The phrase comes from Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s, where Chris Farley played Matt Foley, a failed motivational speaker who lived in a van down by the river. His sarcastic la di fricken da response became one of the sketch's most quoted moments alongside that catchphrase. Clips and audio rips later circulated on meme pages, forums and short video apps, where the line survived without the full sketch. It remains popular because Farley's delivery turns simple dismissal into a recognisable reaction for bragging and pretentious behaviour.