The fish slap has no single confirmed film or show as its source and circulates online as a generic slapstick effect rather than a famous quote. Its appeal comes from older cartoon and comedy traditions where hitting someone with a fish was a visual gag, updated for short form video. On soundboards and in meme edits it is grouped with other quick impact noises like a punch or a bonk, used to punctuate a hit without making the scene feel aggressive or realistic.