Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The calm-down word is nonsense, which is the point: Buddy's therapy is a made-up ritual delivered with total authority, and Nicholson sells it with a hint of a smile. The sound itself is funny to say, which is why it spread. Fans repeat it the way they might breathe out, as a mock-serious cue to cool off.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Anger ManagementShow the scene
In Anger Management (2003), therapist Dr. Buddy Rydell, played by Jack Nicholson, runs a group session where a patient named Nate is raging about a basketball game. Buddy talks him down and teaches him a calming word: repeat after me, goosfraba. Nate stumbles over it, Buddy corrects him, and after a few slow repetitions Nate says he feels better. Buddy claims it comes from an old Eskimo word that mothers used to soothe their children. Sandler plays Dave Buznik, Buddy's reluctant patient, and Peter Segal directed.
Sources (2)
- Springfield! Springfield! transcript: anger managementGroup-session passage with Nate and the repeat-after-me exerciseReference checked
- Wikipedia: Anger Management (film)Lead and PlotReference checked
Context reviewed