When did Peanut Butter and Tuna become one?

July 11, 2006 1:35 AM

"You got peanut butter in my tuna!" Or maybe "You got tuna in my peanut butter!" Where does this phrase come from?

I know it's a take of the old Reeses Peanut Butter cup commerical, but it has been used with peanut butter and tuna with strange frequency this past 2 weeks or so. Where is it from? I know I just saw it on a childrens' show where their picnic was ruined. I think it might have been Rugrat-like characters, though doubt it was Rugrats since my son doesn't care for them.

I thankfully have not seen the variation "I've got your peanut butter in my tuna."

Please help. This truly is driving me insane.

posted by Iamtherealme to society & culture (12 answers total)

I doubt this is the earliest example of this phrase being changed to include a fish, but from Third Rock from the Sun several years ago: You got trout on my peanut butter
posted by Nothing at 1:41 AM on July 11, 2006

It comes from an old campaign for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, described here.
posted by rob511 at 2:47 AM on July 11, 2006

rob511: She already mentioned that she knows it's from the Reese's commercials.

Personally, I think it's just a strange coincidence that you've noticed it a couple times in the last 2 weeks or so. But hey, maybe it's just a meme that I haven't picked up on yet? :)
posted by antifuse at 3:03 AM on July 11, 2006

"Erase the tape, Rosemary!"
posted by rob511 at 3:07 AM on July 11, 2006

Definately seems to be a meme, because I'm seeing it commented on this site, but without remembering the exact phrasing I haven't been too successful with googling. The timing is such that I have to wonder - did everyone think that line in a kid's show was funny and start using it?

My brain came through - it was on Stanley, I believe - a kid's show on at 1pm ET where the picnic got all smooshed up, but they studied the ants instead. That takes care of THAT..........but why is everyone saying it? Last I checked, I didn't feel very cool and trendsetting when I watch Playschool Disney with my son. It's looking like I might be a lot hipper than I thought.
posted by Iamtherealme at 4:00 AM on July 11, 2006

Perhaps it's just the newest of the new snowclones?
posted by youarenothere at 5:00 AM on July 11, 2006

As a double entendre, based on the Reese's ads, it could've cropped up in a variety of places, such as a bathroom wall, a comedy club, or general locker room humor.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:07 AM on July 11, 2006

Oddly enough, I recall saying it at some point in the semi-recent past. Maybe it's just some kind of fad in the collective unconcious.
posted by jefeweiss at 6:21 AM on July 11, 2006

Maybe it has something to do with the flavoured tunas they are selling now. My co-worker brought some Spicy Peanut Satay Tuna for lunch the other day, and she couldn't eat it because it looked too much like cat food.
posted by teg at 6:56 AM on July 11, 2006

I think I saw another product's commercial doing the 2 flavors in one schtick of the old Reeses Peanut Butter Cups ads.
posted by stavx at 7:45 AM on July 11, 2006

i rocked this meme in a recent comment... what with mash-ups being all the rage.

check it out: you got your jellied otter loaf in my brussel sprout casserole
posted by Hat Maui at 9:10 AM on July 11, 2006

Have you actually had tuna with peanut butter? Strangely, I have. Many years ago, I helped a friend pack up her apartment, and this combination was the only thing even resembling food in her already sparse kitchen.

I would describe it as "surprisingly less disgusting than I expected". I have never been tempted to try it again.
posted by Caviar at 10:24 PM on July 13, 2006