The 12 Heins of Christmas: A Yuletide Look Back on the Year of Hit ‘Em With the Hein
The 12 Heins of Christmas: A Yuletide Look Back on the Year of Hit ‘Em With the Hein
In 2016 the Stern Show catchphrase took the world by storm in multitude of ways
2016 has been a monumental year for many reasons, perhaps none bigger than the emergence of the Stern Show catch phrase “Hit ‘Em With the Hein.” Since its on-air debut in June, the Jon Hein-inspired saying has swept the nation, appearing on everything from the Emmys telecast to Norwegian TV to (multiple) restaurant menus.
With Christmas and New Year’s approaching, it’s time to look back at the year in “Hit ‘Em With the Hein” the yuletide way.
Presenting … the 12 “Heins” of Christmas!
The 12th “Hein” of Christmas…
And the Emmy for Best Leading “Hein” goes to…
For the final entry, we turn to “Jimble Kimble” himself.
Friend of the show Jimmy Kimmel’s Emmy hosting gig in September was a very well received affair. He did such a great job ABC decided to bring him back to host the 2017 Oscars. However, for many Stern Show fans, the true highlight of the Emmys telecast came during Kimmel’s sign-off.
“Wait, don’t leave, there’s more,” Jimmy said. “Well, we did it. We hit ’em with the Hein. We finished before the election came.”
Howard spoke fondly of the Emmys shoutout the next morning: “The highlight was Jimmy, our good friend, yelling out ‘Hit ‘Em With the Hein.'”
Jon himself took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the shout out.
Thank you, @jimmykimmel. I speak your name.
— Jon Hein (@jonhein) September 19, 2016
Who knows what great heights “Hit ’em with the Hein” will reach in 2017, but Jimmy will have a chance to get the ball rolling when he hosts the Oscars on Feb. 26
The 11th “Hein” of Christmas…
Ryan Phillippe’s Twitter gets hit with the Hein
Back in August, actor and Stern Show superfan Ryan Phillippe voiced his support for the still-young catchphrase by changing the name on his Twitter account to “hit’em with the RYAN.” Thus, the catchphrase was seen by many every single time Ryan tweeted:
While it has since been changed, Ryan played a key role in helping spread the good word of “Hit ’em with the Hein” during its infancy.
The 10th “Hein” of Christmas…
Cypress Hill Records a New “Hit”
Hip-hop legends Cypress Hill paid their tribute to “Hit ’em with the Hein” in November by recording for the Stern Show a tune in the style their ’90s track “Hits From the Bong,” which samples Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.”
Take a listen:
The 9th “Hein” of Christmas…
Joe Buck Hits ’em with the “Hyde”
@Siriusjay @sternshow Joe Buck says Hit ’em with the Hein pic.twitter.com/hS0ILBajSC
— KMAC (@ukkmac) October 2, 2016
Broadcaster Joe Buck brought “Hit ’em with the Hein” to the NFL in October, but he did it with a twist. During the Cowboys-49ers game on Fox, Carlos Hyde made a 3-yard touchdown run and Buck told his national viewing audience “The 49ers hit ’em with the Hyde!”
Check out the clip (above).
The 8th “Hein” of Christmas…
Marine Corps Marathon Runners Receive “Hit” of Inspiration
@sternshow just finished the Marine Corps Marathon and the starter got a Hit em with the Hein at the :11 mark. pic.twitter.com/9b4NdSjS78
— Jeb Sundgren (@JebSundgren) October 30, 2016
In October, the 41st Marine Corps Marathon took place in Arlington, Va. To kick it off, the PA announcer offered up some encouraging words for the runners:
“This is the 41st Marine Corps Marathon! May the Force be with you! Hit the road! Hit ’em with the Hein! The runners have been launched!”
Listen to the “Hein”-enhanced announcement (above).
The 7th “Hein” of Christmas…
Rick Astley helps the Wrap Up Show get “Hein”-rolled
In October, singer Rick Astley stopped by the Wrap Up Show and recorded a special rendition of his hit “Never Gonna Give You Up,” notoriously used for “Rickrolling.”
“Gotta hit ’em with the Hein/Gotta shout it out all the time!” he sang to everyone’s delight.
Hear Astley hit his biggest song with the Hein (above).
The 6th “Hein” of Christmas…
It didn’t take long for “Hit ’em with the Hein” to evolve from a catch phrase into not one but two food items.
It started in July when the Left Coast Kitchen in Merrick, N.Y., immortalized “Hit ’em with the Hein” by turning it into sandwich. The “Hit ’em With the Hein” is described as “smokey” with slow cooked, juicy BBQ brisket, open faced garlic toast, and thick onion rings. Take a look at the tasty treat (above).
In November the Rust & Gold sports bar in Huntington, N.Y. added a “Hit ‘Em With the Heinnn” hot dog to its menu (pictured above). The all-beef item is topped with BBQ beef, homemade Rainbow Slaw, bread-and-butter pickles, and a dash of “banging” Chef Sauce. As a bonus, anytime the hot dog is ordered, the catch phrase is yelled out by the kitchen staff. Jon Hein himself even paid the Rust & Gold a visit later that month.
The 5th “Hein” of Christmas…
“Hit ‘Em With the Hein” Goes International
“Hit ’em with the Hein” reached an international audience in October when the phrase was shouted out on Norwegian TV.
Norwegian reporter for NRK Anders Tvegård was filming a news segment in the streets of Washington, D.C., when a passerby interrupted him and yelled — you guessed it — “Hit ’em with the Hein!”
Check out the clip (above) and click here to read Tvegård’s confused Facebook post asking followers what the phrase means.
The 4th “Hein” of Christmas…
Getting Animated on “Son of Zorn”
Fox’s “Son of Zorn,” a sitcom melding live-action with animation, got in on the “Hein” action in October. After winning a game of paper football, Jason Sudeikis’s title character yelled “Hit ’em with the Hein!”
Check out the clip (above).
The former “Saturday Night Live” star’s wife — actress Olivia Wilde — appeared on the show earlier this year and discussed, among other things, the early days of her relationship with Jason . Check out that interview here.
The 3rd “Hein” of Christmas…
Hittin’ the Cover of “Suicide Squad”
Back in August, DC Comics artist and Stern Show superfan Jim Lee revealed on Instagram that “Hit ‘Em With the Hein” would appear on the cover of an upcoming issue of “Suicide Squad,” written on Harley Quinn’s t-shirt. The issue was released in October and “Hit ‘Em With the Hein” was on comic book stands across the world.
Jim Lee discussed the comic on the Wrap Up show with Gary Dell’Abate and Jon Hein himself. “[The phrase] has energy to it; it can be used in multiple ways,” Lee explained.
The 2nd “Hein” of Christmas…
“Hit ‘Em With the Hein” Breaks Into the Majors
San Diego Padre right fielder Jabari Blash clocked a home run in an Aug. 3 game against the Milwaukee Brewers. It was Blash’s first Major League home run, but it also held another significance: Padres announcer Mark Grant, during his home run call, said Blash was “Hittin’ ’em with the Hein.” Thus, the now-famous phrase had made its Major League debut.
Check out the clip here.
The 1st “Hein” of Christmas…
Jason Kaplan Debuts the Catchphrase On-Air
It all begin on June 21 at 7:45 a.m. while Howard was discussing a particularly revealing Photoshop Jason Kaplan had created of fellow Stern Show stafferJon Hein.
Howard mentioned he’d heard Jason had begun yelling out “Hit ’em with the Hein” — a phrase originated by Nik Ruckert — as he was leaving work. Jason entered the studio told everyone he had adopted the phrase after noticing how angry Jon got every time Nik would say it. He also explained that his version of the phrase included an emphasis on the word “HEINNNN” (as heard above).
Jon revealed he was starting to hear “hit ’em with the Hein” all the time and, thus, a cultural phenomenon was born.
Look back on Howard’s conversation with Jason about the origins and initial traction of “Hit ‘Em With the Hein” here.
Keep checking back every day for the next “Hein” of Christmas!