"Yes boss"- is this a good catchphrase?

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I've been toying with adopting it as one. Does it have staying power?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:31 (twenty years ago)

It's a reference to Turkish kebab shop workers:

"Can I have garlic sauce on that mate?"
"Yes boss!"

And a google of "Yes boss" reveals, alongside some Bollywood movie, kebab shop discussion, so at least its a reference to something from popular culture.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

"boss! the plane! the plane!" is better.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

I have a tendency to call all men I meet "boss" and all women I meet either "ma'am" or "girl" depending on the circumstances.
I have mixed results.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

I saw a guy in a Herche thingy t-shirt at an indie club the other year. It had a picture of him, and then said "Pimp" underneath. Should I have accidentally spilt my drink over him?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

I was gwon say, yes boss sounds like tattoo. Say "Right Boss" instead. No wait, that sounds like Barney Rubble saying "Right Fred", which is even better - as long as no one says something stupid about right sed fred.

I have a tendency to say "yessir" - whether it's a male or female.

― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:39 (twenty years ago)

One time I saw a comedian do a routine about about the universal tendency of deli countermen to assign nicknames, often varying them within the same conversation:

DC: "You want mustard on that, Chief"?
C: "Yeah, mustard will be fine"
DC: "What kind of bread do you want, Ace"?
C: "A roll, thanks"
DC: "A roll for the Captain!" (Holds up hand with imaginary roll in it)

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:40 (twenty years ago)

Should I have accidentally spilt my drink over him?

accidentally murdering him horribly would have been better, but hey.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

don't forget "jefe" (xpost)

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

I was just gonna say that! The guy in my cafeteria at work is always like "Hey, jefe." I like it.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

i discourage using "yes boss" with the significant other.
it goes over as well as "why don't you relax".

either way, m to f or f to m.

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

the greek coffee shop dude around the corner always calls me "madame" (pronounced "muh-DAMN").

http://www.calamusbooks.com/newsletters/v2_35/Madame200.jpg

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

Grimly- do you have a job you could give me?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

If you do "yes, boss," you have to do it like Sascha in Casablanca: "Yez, buss."

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

lest we forget "hoss"

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

What actually is the origin of "hoss"? Is it just an American slang for a college sports standout or what?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:49 (twenty years ago)

Horse. As in, "Whoa there, hoss."

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:50 (twenty years ago)

Grimly- do you have a job you could give me?

our editor (the overall one, not just the mag) quit. i'd very much like it if you could do that. otherwise, sadly not at the moment.

x-post: there was a character called "hungry hoss" in the dandy or beezer or something, circa 1982. he was a horse, and he ate stuff.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

if you ever go to pennsylvania you'll see a ton of these...

http://www.hosss.com/

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

One time I was on crowded subway car leaning against the door, while leaning against the other door was a couple who were having a very repetitive one-sided conversation, in which the guy just kept repeating: "Just remember, I'm the boss and you're the hoss. I'm the boss and you're the hoss. I'm the boss and you're the hoss," each time varying his emphasis a little. They seemed to find it funny. Me, I was just trying to avoid getting stuck in the ribs with an umbrella or hit in the face with a raincoat flap, as it had been raining.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

Hoss's was the preferred dining spot of my former in-laws (in, yes, smalltown Pa.). That buffet bar was sump'n. A whole section devoted just to pudding.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

Where is the Dan Blocker image post?

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

"Jefe, would you say I had a plethora?"

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

A whole section devoted just to pudding.

god bless america.

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 9 December 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

so like, smoking, non-smoking, and pudding?

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 10 December 2005 00:00 (twenty years ago)

ts: hoss's vs. furr's

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 10 December 2005 00:03 (twenty years ago)

I'm routinely called 'boss' by a yemeni liquor store owner near my pad.

I want to bring back 'tubular,' sans the 'totally.'

― andy --, Saturday, 10 December 2005 00:04 (twenty years ago)

I have to say, I think this is an excellent catchphrase.

― maryann (maryann), Sunday, 11 December 2005 01:04 (twenty years ago)

"Yes Boss" makes me thing of the campy henchman in Way of the Dragon. Instant classic.

― melton mowbray (adr), Sunday, 11 December 2005 01:16 (twenty years ago)

I prefer "Hmmm Boss"

― *Jazz Douchebag* Berman (Hurting), Sunday, 11 December 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

wasn't this the catchphrase for rochester, from the jack benny show?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 11 December 2005 04:52 (twenty years ago)

Unlike the popular African-American radio characters Amos and Andy, Rochester was portrayed by a Black actor, Eddie Anderson, rather than a white actor in blackface. Rochester's characterization was not devoid of racism. As Benny's employee he was, after all, always in a nominally subservient position. Nevertheless, neither Rochester nor his relationship with his employer was defined or limited by race. Like the other characters on the program, Rochester viewed Benny with slightly condescending affection--and frequently got the better of his employer in arguments that were obviously battles between peers. He was, in fact, the closest thing the Benny character had to either a spouse or a best friend.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Sunday, 11 December 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

The guy at my regular newstand -- a Pakistani -- invariably replies to my grunted "thanks" with "OK Boss." There is a definite mixed signal there, a patronizing edge to the nominal servility. One time I laughed and said "man I'm nobody's boss" and just got a hostile stare in return. Years ago a Puerto Rican acquaintance warned me off casually refering to hispanic-americans as "sir" because "we've got a saying that in the US every dumb son of a bitch gets called sir. It's meaningless."

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Sunday, 11 December 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

How about "Yes'm", as in going back to da 1520'z.

― Carl Handwriting (dog latin), Sunday, 11 December 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Years ago a Puerto Rican acquaintance warned me off casually refering to hispanic-americans as "sir" because "we've got a saying that in the US every dumb son of a bitch gets called sir. It's meaningless."

haha!

― thorstein veblen (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 11 December 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Whenever somebody in Texas called me "sir," it usually seemed to imply I was a dumb or pushy Yankee who wouldn't take a hint.

― k/l (Ken L), Sunday, 11 December 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

In Texas, everyone is called sir. It's like the puerto ricans say.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Sunday, 11 December 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

I have been calling people "boss", "feller" and "chief" far too much recently.

― Michael A Neuman (Ferg), Sunday, 11 December 2005 16:59 (twenty years ago)

I've been waiting for teh pinefox to post here about the guy in The Information who gets pissed off about being "chiefed out."

― k/l (Ken L), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

The guy in my cafeteria at work is always like "Hey, jefe." I like it.

This will work better if you mispronounce it "jeefy," I think. Mainly because people won't know wtf you're talking about. But it will be ALL YOURS.

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

How about "Yes'm"
i do this regularly to people of all genders.
sometimes, if i'm feeling feisty i throw in a 'yes, massa'

― tres letraj (tehresa), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

http://www.alohacriticon.com/images/elcriticonfotos/chicomarx.jpg

atsa fine, boss!

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 12 December 2005 07:58 (twenty years ago)

"Yes boss" is good.

"Right away, TC!" is better.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Monday, 12 December 2005 08:36 (twenty years ago)

i'm disappointed that the first answer to this thread wasn't the obvious one.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:13 (twenty years ago)

i had a friend who always greeted people: 'easy boss'.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Monday, 12 December 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

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