Rimshot puns

The show's most commonly used footage of the rimshot, as seen in "Taming of the Screwy."

Sometimes in the original run of Animaniacs, a character (usually Wakko) would play the drums following a particularly obvious pun.

Animaniacs (Original Series)

• T = Footage from "Taming of the Screwy" is used

Season 1

• Episode 5: "Taming of the Screwy" (T):

  • • Dr. Scratchansniff: Now we will work on our diction. How do we avoid bad elocution?

      Yakko: Stay inside during a thunder storm.

      Wakko plays the drums

• Episode 10: "King Yakko":

  • • Yakko: "Citizens of Anvilania. I stand before you because if I was behind you, you couldn't see me.

      Wakko plays the drums

• Episode 11:
  • "No Pain, No Painting" (T):

    • Dot: I’d be a great model. What does Christie Brinkley have that I don't have?

      Yakko and Wakko : Billy Joel.

      Wakko plays the drums

• Episode 18:
  • "Nothing But the Tooth" (T):

    • Rasputin: Ohhhh! Slow down!

      Yakko: Why? Everyone's Russia around here.

      Wakko plays the drums

• Episode 26:
  • "Sir Yaksalot":

    • Yakko: Ah-ha-ha. Thank you. Thank you. You're too kind. Hey, how 'bout that lady in the lake? I mean, how long can she hold her breath?

      Wakko plays the drums

• • • Yakko: And, hey, how 'bout that King Arthur, huh? You know, I'll never forget the first time we met, but I'm trying.

      Wakko plays the drums

      Yakko: I'm slaying him!

• Episode 43:
• "Survey Ladies":

  • • (The Warners are looking for a birthday gift for Scratchy, and find instruments as potential gifts)

      Dot: How about this for Scratchy? It plays Bach.

      Wakko: Yeah. But does it play forward? (Plays drums)

• Episode 47:
  • "When Mice Ruled the Earth" (T):

    • The Brain: Here we are, Pinky at the dawn of time.

      Pinky: (Yawns) Narf Brain, wake me at the noon of time!

      Wakko plays the drums

      Pinky: What was that?

      Brain: Engine knock!

Season 2

• Episode 69:
  • "Bad Mood Bobby":
    • In an attempt to cheer Bobby up, Pesto and Squit perform a cheesy stand-up comedy routine, with Squit playing the drums for Pesto's jokes.

      Pesto: Hey, how y’all doin’? I’ll tell ya, a funny thing happened to me on the way out here. I got hit by a train.

      Squit plays the drums

      Pesto: You know what was in my mind at the time? My tail feathers!

      Pesto laughs, Squit does a rimshot.

      Bobby: Oh, knock off the bad jokes, Pesto.

      Pesto: You think these jokes are bad? Then you should have been here yesterday, I was out of town.

      Pesto laughs, Squit does a rimshot.

      Pesto: I met an elephant the other day. And I knew he was from Tuscaloosa. Why? ‘Cause his tusk was loosa!

      Pesto laughs, Squit does a rimshot.

Season 3

• Episode 72:
  • "Deduces Wild":

    • Dot: You're incorrigible.

      Yakko: No, he's in London.

      Wakko plays the drums

      Yakko: Hey, hey, I got a million more just like it!

      Dot: Unfortunately.

• • "Rest in Pieces" (T):

    • Slappy: Walter is gone, but he wouldn’t want us to cry. No. He’d want us to laugh. He’d want us to laugh all the laughs he never got during his career. Heh. Heh. Heh. (rimshot) There's one. Talk about stone-faces, I get more laughs on Easter Island. (rimshot)

• • • Slappy: When I heard of his demise, it was such a... relief, really. Finally, that’s over. (rimshot)

• • • Slappy: (After locking Walter Wolf in his coffin with explosive dynamite and rockets that go off) Now that's what I call en-bomb-ing!

      Wakko plays the drums (T)

• Episode 77:
  • "Star Truck":

    • Mr. Spork: To determine what they [Warners] are, I'm going to attempt a Vorkin mind meld.

      Yakko: Make mine a patty-melt!

      Dot plays the drums

• Episode 79:

• • "My Mother the Squirrel":

    • Skippy: You want me to bring [the baby bluebird] back to his nest?

      Slappy: No, Skippy... I'm actually starting to enjoy it.

      Wakko plays the drums

      Skippy: Goodnight, Everybody!

Season 4

• Episode 87:
  • "From Burbank with Love" (T):

    • Yakko: Hi! We're from White House intelligence. Now there's a contradiction in terms!

      Wakko plays the drums

Season 5

• Episode 95: Hooray for North Hollywood (Part 1):

  • • Thaddeus Plotz: (Referring to the Warners' movie pitch) Does it have a happy ending?

      Yakko: It will if you pay us!

      Wakko plays the drums

• Episode 97:
  • "The Sunshine Squirrels":

    • Slappy: What's he got for me?

      Skippy: A network show!

      Slappy: On The WB?

      Skippy: No, a real network show!

      Wakko plays the drums

      Slappy: (Turns to the audience) Now there's your comedy!

Animaniacs Sing-Along: Yakko's World

• • • Yakko: Uhhhhh, This beats the heck out of the Love Boat reunion.

      Wakko plays the drums

Animaniacs (Reboot)

Season 2

• Episode 25:
  • "Warner's Ark":

    • Yakko: (After seeing all the bizarre mythological creatures board the Ark) I haven't seen this many twisted characters since Steve Carell started chasing an Oscar!

      Wakko plays the drums