 September 1978, with Mork, sent to Earth to study humans, living with Mindy McConnell. Na-Nu Na-Nu became the series' trademark hello, alongside his interjection "Shazbot".
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: Mork & MindyPremise and Characters sectionsReference checked
- Wikipedia: My Favorite OrkanLead and production sectionReference checked
Context reviewed