Talking Ben is the gruff, newspaper reading dog from Outfit7's Talking Tom and Friends franchise, first starring in the Talking Ben the Dog app in 2011. In the app Ben sits in his laboratory, repeats what users say, and reacts to pokes, food, and phone calls with short, moody responses. Clips of his calls and hang ups were later shared widely on video platforms and soundboards, where his blunt manner turned simple actions like ending a call into a reusable joke about not wanting to talk.