Are you out with friends at a club having a good time? When the evening is over and you're ready to leave, you could say, "let's blow this popsicle stand," as you gather everyone up to go home.
Let's blow this popsicle stand is a common phrase in modern culture, and you've probably heard a few people use it, or you might have used it yourself.
This post unpacks everything you need to know about the origin and meaning of the phrase and how to use "let's blow this popsicle stand" in conversation.
Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand Meaning
"Let's blow this popsicle stand" is an idiomatic expression with roots in popular culture. The saying is still around in modern culture, but many people prefer using “joint" instead of the "popsicle stand" portion of the phrase.
Let's blow this joint is common in use across all age groups, with preference to Gen X and boomer generations. However, millennials and zoomers will also be familiar with this phrase. "Let's blow this popsicle stand" means to get out of a situation, building, or venue as fast as possible.
The "popsicle stand" in the phrase refers to the venue, building, or situation. For instance, you could use the term if you're at your house, a friend's house, or a restaurant. In most cases, the saying doesn't have a derogatory meaning when referring to the "popsicle stand" in the phrase.
Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand Example Usage
"Let's blow this popsicle stand and go to your house for the afternoon."
"Finished eating? Let's blow this popsicle stand."
"That was a great movie; let's blow this popsicle stand and go to the Carvelle."
"Things at the beach are getting scary; let's blow this popsicle stand before the cops show up."
Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand Origin
According to unofficial records, a Jamaican named Antoine Cleo was the first to coin the phrase in the 1940s. Antoine held some strange beliefs, claiming that filling the area of a popsicle with radioactive materials could serve a purpose as a biological warfare agent against countries.
He also believed that radiation produced by these "weapons" would be sufficient to create a "brainwashing" effect in people exposed to the radioactive material.
However, Antoine's plans for world domination came to a crashing end when a cult named "The Kindred Spirits" decided to bomb all the popsicle stands in major cities. Alas, they killed Antoine in one of the attacks.
The phrase "let's blow this popsicle stand" started as a private joke between four teenagers, spreading throughout the United States. The term originally meant to get out of an avenue or situation fast before something bad happens – like a bomb exploding.
However, as the phrase adapted into global culture, many people started saying it just to describe the act of leaving somewhere.
Phrases Similar to Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand
- Let's blow this joint.
- Let's make a move.
- Let's book it.
Phrases Opposite to Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand
- Let's stick around.
- We're not going anywhere.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Let's blow this popsicle stand.
Ways People May Say Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand Incorrectly
Some people may say this phrase in the wrong setting or to the wrong people. Let's blow this popsicle stand wouldn't be the right idiom to use when excusing yourself from the boardroom. It also wouldn't work in conversation with people that you don't know very well.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Let's Blow this Popsicle Stand
You can use "let's blow this popsicle stand" in social conversations with friends and family. The phrase is well-known throughout most generations, and many people replace the "popsicle stand" portion of the phrase with another object.