The sound comes from Jean Ralphio Saperstein, the flamboyant friend of Tom Haverford in the sitcom Parks and Recreation, played by Ben Schwartz. Jean Ralphio is famous for over-the-top delivery and self-absorbed catchphrases, and his stretched-out pronunciation of worst became one of his most imitated lines. Fans clipped it for soundboards and short-form video, where it spread as a quick reaction to anything disappointing. It remains popular because the exaggeration is instantly recognisable even without seeing the show.