The line comes from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, released in 2023, where Toad, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, warns Mario soon after he arrives in the Mushroom Kingdom. The joke plays on how deadly even a familiar power-up can sound when explained literally. Clips of the exchange were cut and reposted on TikTok and YouTube Shorts, where editors began placing Toad's warning over unrelated dangers. Its popularity stuck because the phrase works without context, instantly signalling do not do that in a voice that is recognisable to Mario fans and newcomers alike.