I distinctly remember the first time I heard that expression: Robert Blake used it on The Tonight Show, to great comic effect. This was circa 1980 or so… within a few years anyway. I doubt that was the first use of it either but it does predate Seinfeld.
In the last panel, Mike’s quoting Jerry and Mark’s quoting Elaine… is Zonker quoting someone, too? If so it’s not obvious to me who it is… Kramer or George. Or maybe it’s just… nothing!
This strip has newly arrived in my local paper so I’m again reading it regularly, and definitely enjoying it But – and I realize this must have been discussed before – I gotta ask about the whole “inconsistent underwater physics” thing, i.e. how does Ernest’s spit behave like they’re not submerged?
Actually, that occurred to me. But I couldn’t help myself!