Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the show's wolf whistle, turned into a character: two cartoon brothers with no shame and an audience that was in on the joke. The nurse became a mascot, and the phrase became a catchphrase fans still shout at the screen, the sign-off "Goodbye, Nurse" included. Because Dot gets her own version for handsome men, the joke is on the brothers as much as on her.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for AnimaniacsShow the scene
On the original Animaniacs, "Hello, Nurse!" is the Warner brothers' reflex whenever an attractive woman walks into the frame. Yakko and Wakko howl it together and go wild, while Dot rolls her eyes, though she does the same when a handsome man appears. It is a running gag across the whole series, and "Goodbye, Nurse!" is the matching sign-off. The first time it happens is in "De-Zanitized", when Dr. Scratchansniff brings his white-uniformed nurse (Heloise Nerz, voiced by Tress MacNeille) into the room. The phrase itself is older than the show: it comes from vaudeville, and it was once meant as Buster Bunny's catchphrase on Tiny Toon Adventures.
Sources (2)
- Animaniacs Wiki: Hello Nurse (running gag)Intro and History sections; episode list, De-ZanitizedReference checked
- Animaniacs Wiki: Hello Nurse (character)IntroReference checked
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