->'''Robert "Fish" Fishman:''' 1991 called, they want their teenage angst back.\\
'''Amelia:''' No, they just called again. They want that joke back.
-->-- ''Film/TheRocker''

A common put down about how someone ran headfirst into FashionDissonance (or something related). Often it's something that is no longer fashionable, or that famously works for someone, but almost no one else.

Runs headfirst into TotallyRadical nowadays. A common variation is to replace "They want their (word) back" with "They said you can keep the (word)."

Compare IfIWantedXIWouldY; BetterByADifferentName.

Not to be confused with WeWantOurJerkBack. See MexicoCalledTheyWantTexasBack.



* An Australian ad for Kentucky Fried Chicken used the line, "The pigeons called. They want their lunch back."
* American restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday released several TV advertisements regarding its image rebranding in 2007. One ad involved a spokesman removing a stained glass lamp from a restaurant saying: "The '70s called, they want their lamp back."
* [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNhMQS8CYAAWOcG.jpg:large This picture]] posted on the Advertising/CompareTheMeerkat twitter feed.
* A Nokia ad for their Lumia 1020 has the following from a Samsung User to an iPhone user: "2007 called. It wants its cameraphone back."
* In a SuperBowl commercial, Radio Shack goes the Domino's Pizza route of SelfDeprecation with "TheEighties Called. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwwZHdx6SU They Want Their Store Back.]]" In TheStinger, [[Film/{{Ghostbusters}} Slimer]] appears in the newly remodeled store, and is dejected when he finds out [[YouAreTooLate he's too late]].
** This one got an added level of Meta pretty quickly. By the next superbowl the company was in such dire straights, partly from spending millions to run this commercial during the SuperBowl, that they had to close thousands of stores in an attempt to prevent total collapse after filing for bankruptcy. ''The 80's actually took it back with them'', and now it's gone.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''VideoGame/Left4Dead Comic'': Music/KennyRogers' balls called. They want their hair [[http://www.l4d.com/comic/comic.php?page=91 back from your face]]...
-->"So... You have a close enough relationship with Kenny Rogers' balls that they '''called''' you, huh?"
* ''Franchise/SpiderMan''
** In one story, Peter is going undercover at a club for {{Vampire Vannabe}}s. He dresses in what he thinks is appropriate goth-gear, only for an [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Edward Cullen]] lookalike to taunt "The nineties called, they want their vampire back!"
** "[[GodwinsLaw Hitler]] called, he wants his look back." That was Aunt May from ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan''. At J. freaking Jonah freaking Jameson.
* In a story where he had ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} hostage, SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}} taunted Daken like this ("It was 1986. It wants its hair..."). When he says "back", Daken had already chopped off his hand.
* ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}} vs. Fluffy the Vampire Killer'':
-->'''Fluffy:''' I'm Fluffy, I kill vampires, and the camel called.\\
'''Vampirella:''' Camel?\\
'''Fluffy:''' It wants its toe back!
* From ''LilGotham,'' some [[https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/9360/40797/a65da6e006835608a09188a673babf93.jpg?h=57615b66fdafb2ae518a9d8a6605471d playful ribbing]] between [[KidHero Colin and Damian]].
-->'''Colin:''' ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis That. Was. RADICAL.]]''
-->'''Damian:''' Haha! The '80s called--they want ''[[TotallyRadical radical]]'' back, and stop by the '90s and drop that flannel off on the way!

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* The title character of ''ComicStrip/{{Frazz}}'' once took a long bike ride on a chilly day, ending up with only the lower half of his legs windburned.
-->'''Caulfield:''' (''pointing to Frazz's white-and-red legs'') Poland called. They want their flag back.
* ''ComicStrip/GetFuzzy'': "Hilary Clinton called, she wants her manners back!"
** Another example: "ChuckECheese called. They want their band back."
* One ''ComicStrip/{{FoxTrot}}'' story arc had Paige's pink glitter pen accidentally put in the washer, causing it to bleed on Peter's sweatshirt.
-->'''Jason:''' The Ice Capades called. They want their costume back.
* In one ''ComicStrip/{{Zits}}'' strip, Connie looks at Jeremy's room and says "The landfill called. It wants it's reputation back".

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars'' FanFilm ''The Formula''.
-->'''Tom "Servo":''' "It is pointless to resist?" Yeah, the Emperor just called. He wants his friggin' lines back!
* ''WebVideo/NarutoTheAbridgedComedyFandubSpoofSeriesShow''
** This AbridgedSeries will probably single-handedly turn this into a DeadHorseTrope.
--->'''Ino:''' Hey, Sakura, Creator/ChristinaRicci called. She wants her giant forehead back, and her movie career.\\
'''Sakura:''' Well, Creator/ReneeZellweger called. She wants her UGLY BLONDE BITCH FACE back! ...And her movie career.
** "Spoof Movie no Jutsu"
--->'''FillerVillain:''' Hey, David Bowie. The seventies called -- they want their timely references back.\\
'''Bowie-sensei:''' Oh yeah? Well, ''Advent Children'' called and they want their crappy villains back!
* Firefly of "[[Blog/AskAPony Firefly Says]]" manages to turn this around and burn the one who used it on her:
-->'''Discord:''' The eighties called, they want [[EightiesHair their hair]] back!\\
'''Firefly:''' (''smug look'') You know what they say, you can take the mare out of the eighties but you can't take the eighties out of the mare. Oh, and by the way, SARAH JESSICA PARKER CALLED, SHE WANTS HER ''FACE'' BACK!
* The ''Literature/HarryPotter'' fanfic ''30 Minutes II: The Gathering Storm'', chapter 8 has this line in Harry's first potions class at Hogwarts, in reference to Professor Snape:
-->'''Harry:''' (''whispering'') Johnny Cash called, he wants his wardrobe back.
* The pro wrestling story, ''A Ring of Their Own'', had FWF commentator John Bradshaw Layfield saying this during a match that began with Ivory giving Michelle [=McCool=] three armdrags in a row:
-->'''John Bradshaw Layfield:''' 1987 called. They want their wrestling moves back.
* ''FanFic/PoniesOneHalf'', chapter twelve: ''"Sonic called. He wants his theme song back!"'' ItMakesSenseInContext.
* [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3605731/ExceedinglyPeculiarChick ExceedinglyPeculiarChick]] pulls off an extremely funny one in her Percy Jackson crackfic "Baby Got Back" just after Leo Rickrolls ''every single person reading the fanfiction.''
--> Thalia: Leo, nineteen eighty-seven called. It wants its punchline back.
* ''[[http://www.tthfanfic.org/wholestory.php?no=17275 Alexander Creed]]'': Similar to the ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' example above, Peter eventually tells J. Jonah Jameson, while quitting his job at the Daily Bugle, that "Hitler called and he wants his mustache back."

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* "1976 called. They want their hair back," was said to Film/JoeDirt about his mullet.
* At the end of ''Film/OceansEleven'': "Music/TedNugent called. He wants his shirt back."
* ''Film/TheRocker''
* A variation, from ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'':
-->'''Vernon:''' Any questions?\\
'''Bender:''' I got a question: does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?
* Esther from ''Film/{{Orphan}}'' gets this from a classmate about her old-fashioned, frilly dress. "Oh, look. Little Bo Peep texted me. She wants her outfit back."

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Subverted (but to make it funnier) in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. Marshall wants to wear some really tacky pants they called "Joey Buttafuoco pants". Ted says, "Bel Biv Devoe called, ''even they'' don't want those pants back."
* In an episode of ''Series/HappyEndings:'' Dave has this line, which only he thinks is any good.
-->'''Dave:''' Jealous called, they want much back so they can form the following sentence -- "Jealous much?"
* ''Series/DancingWithTheStars''
-->'''Sonia Kruger:''' (''about a wig'') Willie Mason called. He says he wants his hair back.
* ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration''
** Episode "It's Raining Men":
--->'''Spinner:''' OK, I guess it's Straight Eye for the Gay Guy. OK... this... Enrique called. He wants his shirt back.
** Another good example is the WildTeenParty episode where Manny asks an increasingly drunken Emma: "Does Mexico know you've taken all of their tequila?"
* ''Series/KyleXY'', episode "What's the Frequency, Kyle?":
-->'''Josh Trager:''' Hilary Duff called and she wants her shirt back.
* ''Series/JoanOfArcadia'', episode "No Bad Guy":
-->'''Luke:''' Copernicus called; the universe doesn't revolve around you.\\
'''Joan:''' What a coincidence, because the dork police called and said they want their leader back.
* ''Series/CriminalMinds''
** Episode "Seven Seconds":
-->'''Garcia''': Believe me when I tell you the 1980s just called; they want their security system back.
* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', episode "The Merger":
-->'''Andy:''' Oh, by the way, 1985 called. It wants its car back.\\
'''Dwight:''' [[Film/BackToTheFuture Well 1985 better have a time machine]] because I drive an '87.
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
** A variation: "Hey, George! The ocean called, they're running out of shrimp." "Yeah, well, the jerk store called, they're running out of you!" "What's the difference? You're their all-time best seller."
** Well the life support machine called...
** And what made this a real kicker was that George had been saving this comeback up all episode, and had even gone so far as to recreate the original scenario where the first putdown had been used so that he could spring it. He wasn't prepared for a comeback to his comeback.
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' has J.D. describe an elderly patient as a "neat old lady" and Turk tells him "the 1930s called, they want their lingo back."
* ''Series/FullHouse'':
-->'''Stephanie:''' Hey Kimmy, [[Series/SesameStreet Big Bird]] called. He wants his legs back.
* Oswald on ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' won a wrestling tournament, and the trophy is, well...
-->"Franchise/WonderWoman called, she wants her belt back."
* Series/{{Frasier}}, to Niles: "Niles, I've got news for you -- Copernicus called and you are not the centre of the universe!"
** Frasier's comment to the teenage daughter of one of his dates in "Can't Buy Me Love".
* ''Series/{{Friends}}''
** Chandler tries it, but screws it up (a ThrowItIn, as Matthew Perry actually messed up the line):
--->'''Chandler:''' Donald Trump wants his blue blazer black.\\
'''Ross:''' What?\\
'''Chandler:''' Blue blazer ''back''. He, he wants it ''back''.
** Chandler responds to Ross' new leather pants by informing him, "Tom Jones called, he wants his pants back."
** Chandler sees Joey making an umpteen amount of jars full of spaghetti sauce so Chandler asks if Italy called and said they were hungry.
* From a special episode of ''Series/AmericanIdol'':
-->'''Paula:''' (''to Jack Black'') The ''Film/SchoolOfRock'' called, they want their diploma back...
* Sometimes used by either Stacey London or Clinton Kelly on ''Series/WhatNotToWear'' to mock some of the outdated or unusual fashion choices made by the subjects of their show.
* Kelso attempted this in the ''Series/That70sShow'' episode "Bye-Bye Basement". Fez walks in wearing a puffy shirt, and Kelso tries to make fun of him, but isn't very successful.
-->'''Kelso:''' Hey, uh, puffy-shirt guy called, he wants his puffy shirt back.
* ''Series/ThirtyRock''. Jack uses this line a ''lot'' on Liz.
* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''
** One skit from the early '90s consisted entirely of idiots doing variations of this joke at each other.
--->"Siegfried and Roy called, they want their relationship back."
** Another one featured a parody of ''Series/TheWeakestLink'' in which Anne Robinson's shtick devolved into nothing but insults.
--->"[[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Fred Flintstone]] called, he wants his head back."
** This was basically the catchphrase of David Spade's "Hollywood Minute" segments from a mid-90's Weekend Update. For example, Spade said of Skeet Ulrich, "Johnny Depp called; he wants his DNA back."
* And speaking of ''Series/TheWeakestLink'', ''this'' gem from the half-hour daytime edition with George Gray:
-->'''Gino:''' The '70s called, they want their [sweater] back!\\
'''George:''' Now, that's not nice, not everybody can afford to shop at Pimps R Us!
* From ''Series/{{Castle}}'':
-->'''Castle:''' Well, how about just a lowkey evening with your girlfriends? You guys can have a John Hughes marathon and fill out a Cosmo quiz.\\
'''Alexis:''' Dad, the '80s just called, it wants its plan back.
* A ''Series/MadTV'' sketch during the California gubernatorial recall, with a confrontation between governor Grey Davis and would-be governor Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger:
-->'''Grey Davis:''' (''answering the phone mid-sentence'') What's that? Okay, I'll tell him. (''beat'') That was Skeletor. He wants your wife's face back.
* From an episode of ''Series/TheJerrySpringerShow'' that made it into the ads on at least one channel:
--> '''Dad:''' (''to a son who won't shave and has long hair'') Advertising/{{GEICO}} called; they want their caveman back!
* ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'': Drew did this a couple of times in reference to Ryan's shoes.
-->'''Drew:''' That was the Ringling Brothers; they want their shoes back. Emmett can't go on without his shoes.
* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S09E06TheSpaceChildren "The Space Children"]], Mike's reaction to the title of the short film ''Film/Century21Calling'' is "Ooh, they want their little gold jacket back."
* Used and then lampshaded on ''Series/{{Psych}}''. Gus is upset because Shawn took him away from his poached egg.
-->'''Shawn:''' Dame Judi Dench called, she wants her breakfast back.
-->'''Gus:''' (''incredulous'') Did you just do the 'something called it wants its something back' bit?
* ''Series/HowToBeIndie'': In "How to Put Your Best Foot Forward", Indy is wearing her brother's AJ's hand-me-down shirt that is way too back for her. Marlon says "The Western hemisphere called. It wants its shirt back".

* ''Entertainment Weekly'' has a few examples in some pages, including the "Bullseye" sections. One "Bullseye" section (Issue # 1315, June 13, 2014) says, "Mary Stuart Masterson called, Mackensie. She doesn't want her haircut back."

* In the rap spoof "[[http://www.toccionline.com/creations/iraq_without_me/ Iraq Without Me]]", Saddam Hussein plays this card in the middle of berating Osama bin Laden. "By the way, Castro called -- he wants his beard back!"
* The title of a song by the Awkward Romance: "Judas Called, He Wants His Sense of Loyalty Back".
* Referenced in Mexican hip-hop band Molotov's song ''Frijolero'', about racial and political tensions across the border. In the final English stanza of the song:
-->''Why don't you look down to where your feet is planted, that U.S. Soil that makes you take shit for granted, if not for Santa Ana just to let you know that where you're standing would be Mexico!''

[[folder:New Media]]
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQayijW07ho&feature=channel_page "Hey, Jermaine Jackson called... he wants his hair back"]]
* A common response to a {{wall of text}} is "China called, they want their wall back."
* Transformers Wiki:
** The first image caption from the top down on the article for [[Anime/TransformersCybertron Crumplezone]] actually reads, "[[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 Trap-Jaw]] called, he wants his head back."
** Also, the first image caption from the top fown for the article for [[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated Bulkhead]] actually reads, "Crumplezone called, he wants his head back."
* A common bumper sticker: "Your village called, they want their idiot back."
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' analysis blog ''[[http://tardiseruditorum.blogspot.co.uk TARDIS Eruditorum: A Psychochronography in Blue]]'' has a photo caption for ''Series/K9AndCompany'' reading "The 1980s called. They said you can keep their bloody title card."

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* Circa 2001, Edge interrupted X-Pac, who was complaining about how he used to be a big deal.
-->'''Edge:''' 1998 called, they're sick and tired of you, so feel free to join us in the year 2001 at any time.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Ebaumsworld's game ''Avalanche'' routinely dishes out insults when you lose, one of which is "Your village called. They want their idiot back." {{Manga/Dramacon}} used a variation of this for a T-shirt: "Your village called. They want their cosplayer back."

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/TheWotch'', after Miranda suddenly disappears when no one's looking at her, [[DeadpanSnarker Jason]] remarks, "Franchise/{{Batman}} called; he wants [[StealthHiBye his exit]] back."
* ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}''
** [[http://xkcd.com/875/ Confronts this trope]] with FridgeLogic.
** And again, the [[http://xkcd.com/1072 literal]] version.
* ''Webcomic/{{Nedroid}}'': [[http://nedroid.com/2013/02/long-distance-call/ "Long distance call"]] has a punchline remarkably similar to the ''xkcd'' example, above. (The very next comic, [[http://nedroid.com/2013/02/scandal-of-the-century/ Scandal of the century"]], hangs a lampshade on the accidental similarity.)
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0327.html "The Test of the Mind"]]:
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' [[CuttingTheKnot Gordium called]] -- they have a knot that you may want to take a look at.
* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}''
** [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2005-02-09 Fantasyland called; they want their king back]].
** [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2007-10-23 The 50's called, they want their hairstyle back.]]
* ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'':
** When Dr Lee protests that you can't have a subway train that's bigger on the inside, one of the MadScientist residents replies "[[http://skin-horse.com/2012/a-masters/ Hey, lady! Euclid called! He wants his geometry back!]]"
** When Sweetheart fights giant mutant termites, she comes up with the LameComeback "[[http://skin-horse.com/comic/somewhere-sweetheart/ Hey, ugly called! It wants its ugly back!]]"
* ''Webcomic/UnwindersTallComics'': [[http://tallcomics.com/?id=124 Jeggly Shaper uses this punchline a lot]], much to Unwinder's annoyance. But this time, she winds up meaning it literally:
-->'''Jeggly:''' My dad called! He wants his tie back.\\
'''Unwinder:''' AAAAAAAARGH! ''[storms out of the house]''\\
'''Jeggly:''' Unwinder! Wait! That was a real one! That really is my dad's tie! He needs it for a meeting! He says he's going to swing by and pick it up!

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebVideo/{{Unskippable}}'' about Vincent's cape in ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus'':
-->''"Todd [=McFarlane=] called. ComicBook/{{Spawn}} wants his cape back."''
* Graham Stark on ''WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun'' spent $130 just to [[http://loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/391/commodoreHUSTLE-02-Red pull off the joke more effectively]].
* From LetsPlay/DeceasedCrab's LetsPlay [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5ForcJDk7s video]] of ''VideoGame/RoseAndCamellia'':
-->"''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' called, they want [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere their unexpected final boss]] back."
* Related, [[http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/finalfantasy/ff4/ff4-1.htm Hardcore Gaming]], talking about [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Zeromus]] (the original [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere unexpected final boss]]): "''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'' called; it wants its critter back."
* [[Website/DesuDesBrigade Professor Otaku]] does a Let's Play, saying, "Sky walker? [[Franchise/StarWars Luke]] called. He wants his name back."
* [[http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/02/11/funny-pictures-toilet-seat-back/ "ABBA called, they want their toilet seat back."]]
* A variation occurs in the video where WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd reviewed ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles: The Making of the Coming Out of Our Shells Tour''.
-->'''Nostalgia Critic:''' Hey, Music/MCHammer called. He's being outsucked.
* From ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', while Linkara is on the phone with WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob.
-->'''Linkara:''' Oh, and by the way, Creator/GeorgeClooney in ''Film/OceansEleven'' called, he wants his fashion sense back.
* ''Website/CollegeHumor'' takes this [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGUWQHReIzM literally]] by having a personification of "TheNineties" actually call someone to say they want their outfit back.
* ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'' uses this in Creator/MrT vs. [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood Mr. Rogers]]:
-->'''Mr. T:''' (''picks up phone'') Hello? (''holds up phone to Mr. Rogers'') It's for you! Creator/BillCosby wants his sweater!
* In an IGN [[http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/20/agatha-christie-evil-under-the-sun-review review]] of Creator/AgathaChristie's ''Literature/EvilUnderTheSun'' for {{Wii}}, the subtitle under the review header says, "1995 called, they want their game back."

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' episode "The Invisible Hand of Fate":
-->'''Shoreleave:''' Waylon Flowers called, he wants his madam back. Boom!\\
'''Hunter Gathers:''' Oh yeah? Well the Music/VillagePeople called, '''[[LameComeback AND THEY WANT YOU TO GO F*CKING KILL YOURSELF YOU PRANCY BASTARD!]]'''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''
** Said to Marge, commenting on her hairdo:
--->'''Lisa:''' Buckingham Palace called. They want their hat back.
** In a HalloweenEpisode, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, a mummy and a werewolf try to play the ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself trope but a bully tells them Turner Classics department called asking for the costumes back.
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'':
-->'''Stan:''' Steve, a homosexual giant called, he wants his shirt back.\\
(''[[LiteralMetaphor phone rings]]'')\\
'''Homosexual Giant:''' Sorry, false alarm, I found it under my couch...
* MTV's CGI ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheNewAnimatedSeries'' had this in "The Party", as Harry is drinking a martini.
-->'''Peter:''' Harry, [[Film/JamesBond Double Oh Seven]] called, he wants his life back.
* In ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty''
** In episode "Raising Gazorpazorp"
*** Rick says to Jerry "2003 just called, they want their easy target back", to which Jerry replies "1995 just called, they want their 'certain year called wanting its blank back' formula back"
* In ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'', using this phrase will literally send Y back to X. The whole plot of the episode was that Mordecai and Rigby, the lead characters, have cell phones from the 1980s. When they get a call that says, "The '80s called, they want their cell phones back!", since the two were holding the phone, they went back to the '80s. This was used at the end of the episode, where the two call their boss and (since they now know it's possible,) send the recliner he's sitting in back to the 1970s.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}''
** Played with (takes on a new meaning when you consider ''Archer'''s AmbiguousTimePeriod):
--->'''Sterling:''' Hi, it's the 1930s. Can we have our words, clothes, and shitty airplane back? [...] Call you back, 1930s! And hey, watch out for that Adolf Hitler. He's a bad egg!
** Upon learning how slow a rigid airship can be:
--->'''Archer:''' Hello, airplanes? It's blimps. You win.
* ''WesternAnimation/MissionHill'': Done by Andy, while Kevin is concentrating on his homework (by constantly saying "Bling blong").
-->'''Andy:''' Hitler called, he wants his haircut back.
** Then...
-->'''Andy:''' (''goosestepping, heiling and with his finger of his upper lip'') I vant mien hiarcut back!
* Inverted in, ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', where [[DeadpanSnarker Squidward]] gets one in.
-->'''Ms. Priss:''' Greetings. Although your establishment seems repugnant and foul in nature, it seems not to offend our sensitivities. It is for that reason, plus the fact that we have been stuck on a tour bus for several days, that my sisters and I would like to EAT something here.\\
'''Squidward:''' Okay. But first let me call the mortician and tell him his uniform's been stolen. (''cracks up'') Clothing zinger!
* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'' episode "1992 Called". Pizza Steve tells Uncle Grandpa "1992 called, they want their pants back", which turns out to be literally true.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* During the 3rd 2012 presidential debate, held on Oct. 22, 2012, UsefulNotes/BarackObama told opponent MittRomney, "The 1980s are calling to ask for their foreign policy back, because the Cold War's been over for 20 years." The comment was in reply to a statement Romney had made on March 26 of that year in an interview with WolfBlitzer of CNN. In the interview, Romney stated, "Russia, this is, without question, our number one geopolitical foe. They -- they fight every cause for the world's worst actors.".
* In an Internet article saying that women doing more housework helps them lose more weight, one comment read, "The '50s called, they want their article back".
* Meme inspired by the polar vortex that brought subzero temperatures and windchills to the American Midwest and East in the winter of 2014: "Antarctica called. It wants its weather back."
* In response to the shitstorm that erupted over Coca-Cola's multicultural Super Bowl ad, one person on Twitter jokingly remarked "Looking forward to RNC banning Coca-Cola products at 2016 election." Someone else responded to it "MSNBC called. They want their smear campaign back."
* [[http://themetapicture.com/need-an-update/ This meme.]]