The phrase comes from Waratte wa Ikenai, the No Laughing punishment-game segment of the long-running Japanese variety show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende, hosted by the comedy duo Downtown. In the game the cast must stay straight-faced through pranks and sketches, and anyone who laughs is declared out and punished. A call that the entire group is out marks a total collapse of that discipline, which is why clips of the moment circulate among fans of Japanese comedy and are reused as a reaction sound for group failures online.