Richard Lewis and | The (Blank) From Hell

This seemingly timeless expression has permeated various aspects of life, from the dreaded flight from hell to the disastrous day or lunch from hell. But few might be aware that Richard Lewis claimed to have coined this widely used phrase.

In a tweet posted on the platform known as Twitter at the time, Lewis humorously questioned, "Where was my Nobel Peace prize?" and shared a 2006 UPI article that mentioned his inclusion in the "Yale Book of Quotations." According to Lewis, his comedic gift largely resided in the phrase "from hell," and he asserted that he popularized it by feeling victimized by various situations.

In a 2008 Interview Magazine interview, Lewis expressed, “I’m credited with popularizing that phrase because I felt victimized by everything.” Elaborating in a 2014 interview with the Nashville Scene, he claimed to have totally popularized the phrase in the late '70s. However, despite his assertion, Bartlett’s “Familiar Quotations” did not credit him for the phrase.

The phrase and its origin became a storyline in an episode titled "The Nanny," part of the third season of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which aired in 2002. The episode humorously depicts Lewis's character attempting to secure credit for the coined expression in Bartlett’s.

Reflecting on the episode, Lewis noted, “It was a real solid for Larry [David] to do that for me. That really immortalized it in some respects.” Larry David's inclusion of the phrase's origin in the episode added a meta-layer to the comedic narrative, further engraining it in popular culture.

As we remember Richard Lewis for his enduring contributions to comedy, it's worth acknowledging that his impact extended beyond the stage and screen, leaving an indelible mark on everyday language with the iconic "from hell" expression.