What's He Got That I Ain't Got?
When one character is jealous of another one, they use the Stock Phrase "What's he got that I ain't got?" It's meant as a rhetorical question, but the Deadpan Snarker or another character will usually answer them anyway, almost always insultingly.
See also What Does She See in Him?
Anime and Manga
- In episode 5 of FLCL, Haruko titillates Amurao into giving her a weapon she can use against the Monster of the Week. Unlike Naota, all he can manage to summon up with his N.O. is a tiny little slingshot. When Haruko heads off into battle, leaving Amurao behind, he's reduced to screaming the trope title at her as she departs.
- In Digimon, this is the last thing Puppetmon (AKA Pinocchimon) says before his demise. He spent much of his time tormenting the Digi-Destined out of envy beforehand, due to Cherrymon telling him they have something he lacks. Cherrymon explains postmortem that what they have are friends.
Comics
- In Liberty Meadows:
Frank: Look at the way Brandy's fawing over Roger. It's just disgusting. Take away his height, his good looks, his bulging muscles, his piercing eyes, his perfect teeth, his rock-hard abs... What does he have that I don't?! |
Film (Animated)
- In Rock a Doodle, a jealous Goldie Pheasant makes this comment while complaining about how "The King" has become a star and she's still stuck in the chorus. Her boss, Pinky, doesn't miss a beat: "A voice!"
Film (Live Action)
- Manhattan Murder Mystery
Larry: I mean, take away his fake tan, his capped teeth and his Cuban heels and what have you got? |
- Don's Party:
Mal: I want a bit of sausage. What's he got that I haven't got? |
Neil Kellerman: Last week, I took a girl from Jamie, the lifeguard. And he said to her, right in front of me, "What does he have that I don't have?" And she said, "Two hotels." |
Walter: I mean, Max is rich, successful, handsome and talented, after all. What's he have that don't? |
- Holy Matrimony. Ezekiel has just caught Havana cheating on him.
Ezekiel: What does he have that I don't? |
- From "If I Were King of the Forest" in the film of The Wizard of Oz:
Cowardly Lion: What makes the hottentot so hot? |
- In the rather obscure 1956 French film Plucking the Daisy (En effeuillant la marguerite) Agnes Dumont (Brigitte Bardot) needs to come up with money in a hurry and decides to enter a striptease contest, with a mask on her face and using the pseudonym Sophia. His boyfriend is becomes interested in the mysterious Sophia. At one point, Agnes exclaims: "What does she have that I don't?"
- The Brady Bunch Movie:
Jan: [after being tossed out by a modeling agency] Why does everyone always choose Marcia?! What does she have that I don't?! |
Live Action TV
- How I Met Your Mother episode "Purple Giraffe":
Barney: What does Carlos have that I don't? |
- The Avengers episode "The Cybernauts":
Emma Peel: I must say, I can't wait to meet Oyama, "The Tall Mountain". |
- Two and A Half Men episode "Is There a Mrs. Waffles?"
Charlie Harper: How does he do it? What does he have that I don't? |
Michael Kelso: What does he have that I don't? I mean, I have the three things women want: I'm hot and I'm smart. |
Cliff: What's he got that I ain't got? |
- When Ann leaves Andy for Mark on Parks and Recreation, Andy asks her this. She is somewhat aghast that he doesn't realize how self-evident the answer is, what with Mark being city planner and Andy being homeless and jobless. This ultimately causes Andy to get his regular job as a shoeshiner in the hopes of impressing Ann.
- In the X Files episode "Hollywood A.D.", Mulder and Scully attend the premiere of a film very loosely based on one of their cases. The movie versions of Mulder and Scully have sexual tension ("Is that your flashlight, Mulder, or are you just happy to be lying on top of me?"), but in the end, movie Scully hooks up with Assistant Director Skinner. When movie Mulder protests "What's he got that I don't?" she replies, "Bigger flashlight."
- Mash episode "Margaret's Engagement":
Frank: What's he got that I haven't got? |
Music
- "What's He Got" by The Producers[1].
Theatre
- In Of Thee I Sing, Diana asks Wintergreen this question, which the chorus echoes (his answer, of course, is corn muffins):
You seem to think Miss Turner hits the spot;\ |
But what has she got that I haven't got?
- In Cole Porter's Out of This World, Juno's List Song "I Got Beauty" uses this line in its verse.
- In the Broadway version of The Lion King, Zazu lights up Scar a bit more than he does in the original movie:
Scar: What did my brother have that I don't have? |
Web Comics
- The Penny Arcade comic "A Truly Remarkable Circumference":
Clonetrooper 1: I mean, what's he have that I don't? |
Western Animation
- Fairly Oddparents: You mean besides the clothes, the hair, the money, and the stuff?
- Popeye. A question often posed by Brutus about Popeye.
- Animaniacs:
Dot: I'd be a great model. What's Christie Brinkley got that I don't? |
- Looney Tunes:
- "Daffy Duck In Hollywood"
Daffy: (flattering a studio cop) What's Errol Flynn got that you ain't got? (to audience) Don't answer that! |
- "Daffy Dilly":
Daffy: (breaking from interrogating a butler like a detective) What's Humphrey Bogart got that I ain't got? |
Beezy: What's Jimmy Two-Shoes got that I don't? |
Helga: What's she [Ruth Mac Dougal] got that I haven't got? |
- ↑ no, not The Producers