The line is associated with Gex 2, the platform game also known as Gex: Enter the Gecko, in which the wisecracking gecko navigates television-themed levels and comments on the action around him. Short spoken lines like this one travelled well beyond the game itself, because they are easy to lift from gameplay, recognise instantly and reuse as reactions. As retro gaming clips and edited fail videos grew more popular, the phrase became a handy shorthand for any moment that breaks the expected plan.