My leg! (running gag)

If you were looking for the article about the episode, then see "My Leg!."

If you were looking for the article about the song, then see My Leg Is In Love!.

Sample from "My Leg!"

"My leg!" is a stock sound effect provided by Mr. Lawrence that consists of the titular exclamation and is mostly associated with the character Fred. The effect has been used throughout the series as a running gag when his leg is injured, akin to the Wilhelm scream. The season 11 episode "My Leg!" pays homage to this gag, as it is the main focus of the episode.

List of instances[]

SpongeBob SquarePants[]

Season 1[]

"Boating School" — SpongeBob crashes a boat into Mrs. Puff's lighthouse, causing it to fall over twice.
"Hall Monitor" — SpongeBob makes the cars at an intersection crash together.
"Culture Shock" — Pearl finishes her act.
"The Chaperone" — Chaos erupts thanks to SpongeBob and Pearl at Bikini Bottom High School.
"Karate Choppers" — SpongeBob beats up Fred after mistaking him for Sandy.
"Sleepy Time" — Plankton zaps the town with his eye in his dream.
"Suds" — Chaos erupts at the Krusty Krab when the customers thought a suds-infected SpongeBob sneezed in their Krabby Patties.
"Arrgh!" — Mr. Krabs throws Fred out of the Krusty Krab because the restaurant was closed.
"Walking Small" — SpongeBob spreads sand on people with a towel at Goo Lagoon. This is the most nonsensical use of the gag as the scene only shows Incidental 40 getting sand in his eyes. However, it is possible that Fred hurt one of his legs escaping the onslaught.

Season 2[]

"Something Smells" — SpongeBob inadvertently uses a smoke of bad breath as a bowling ball to knock down a marching band like bowling pins.
"Wormy" — After seeing a butterfly that is attacking Bikini Bottom on the newscast, Fred runs out of his house and falls on the ground.
"No Free Rides" — Mrs. Puff imagines SpongeBob running over a birthday party with a boat.
"I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" — The sound effect itself is not heard in this episode. However, when Kevin shows SpongeBob the cave where his biggest fans now reside, Fred has a broken leg in reference to the gag.

Season 3[]

"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" — SpongeBob tries to put everyone he shrunk with Mermaid Man's utility belt in a jar.
"As Seen on TV" — After Mr. Krabs orders the commercial crew to leave Fred is seen holding a giant leg along with others.

Season 5[]

"Boat Smarts" - Faintly heard at the huge stockpile of cars after SpongeBob says, "Hi there!"
"Mermaid Man vs. SpongeBob" – Faintly heard while SpongeBob asks for Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, as the latter destroy the Shady Shoals Rest Home while under Plankton’s control.

Season 6[]

"Krusty Krushers" — Every wrestler except the champions have been defeated.
"Shuffleboarding" — The Bikini Bottom Jail explodes after SpongeBob and Patrick stuff most of the Bikini Bottomites inside.

Season 8[]

"Glove World R.I.P." - One fish says "Oh, my leg can't feel me" after he and a group of other fish fall off the Glove World! pole.

Season 9[]

"Squid Baby" — After getting his face drawn on by a baby-minded Squidward, Incidental 41 says "My face! My face! Also my leg, but mostly my face!"
"Larry's Gym" — Incidental 107 gets hit with the grill, causing him to say "My legs!"
"Lame and Fortune" — A piano falls on Incidental 106's legs making him say "My legs!" He then realizes he has a perfect excuse to skip jury duty, and thanks the fortune he got.
"Pineapple Invasion" — Plankton's fake leg breaks.
"Mutiny on the Krusty" — A blade goes out in the middle of the Krusty Krab.

Season 10[]

"Code Yellow" — After getting run over by the iron lung, the runner fish screams "My legs!"
"Plankton Retires" — Fred screams this faintly while everybody fights in a smoke ball.

Season 11[]

"Larry the Floor Manager" — Fred falls off a treadmill.
"Pat the Horse" — Incidental 73KID says "My wittle weg (My little leg)!" when he crashes to the ground after Pat the Horse tosses him off. And after Incidental 73KID gets run over by Pat the Horse he says, "My other wittle weg (My other little leg)!"
"Grandmum's the Word" — Everyone fights for a Krabby Patty.
"My Leg!" — Most of the episode with 73 mentions of just "leg" and 43 of those being "My leg":
- 12 are heard in the compilation at the start of the episode.
- 6 while Doctor 13 cuts off Fred's cast.
- The flashback to where Fred gets his leg run over by SpongeBob's toy freight train.
- Any time "My leg," "Your leg," "His leg," or "Fred's leg" are heard they are spoken in a loud and exaggerated way.
- Patrick says this twice when showing SpongeBob his leg after having a few bites taken out of it.
- SpongeBob accidentally hits a convict's foot.
- Tom gains SpongeBob's leg to replace his missing leg.
- SpongeBob says this after his leg grows back.
- 8 are heard in the song "My Leg Is In Love!"
- Fred's leg snaps off at the ending.
"Shopping List" — Fred screams this as the Krusty Krab floor turns to the other side, revealing a shopping cart containing a bag full of the real secret ingredients.
"ChefBob" — Fred screams this when Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob to break a leg during his cooking show. Mr. Krabs then responds, yelling "Shut up, Fred!"
"Call the Cops" — Fred screams this in the background when Plankton finds his severed leg while looking for the secret formula in the evidence room.
"Bubbletown" — A bubble version of Fred says this when SpongeBob accidentally pops the bottom half of his body. Because of that Bubble Fred screams "My bubble legs!"

The String 030 — "My Leg, of my pants!" The Bikini Bottomites are naked.

"The String" — Fred screams this when SpongeBob unravels everyone's clothes with a loose thread. This time he quickly corrects himself by saying "Of my pants!"

Season 12[]

"The Nitwitting" – Appears as graffiti on a pipe in the alley with other gag references also in graffiti.
"Gary's Got Legs" - When Gary starts kicking everyone in the Snail Park with his legs Fred shows up on-screen and yells "His legs!"
"One Trick Sponge" - Fred accidentally chops his leg off with a door.
"Squid's on a Bus" - Fred says this while SpongeBob and Patrick fight in the bus aisles. He is later seen walking out of a bus with crutches and a cast on his leg.
"SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout" – Plankton ties up Fred's leg and forces him to say it.
"Lighthouse Louie" - Perch Perkins shouts "Your legs!" when asking Fred if him and his legs were injured from the Boating School lighthouse, to which he sadly replies no while kicking a rock.

Season 13[]

"A Place for Pets" - A snail bites Fred's left leg.
"Potato Puff" - Bikini Bottom in chaos from SpongeBob's driving.
"Salty Sponge"^[1] - Fred^[2]/gaptooth thug^[3]
"SpongeBob on Parade" - Fred's parade float is his leg. He says "My leg! I'm in my leg!"

Season 14[]

"Tango Tangle" - Fred interrupts Plankton by saying "my legs" and muffles him by saying that it's his line.

The Patrick Star Show[]

Season 1[]

"Bummer Jobs" - Fred says this six times and slams the door on his leg in Noir-sense.
"Terror at 20,000 Leagues" - Fred says "My brain!" when zombie Incidental 6 chews on his brain.
"Klopnodian Heritage Festival" - A sausage hits Fred's leg offscreen. He later says "My other leg!" when GrandPat throws another sausage that him again.
"Mid-Season Finale" - Fred screams this when he hits the bottom of the well during the "That's Tinkle" segment.
"House Hunting" - Fred says "My eggs!" when he gets crammed into an elevator and the eggs he's holding crack.
"The Drooling Fool" - Fred screams "My butt!" when Tinkle bites his butt.
"Olly Olly Organ Free" - Fred screams this when Patrick's stomach hits him with a truck.

Season 2[]

"Dr. Smart Science" - When lightning roasts Fred's chicken leg then burns his actual legs.

Season 3[]

"A Patty in Time" - Fred is dragged away by a rope trap set up by Patrick.

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years[]

Season 1[]

"Game Night" - Over the close-up of Plankton's swollen legs.
"Gimme a News Break" - When Perch hits Fred's piñata's leg.

Movies[]

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water - Mr. Krabs throws away a large stone bun that was going to be used to execute SpongeBob and it hits Fred off-screen.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie - Fred's legs are damaged by the Krusty Krab's clam sign twice, he gets trampled by people running for the free genetic modification paste, and his leg is injured during the circus performance.

Other[]

SpongeBob SquarePants Typing - Patrick falls over and screams "My Typing Leg!" after dancing with typewriters for shoes.
SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D: The Great Jelly Rescue! - Someone says this when SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy are flying through Goo Lagoon on jellyfish.
SpongeBob's Game Frenzy - If the player fails the "Yank the Yacht" level this sound clip is heard.
The SpongeBob Musical - When the Electric Skates give Squidward a list of demands, the list is so long that it unravels and crashes into the orchestra pit, causing chaos among the musicians, one of whom spouts this classic sound bite.
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix - The medal awarded to the most hit racer at the end of a Slime Grand Prix cup is called "My leg!"
The SpongeBob SportsPants Countdown Special - Nate Burleson throws a fake flag making Fred scream "My leg!"
The Cosmic Shake - Fred complains that he can't feel his leg, which is replaced by a peg leg. He is then sent back from Pirate Goo Lagoon to Bikini Bottom by SpongeBob.
Super Bowl LVIII: Live from Bikini Bottom - A pickle falls onto Fred's leg while he's watching the game from the stands.
The Patrick Star Game - Heard when the Porta-Potties are bounced.

Related gags[]

"My eye(s)!"[]

"Something Smells" — When SpongeBob asks the passing Incidental 110 in a boat through the windshield if he's "ugly" the stench of SpongeBob's breath burns his face causing him to scream "My eyes! My eyes!" before he loses control and comes to a stop only to spontaneously combust after throwing SpongeBob off.
"Krab Borg" - Mr. Krabs screams it when he gets salt all over his eyestalks.
"Krabby Land" - SpongeBob screams this when he gets soap in his eyes.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie — Both times King Neptune has the paper bag taken off his head everyone screams "Bald! Bald! Bald!" multiple times followed by Fred screaming "My eyes!" During the final confrontation with Dennis, SpongeBob once again tries to beg for mercy using bubbles as his next offer but the liquid bubble soap in his wand goes flying straight into Dennis's face making him exclaim "My eyes!" as he covers them, though throwing SpongeBob behind him in the process.
"Good Neighbors" - Squidward screams this briefly.
"Best Frenemies" - Plankton gets sprayed with cleaning material in a Kelpshake restaurant.
"Toy Store of Doom" - SpongeBob screams this when his and Patrick's eyes are burning while running out of Toy Barrel.
"Eek, an Urchin! - SpongeBob screams this when he accidentally sprays cleaning aerosol into his eyes.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water — After Plankton introduces himself as "Plank-Ton," he flips Burger Beard's ship over and pokes his head into one of the opened windows, and as he scans for Burger Beard the pirate shoots a bottle of ketchup in his face forcing him to drop the ship as he exclaims "My eye!"
"Out of the Picture" - Larry the Lobster screams this when his eyestalks are on fire from Squidward's painting.
"Bubbletown" - SpongeBob screams "My eyes!" on the liquid bubble soap when he is too slippery.

"My face!"[]

In "Squid Baby," Incidental 41 says "My face, my face! Also my leg, but mostly my face!"

"My butt!"[]

"My Leg!," Fred falls on hot coals, screaming this.
"The Drooling Fool" - Tinkle bites Fred's butt. Later, Tinkle bites both Perch Perkins' and Old Mrs. Perkins' butts, screaming this off-screen.

"My foot!"[]

In "Stuck in the Wringer," Incidental 106 says "My foot!" when the cash register falls on his foot.
In "What's Eating Patrick?," orange child Incidental 37A.
In "Single-Celled Defense" Fred says "My foot!" when Plankton zaps through his foot with his laser helmet.

"My nails!"[]

In "SpongeBob's Bad Habit," Fred says "My nails!" when SpongeBob bites them.

"My brain!"[]

In "Terror at 20,000 Leagues," Fred shouts this when a zombified Incidental 6 sucks his brain.

"My eggs!"[]

In "House Hunting," Fred shouts this when his eggs break in the elevator.

"My iris!"[]

In "The Flower Plot," a fish off-screen throws a spiky boot at Plankton through the Chum Bucket window, causing him to shout "My iris!"

"My pencil!"[]

In "Frankendoodle," the artist at sea shouted it when his pencil was dropped into the sea and when his pencil was returning back to him.

Other media[]

TV[]

The sound effect appeared in the CatDog episode "Vexed of Kin."^[4]
The sound effect was barely audible in the Camp Lazlo episode "7 Deadly Sandwiches."
The recording, as excerpted from "Arrgh!," is heard a few times in the Polaris: Player Select episode "Rat-a-Phooey!" This usage, however, is likely illegal.

Trivia[]

In seasons 9 to present, the voice is different than the rest of the series barring "Culture Shock," "The Chaperone," and "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV," instead heard more as a direct saying instead of a sound effect.
Seasons 1 and 11 are currently tied with having the most number of episodes that use the "My leg!" gag, with a total of nine episodes that had it in those seasons. This is probably because the latter has an entire episode themed around it.
The gag was never used in seasons 4 or 7. Fred still makes many appearances during those seasons.
Sometimes, the "My leg!" voice has him say it again but in a sad hurt tone.
On the topic of the gag, Doug Lawrence said "and if you've ever wondered where the show's often-used exclamation of "My leg!" came from, Mr. Lawrence (voice of Plankton) had a definitive answer: "It was an ad-lib. [The scene called for] everyone writhing in pain and I said it and I kept saying it. Fans started talking about it and named him Fred. He has his own episode."^[5]
In the Tagalog dub, "My leg!" is known as "Ang binti ko!".
The closed-captions occasionally render the phrase as "My Legs," making it plural.
This running gag is very similar to the running gag of Nick Dean hurting his leg from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.