‘Home Improvement’: Tim Allen Reveals Celebrity Inspiration for Signature Grunt
What To Know
- Tim Allen revealed that his iconic grunt from Home Improvement was inspired by advice from Bob Seger.
- Allen developed the grunt after observing men grunting and mumbling at corporate gigs.
- The sitcom Home Improvement, which aired from 1991 to 1999, is now available to stream on Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu.
Home Improvement star Tim Allen recently revealed the unlikely celebrity inspiration for his signature grunt in the beloved ’90s sitcom.
During the November 25 episode of The Tonight Show Starry Jimmy Fallon, Allen, 72, opened up about his character Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor’s vocalization.
The topic came up when host Jimmy Fallon played the responses a woman received on Hinge after asking men to send their best impression of Allen.
“It’s horrible hearing them back to back,” the Toy Story star admitted.
That’s when Allen explained that iconic singer-songwriter Bob Seger convinced him to come up with a “hook.”
“It’s not that difficult. It was like my new song,” he said. “I remember a long time ago, Bob Seger from Detroit saw me in concert, and he said, ‘You put butts in the seats, you own it, but you’ve gotta get a hook. Something that people remember.’”
Allen added that he discovered the inspiration for his Home Improvement character’s grunt when he started doing more “corporate gigs.”
“A bunch of drunk guys eating steaks, and all I see is the back of them,” he recounted. “And they’re not doing anything, all I hear is [incoherent mumbling and grunting]. It’s like Thanksgiving at my house… Men, when they’re eating, don’t speak. They just point and go [grunts].”
Allen continued, “So I started doing that, and it became a huge deal,” explaining that in the script, writers started incorporating the grunt by spelling it “O-U-G-H.”
Wrapping up the topic, Allen coached Fallon on how to properly do the vocalization. “There’s a question – ‘Ough?’ It’s a polite question,” he explained.
Home Improvement aired for eight seasons from 1991 to 1999. In addition to Allen, the sitcom starred Patricia Richardson as Tim’s wife, Jill; Richard Karn as his Tool Time sidekick, Al; Debbe Dunning as Heidi; Zachery Ty Bryan as Tim’s oldest son, Brad; Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Tim’s middle child, Randy; Taran Noah Smith as Tim’s youngest child, Mark; and Earl Hindman as Wilson.
Home Improvement, streaming on Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu