One of Bart Simpson's most famous catchphrases didn't originate with "The Simpsons" writers, but with the voice of Bart herself.

Nancy Cartwright says Bart's "Eat my shorts!" outburst "was an ad-lib" at a table read early in the life of the series. "I don't know -- it just occurred to me," she says in the clip below, which is part of a much longer interview at EmmyTVLegends.org.

The site is part of the Archive of American Television, which does long-form interviews with performers, producers, writers and executives spanning the history of TV.

Cartwright explains that "Eat my shorts" was something she and her high school marching band cohorts occasionally chanted when they were goofing around. It stuck in her mind, it got a big laugh from the writers, and a catchphrase was born.

Cartwright also talks about the give-and-take between cast members and writers and how ad-libs like her now-legendary one can make it into the script.

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It was also a line in "The Breakfast Club". Judd Nelson's character John Bender said it to Mr. Vernon.

It was also a line in "The Breakfast Club". Judd Nelson's character John Bender said it to Mr. Vernon.

That's true. John Hugh's 1985 film "The Breakfast Club" came out with the phrase before the Simpsons actually did which was first shown back on The Simpsons in 1989. Does anyone know if Bart said his trademark eat my shorts? The only reason I am asking was because I was only 5 years old at the time when they first aired on televison so don't remember anything about it.

I dont think Bart has said "Eat my Shorts" in years. I do remember him saying it when Springfield took back the lemon tree. He also hasnt crank called Moes in years.

I dont think Bart has said "Eat my Shorts" in years. I do remember him saying it when Springfield took back the lemon tree. He also hasnt crank called Moes in years.

He hasn't from what I can remember I think one of the last time he did say it was in the "Lisa's Sax" episode where it gave a backstory in how Bart became the rebellious kid he has ultimately become and how he came up with his trademark line. As for the crank calls, Mike Reiss has talked about them a few times on commentaries and said the reason they stopped having Bart prank call Moe was because it got harder each time to come up with the joke and the threatening response Moe would give Bart at the end. He also explained that they never seemed to get a laugh at table reads and fans didn't seem to miss them so they dropped they whole thing.