X slaps Y around with a large trout is a standard foolishness. It is suggested in the mIRC helpfile (correct me if I'm wrong) as a good way to begin aliases:
/alias trout /me slaps $1 around with a large trout
It is very uncreative, and if you see anyone using it you should yell at them (ALWAYS TYPE IN ALL CAPS so people can hear you).

Trout slapping while usually thought to be solely an mirc macro/pop-up but has been used long before in ircII scripts.

The question remains….

WHY WOULD ANYONE THINK OF SLAPPING ME WITH A FISH?!

I think it originated on the Woody Woodpecker show in the Chilly Willy bit where characters often slapped each other with fish. I also vaguely remember Warner Brothers characters doing this act every once in a while.

Another theory brought up by fellow noders is that it comes from Monty Python's The Fish Slapping Dance

I have researched this issue extensively over the Internet in numerous search engines, and found nothing to point to the exact origins of the trout slap.

Note :In the game "Woody Woodpecker Racing" by Konami you can hit other drivers with a fish if you are playing the Chilly Willy character.

Another Note :Oolong asks "What about Asterix? Those crazy Gauls are always slapping each other with large fishes! (and those books go back quite a long time...)

Yet Another (May, 2003):koreykruse says "In the movie Niagra, Niagra an eccentric recluse named Walter slaps the lead male Seth right across the face with some sort of fish."


I just got the following email :

From :Khaled Mardam-Bey
Subject : Re: Strange question
Sent : Thu 9/20/2001 5:42 PM

Many years ago someone on IRC slapped me with a
Haddock, I think it originates from a Monty Python
sketch :-)

Best,

K.

>>At 17:50 05/07/01 +0200, you wrote:

>I would like to know where the origin of the phrase "X slaps Y with large trout"

>It's been troubling me and many others...

>Please help :-)

>Seriously, please reply

>Thanks

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