48 Years After This Classic Sitcom Premiered, People Still Quote Its Iconic Catchphrase

It's been nearly five decades, but chances are, you still remember "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" You don't have to be a big "Diff'rent Strokes" fan to remember at least one thing from the hit '80s sitcom. Even for folks who weren't around when "Diff'rent Strokes" was on the air, this catchphrase has stood the test of time. 

"Diff'rent Strokes" premiered in 1978, and sitcom catchphrases were all-the-rage during that era. So, it was the perfect time for Gary Coleman's character Arnold Jackson to hit our screens. Arnold and his brother, Willis Jackson played by Todd Bridges, were the two young brothers at the heart of the series. And, from their hilarious dynamic, one of the most enduring catchphrases was born. We all know how much staying power "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" has had. But it was even more popular at the time. The catchphrase made Arnold the fan-favorite character and, in turn, made Coleman the highest paid TV actor at the time, ultimately earning him over $100,000 per episode.

The famous line was reportedly originally written in the script as simply, "What are you talking about, Willis?" It was Gary Coleman's line reading that made it famous. Interestingly, though, Coleman wasn't a big fan of delivering the line after a while. In fact, by the end of "Diff'rent Strokes"' run in 1986, Coleman had gotten to the point of refusing to say it at all, much to the chagrin of producers.

Unfortunately for Coleman, neither his refusal to say the line nor the series' ending stopped "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?" from following him. Coleman is among the "Diff'rent Strokes" cast members who've tragically passed away in the decades since the series finale. After he died in 2010, his friend, and adult film actor Ron Jeremy spoke to Us Weekly about how the catchphrase pushed Coleman to leave reality show, "The Surreal Life." "I've known Gary for years," Jeremy explained, noting that he remembered how rapper Vanilla Ice's repeated requests for Coleman to say his catchphrase prompted the actor to make a dramatic exit from the set. 

"He was so p***ed off," Jeremy said, noting, "He was a sweet guy, but he hated being asked to repeat 'Whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis?' He didn't want to live in the past." Clearly, Coleman's relationship with the line grew complicated over time. Even so, it gave him his massive success and ensured that "Diff'rent Strokes" will never be among the forgotten '80s sitcoms that no one talks about.