Red’s Iconic That ‘70s Show Catchphrase Was Shockingly Said By Another Character First

Red Forman’s iconic catchphrases in That ‘70s Show have occasionally been uttered by other characters, but he wasn’t even the first one to say his most common insult. While many characters in That ‘70s Show have established iconic catchphrases, such as Fez’s “I said good day!” or Kelso’s “Burn!,” the most notable are those that come from Kurtwood Smith’s Red Forman. His frequent sayings, such as his threat to put his foot in another character’s rear end, have even been carried into Netflix’s spinoff series That ‘90s Show, whether uttered by himself or another Forman family member.

Almost exclusively used to describe his son Eric and the teens who used to hang out in his basement in the 1970s, Red most notably says the word “dumbass,” or a similar iteration of the insult, throughout That ‘70s Show. When his 15-year-old granddaughter Leia Forman moves in with him during the summer of 1995, Red transfers this word to the next generation of Point Place teens as Eric’s daughter and her friends become subject to this insult. However, as iconic as Red’s “dumbass” catchphrase is in both That ‘70s Show and That ‘90s Show, the first time the word is heard in the series, it isn’t Red saying it.

Eric Is The First Character To Say “Dumbass” In That ’70s Show, Not Red

Red’s son Eric Forman was actually the very first character to say “dumbass” in That ‘70s Show, which is ironic considering how often Red later directs the word at him. It isn’t until That ‘70s Show season 1, episode 5, “Eric’s Burger Job,” that the word is first used, and it surprisingly has nothing to do with Red. After Eric’s boss Ricky asks him about how his mopping duty is going along, That ‘70s Show’s main teen responds by saying he’s simply happy to be part of the Fatso Burger family, only to add on the quip, “You dumbass,” after Ricky walks away.

The first time that Red says the word is four episodes later in That ‘70s Show’s season 1 installment “Thanksgiving.” After Donna finds out that Eric kissed Laurie’s friend from college, Red confronts Eric and asks him why he would do that to her. Eric responds by suggesting that bad things happen to him because he has bad luck, with Red’s reply being, “The reason that bad things happen to you is because you’re a dumbass.” While That ‘70s Show season 2’s 1950s Halloween flashback reveals the origin of Red’s “dumbass” insult 20 years prior, it’s surprising that Eric is the first character to state the word within the show’s chronological episode order.

Eric Saying Red’s Catchphrase First Proves How Perfect Their Parallel Is In That ’90s Show

Eric’s cameo in That ‘90s Show season 1 brilliantly highlights the parallels between the two Forman men in the series, with Eric beginning to speak like Red once Leia becomes a teenager. In the first episode, Red tells Eric that he’s proud of him after his son states that his “foot is getting in [Leia’s] ass” if she doesn’t get in the car. Like father, like son, Eric’s first major insult in That ‘90s Show is a full-circle moment in which he begins to become Red. Considering Eric was also the first person to say “dumbass” in That ‘70s Show, the father and son’s parallel had been set in motion from the start.