Video: Jon Hein Gives ESPNU the Origin Story of Hit ‘Em With the Hein But Still Won’t Use the Shout-Out Himself
Video: Jon Hein Gives ESPNU the Origin Story of Hit ‘Em With the Hein But Still Won’t Use the Shout-Out Himself
“As the subject of it, it would be wrong of me to be the one shouting it,” he explains
Stern Show staffer Jon Hein gave ESPNU’s “Power Hour” the full story of how the Hit ’em With the Hein catchphrase came to be, but he was still unwilling to shout out the saying himself, even after host Matt Schick asked him to.
“I’ve never done it,” Jon said during his interview. “I feel like, as the subject of it, it would be wrong of me to be the one shouting it. I’m always on the receiving end.”
Jason Kaplan is credited with popularizing the shout-out, but it was fellow Stern Show staffer Nik Ruckert who actually coined the phrase, saying it to Jon every afternoon as he left for his other job co-hosting SNY’s “Loudmouths.”
“Jason, who sits next to Nik, kind of took it and kept saying it sarcastically … which kind of pissed me off,” Jon explained. Once Howard got wind of the phrase and mentioned it on air, it wasn’t long before celebrity superfans began using the shout-out. “The next thing I know, Joe Buck and Jimmy Kimmel are yelling ‘Hit ’em with the Hein’ in tribute to the Howard Stern Show and my name is all over the place just because of the way I stand up and walk out of the office,” Jon told Matt.
As Hit ’em With the Hein continues to catch on, especially with sports fans, Jon has come to actually like the phrase, so long as there’s no malicious intent behind it.
“I’m totally cool with that. I think it’s great,” Jon said of hearing people scream his name at sporting events. “It’s when people yell it out to either mock me or goof on me, that’s when I get a little upset. But it’s been happening so much, I’m starting to build up a Baba Booey kind of skin to not let it affect me on a day-to-day basis. I’m trying.”
Matt Schick really wanted to hear Jon unleash a “Hit ’em With the Hein” to close out his interview, but Jon resisted.
“You know, if it was ‘Campus Connection,’ maybe I’d do it, but I would be more than happy to give you a Baba Booey, if you’re looking for that,” Jon offered.
Check out Jon Hein on ESPNU’s “Power Hour” (above).