There’s no better way to tell an unwelcome party to move along than with one word: SCRAM!
It’s a word with a long, meandering history, and one singlehandedly resurrected by TikTok creator, comedian, actor, and writer Kel Cripe (@reallygoodimpressions). Their viral post from September, in which they send “a message to all the guys tryin’ to talk to my girl,” has over 9.4 million views. In the video, the Los Angeles-based comedian is standing in front of a hedge, wearing a mystical wolf tee, and holding raised a fist, ready to hypothetically deliver a fresh knuckle sandwich.
“Scram! Leave her alone! She…she doesn’t want to talk to you! Get outta here!” Cripe says in the video, as a piano version of Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” plays and the camera recedes. Cripe describes the vibe to Mashable as “not-so-threatening, soft threat” which is spot on.
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Since posting, Cripe’s meme has had the viral CapCut edit treatment, been shared by SZA, and most recently ended up onstage at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, fittingly screamed by fan-favourite dancer Kameron Saunders during Swift’s GFY anthem “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
But while TikTok and “Scram!” has opened up new audiences for Cripe, their comedy isn’t contained to the platform. In 2024, Cripe was featured in Netflix Is a Joke Fest’s comedy showcase, having been on the streaming service’s related radio spot on SiriusXM, and appeared on the podcast Lovett or Leave It. An illustrator, theatre writer, and short filmmaker, they’re also one third of comedy trio Babe Motel, and they’ve appeared at New York Comedy Festival and SF Sketchfest, the San Francisco Comedy Festival.
With sold-out headlinling standup shows coming up, Cripe chatted with Mashable about how they started on TikTok, how the platform has intersected with their comedy, and the very sweet origin of their viral post that changed everything. Girlfriends rule.
Shannon Connellan: Where did the idea for your viral “Scram!” video come from?
Kel Cripe: Like a lot of couples, my girlfriend and I love to use silly voices and words to make each other laugh. When I’d show her mean comments on my videos, she’d wave her fist at my phone and say “Scram!” It always cheered me up and made me feel cared for.
One morning after waking up from a bad dream, my girlfriend made me giggle with her classic catchphrase and I said, “Hey, that’d be a funny video.” We went about our day, doing chores and tasks together (it was laundry day, hence the kismet wolf shirt) and when we finally returned home, I said, “Would you mind filming that video we talked about?” In one take, we got the shot. I was too tired to overthink it.
“I never imagined an inside joke with my girlfriend could be what changed my life. I owe my Scram legacy to her, she’s the best.”
The next day, I added some music that I thought ironically matched the tone of “not-so-threatening, soft threat” (A piano cover of “Where is My Mind” by The Pixies) and hit post. I never imagined an inside joke with my girlfriend could be what changed my life. I owe my Scram legacy to her, she’s the best.
