Jim Parsons Shares the Origin of Sheldon Cooper's Catchphrase "Bazinga!" from 'Big Bang Theory': "It's Like 'Gotcha. You Know, It's Just in That Energy"

You're not really a fan of "The Big Bang Theory" if you don't laugh, smirk, or shake your head in disdain every time you hear the catchphrase "Bazinga!" which was popularized by the character of Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

For Sheldon, "Bazinga!" is simply his way of telling people "Gotcha!" every time he delivers a successful joke, but what is the true story behind that word?

Actor Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon talked to AOL.com about it and revealed: "One of the writers, he used to say it, apparently in the writers' room. That's the tale I've heard. But I remember it wasn't in a script. It was one of those moments where we'd work on a scene and then you'd go and take notes from the producers and writers. If I'm correct, it was inserted right before a taping basically. It was like 'That would work in here. What if he said 'bazinga' after that?'"

Parsons said that the first time Sheldon uttered that catchphrase, audiences had their eyebrows raised. But the more he said it, the more it became familiar and they soon caught on.

"The writers liked it but they knew what it meant. But I knew what it meant the moment they said it. It's like 'gotcha", you know, it's just in that energy. There's just something about it. I like it because it's not plain English in a lot of ways and that's very handy," he said.

Sheldon certainly has a lot of quirks. Aside from saying "Bazinga!" he also has the habit of knocking on doors three times before he feels satisfied - "Knock, knock, knock Penny. Knock, knock, knock Penny. Knock knock knock Penny."

Then in his and Leonard Hofstadter's apartment, he has a particular seat in the sofa which no one else is allowed to sit on, and any time someone tries to sit there, Sheldon would reprimand them by saying, "That's my spot!"

Parsons' role as Sheldon has earned the 41-year-old actor five Emmy nominations with three wins. He has also won a Golden Globe award for the role. Even though Parsons has a successful run in television, he is actually more trained in theater. During the season break of "The Big Bang Theory," he played God in the broadway comedy "An Act of God."

Before that, he even voiced the purple alien Oh in the animated film "Home" together with singer Rihanna.