Original artwork, not a still
I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!
— Thimble Theatre ‧ 1929
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is a sailor's way of saying take me or leave me, delivered with a squint and a grin by a man who has nothing to prove. It is the same philosophy as his spinach: no apology, no second guess. Fans quote it for confident self-acceptance, and the odd dialect spelling has become part of the joke.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Thimble TheatreShow the scene
Popeye's creed of plain self-acceptance belongs to the sailor E. C. Segar introduced to his strip Thimble Theatre on 17 January 1929. Popeye was hired as a minor character to crew a ship for Castor Oyl, but his one-eyed, pipe-smoking, mumbling toughness made him the lead within months, and by the end of 1929 superhuman strength was a fixture. The line is his stock answer whenever someone questions or insults him: he shrugs, states what he is, and carries on. Wikiquote lists the fullest spelling as "I yam what I yam and tha's all what I yam", with the cartoons and later versions smoothing the wording to the one on this page.
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: PopeyeLead; Fictional character and storyReference checked
- Wikiquote: PopeyeQuotes listReference checked
Context reviewed
