Fact-Checking 'The Boys Excuse Me Sir': Script Quote or Clever Social Media Mashup?
Identifying the precise point of origin for audio meme trends requires tracking through nested creator uploads. The vocal track "Excuse me, sir" gained initial algorithmic traction on TikTok in late 2022 before undergoing multiple remakes. Early versions featured user-submitted skits depicting retail confrontations, drive-thru misunderstandings, and gym etiquette disputes.
By early 2023, video editors began stripping the original background noise, leaving only the dry vocal track. From there, creators paired the prompt with dramatic television reactions. While American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman and Peaky Blinders’ Thomas Shelby were used in early variations, edits featuring Antony Starr exploded in popularity during the hiatus between Season 3 and Season 4 of The Boys. By 2024, the audio had been remixed over 180,000 distinct short-form videos, with Homelander visuals accounting for the largest share of viral engagement.
Karl Urban's Billy Butcher frequently appears in complementary edits. Sound designers combine Butcher's guttural catchphrases, often clipped from promotional interviews or isolated voice lines, with the polite prompt, turning a mundane workplace query into an imaginary, lethal showdown.