The phrase comes from SpongeBob SquarePants, where time cards and the French Narrator bridge scenes and signal that time has passed in Bikini Bottom. Clips of the line were reused in YouTube edits and short-form videos as a quick transition, especially when a plan goes wrong between one shot and the next. Its popularity grew because viewers recognised it instantly, even without seeing the cartoon, and because it adds a dry, knowing pause before a reveal. That familiarity keeps it useful for comedy edits years after the original episodes aired.