One particularly interesting moment from the first season of The Bear is when a character says the phrase “Say matae.”This has sparked a lot of discussion among fans about its significance in the series. In episode five, “Sheridan,”of the first season, the character of Richard “Richie”Jerimovich (played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach) can be heard saying, “Say, mate.”Who exactly says this and when in The Bear?
Who Says “Matae” and When in The Bear?
In the fifth episode of the first season of The Bear, set in Sheridan, Ebon Moss-Bachrach portrays Richard “Richie”Jerimovich and can be heard saying the phrase “say matae.”
Carmy’s younger sibling, Michael, is close friends with Richie, portrayed by Moss-Bachrach. Richie serves as the de facto manager of the restaurant.
During a disagreement with Neil Fak, another childhood friend of Carmy’s family, he continues to repeat this. Fak occasionally works as the restaurant’s handyman. In the controversial incident, Richie’s drug dealing results in a physical fight between Neil and Richie.
“Matae”: What Does It Mean?
Richie’s song “Say Matae”has not yet been officially explained by The Bear team, leaving the task of deducing a reasonable interpretation to the show’s viewers.
Many people believe that the term “mate”could possibly be a reference to the 1988 film Bloodsport starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
As Neil Fak gets involved in a brawl in episode 5 of The Bear’s first season, the martial arts/sports movie appears to be authentic.
In certain Japanese sports, such as the ninjutsu demonstrated in the movie, the referee may use the term “Matte”to signal the end of a competition.
Within the context of the film, the term also implied a sense of defeat or surrender.
Only those who are also fans of martial arts movies from the 1980s would truly comprehend this, as there are no other references to the film in the show that would help others understand.
The origin of the word “matae”is quite intriguing. According to Wiktionary, it has been defined as “to induce defecation”or “to accidentally defecate.”This definition holds true as a verb and could potentially be considered offensive in a dining establishment.
We are doubtful that Richie was referring to physiological processes, considering his manner of using and articulating the term.
Finally, a few fans noted that “matae”was a term used in the 1990s by Midwesterners to refer to their uncles.
Despite there being no confirmation from anyone involved in The Bear, based on the context, it is safe to assume that the phrase carries a similar meaning to “timeout”or “I give up.”
About The Grizzly Bear
The creator of The Bear is Christopher Storer, an American comedy-drama television series.
A talented chef who previously worked in the world of fine dining returns to Chicago to take over his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop. Unfortunately, his older brother had committed suicide, leaving behind a kitchen in disarray, unpaid debts, and a staff that needed to be managed.
All episodes of the first season were released on FX on Hulu on June 23, 2022, and the second season was also released in its entirety on June 22, 2023. In November 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which was then released on June 26, 2024. Prior to the premiere of the third season, the show was renewed for a fourth season, which will be filmed consecutively with the third season.
The main cast of the series includes Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Abby Elliott.
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