Evidently, singing the “Monorail” song from The Simpsons or quoting the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld is just a way to make friends. Australian linguist Lauren Gawne calls The Simpsons a “cultural touchstone” for those who grew up with the show, thus quoting Homer or Dr Nick (or any character from your formative years) is simply a way to connect with others. Gawne says, “We like to share what we like with people as a way of identifying whether they’re part of our group.” It’s incredible, and quite magical, that people can connect on such a level simply with the word “D’oh!”
Why We Quote TV