The line comes from Bart Simpson on The Simpsons, the long-running animated sitcom that premiered on Fox in 1989. Voiced by Nancy Cartwright, Bart used Eat my shorts as his signature act of defiance toward Principal Skinner, Homer and other authority figures in the early seasons. It became one of the show's first breakout catchphrases, printed on T-shirts and quoted on playgrounds through the nineties. Online it survived as a short reaction clip, shared for its instant recognition and rebellious nineties nostalgia.