The sound is tied to the Catchphrase game on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where a tuba plays as part of the game timer and signals time running out. Because the instrument sounds pompous yet underwhelming, viewers began sharing the short sting on soundboards as a gentler alternative to a harsh fail buzzer. It has since become a handy reaction sound for quiz fails, game losses and everyday mistakes in short videos, where its television game-show origin makes the joke land instantly without needing any explanation.