Alligators Are Ornery Because They Got All Them Teeth and No Toothbrush
Alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush is a Southernish pop-culture saying meaning a funny, made-up explanation for why someone’s mean or cranky. It comes straight from the 1998 movie The Waterboy.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you think I didn't take a maiden voyage on my ridin' lawnmower - all through town - listenin' to CCR, then you ain't right. Classic The Waterboy. Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you think I didn't take a maiden voyage on my ridin' lawnmower - all through town - listenin' to CCR, then you ain't right. Classic The Waterboy. Pronunciation
[AL-ih-gay-turz er OR-nuh-ree
’cuz they got all ’em teeth an’no TOOTH-brush]
/ˈælɪˌɡeɪtɚz ər ˈɔrnəri kəz ðeɪ
ɡɑt ɔl ðɛm tiːθ ən noʊ ˈtuːθbrʌʃ/
’cuz they got all ’em teeth an’no TOOTH-brush]
/ˈælɪˌɡeɪtɚz ər ˈɔrnəri kəz ðeɪ
ɡɑt ɔl ðɛm tiːθ ən noʊ ˈtuːθbrʌʃ/
Meaning & Usage
- Humorous excuse for meanness or bad behavior
Mama Boucher:
Alligators are ornery ’cause they got all them teeth and no toothbrush!
Alligators are ornery ’cause they got all them teeth and no toothbrush!
Bobby:
Mama said alligators are ornery ’cause they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.
Mama said alligators are ornery ’cause they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.variations: alligators are mean because they have all them teeth and no toothbrush
Origin
This line originated in the 1998 comedy film The Waterboy, written by Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler.
It’s delivered by Bobby Boucher’s mother (played by Kathy Bates) as part of her superstitious worldview, giving the movie its signature Southern-backwoods charm.
The quote went viral long before social media - repeated on T-shirts, memes, and talk shows - and it’s now part of Southernish pop humor even though it was never a real regional saying.
Verdict: Southernish. Pure movie invention with classic porch-talk rhythm.
Notes
- Used jokingly when someone’s acting mean or moody for no reason.
- Recognized instantly by movie fans; not a real folk saying.
- Represents how Hollywood sometimes playfully exaggerates Southern speech.
- Pairs well with other Waterboy-isms like "the debil" and "snake knee."
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 6). Alligators Are Ornery Because They Got All Them Teeth and No Toothbrush. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/alligators-are-ornery-because-they-got-all-them-teeth-and-no-toothbrush
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Alligators Are Ornery Because They Got All Them Teeth and No Toothbrush." HillbillySlang.com, 6 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/alligators-are-ornery-because-they-got-all-them-teeth-and-no-toothbrush.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Alligators Are Ornery Because They Got All Them Teeth and No Toothbrush." HillbillySlang.com. November 6, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/alligators-are-ornery-because-they-got-all-them-teeth-and-no-toothbrush.
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