What He Said

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A Stock Phrase used in comedic situations. One person will speak at length, often intelligently and involving either an excellent explanation of what's going on and why, or a highly practical solution to the current problem. Other characters, upon being consulted, will reply with "What He Said".

This is especially true when the one speaking is a temporary or new authority figure, and the one saying 'what he said' is the previous one or a more well-known and respected authority, proving that the new guy does know what he's talking about.

Especially funny when the previous or 'true' authority figure demands to have the last say, and that he be recognized as the ultimate authority... and then simply repeats the ideas presented by the upstart, often with these same words.

Does not actually require Exposition on the part of the first speaker, only a statement agreed with by the second person with the words "What he said".

Very common on internet forums, where Me Too is one of the archetypal Online Personas. This has, in turn, given rise to the acronym QFT, "Quoted For Truth".

Not to be confused with "That's What She Said".

Examples of What He Said include:


Film

Sheriff Bart: Who is this Mongo, anyway?
Waco Kid: Well, Mongo ain't exactly a "who". He's more of a "what".
Van Johnson: What he said.

  • At the end of Bruce Almighty, Bruce is seen next to a homeless man carrying a sign that reads "The end is nigh". Bruce's sign reads "What he said".
  • In Hot Fuzz, one of the cops has two of these when confronted with a crimescene, where he asks Sergeant Angel what to do, Angel gives a detailed description, which gets a 'What he said'. In the final fight, that same cop suddenly comes up with a detailed, comprehensive plan to assault the supermarket, which causes all the others to stare in surprise until Angel also replies with a 'What he said'.


Live Action TV

Angel: Let's go over it again, just in case you left out any details.
Spike: What he said, but with a bit more of a threat at the end.

Logan Cale: In case you haven't caught on by now, this girl's gonna do what she's gonna do no matter what you or anyone else says, so you've got two choices: back off or pitch in.
Max Guevara: What he said.

  • Dead Like Me episode "Death Defying". Mason and Ray are playing pool.

Guy: Hey. We got next.
Ray Summers: Take a walk, Junior. There's plenty of tables available.
Mason: Yeah, yeah, yeah. What he said.

  • Psych episode "Extradition: British Columbia"

Shawn Spencer: [having a "vision"] I see a man... net. I see the painter... John Manet.
Burton 'Gus' Guster: Edouard.
Spencer: Where in town might one find a...
Guster: Edouard Manet?
Spencer: What he said.

Raphael: I'm warning you. Do not leave me here. I will find you.
Castiel: Maybe one day. But today you're my little bitch.
Dean Winchester: What he said!


Professional Wrestling

  • TNA wrestlers Taylor Wilde and Sarita once went through a phase of, during interviews, Sarita reeling off a string of Spanish and Wilde finishing off the interview with "What she said!"
    • They did the EXACT same thing with Matt Morgan & Hernandez. And at the same tine too, although it was never acknowledged.


Video Games

Willard: Ooh! Ooh! I got it this time! Here's a...! Here's a...!
Gordy: A Power Cell!
Willard: Yeah... yeah... what he said.


Web Comics


Western Animation

Yakko: If we have unearned luck, Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue
Dot: [translating for the audience] What he said.

Flash: Hate to interrupt this special live performance of The Thing With Two Heads, but it's time to go to jail now.
Amanda Waller: What he said. {{[[[Combat Pragmatist]] Shoots}} Lex Luthor/Braniac. It does bupkis.]


Real Life

  • It is quite common in case write-ups for one judge to talk at length about their reasons for coming to a certain decision, at times going on for dozens of pages, only for a later judge to only write a couple of lines that basically amount to this. Often they'll add a short extra reason as well, but it's definitely not unheard of for their entire judgment to be easily paraphrased as 'yeah, what ____ J said'.