The line comes from The Room, the 2003 independent drama written, directed by and starring Tommy Wiseau as Johnny. In a rooftop confrontation Johnny accuses his friend Mark of being a chicken and launches into the cheeping impression. The film became a cult phenomenon through midnight screenings and later The Disaster Artist, and this moment became a shorthand meme for cowardice. Clips circulate widely on soundboards and in edits because the performance is instantly recognizable even without any visual context from the original scene today.