What is Coincidence I Think Not?

A catchphrase from Pixar's 2004 film The Incredibles, spoken by teacher Bernie Kropp when accusing Dash Parr of putting tacks on his chair.

Where did Coincidence I Think Not come from?

The classroom scene in The Incredibles, released November 5th, 2004, where Kropp reviews a slowed-down tape of Dash's antics.

What does Coincidence I Think Not mean?

It signals mock suspicion, used to point out that two events are connected in an obvious or over-the-top way.

How do you use Coincidence I Think Not?

Point out two related events and close with the line, either as plain text or paired with the Bernie Kropp reaction GIF.

Is Coincidence I Think Not still popular?

It stayed in rotation on Tumblr and other platforms after Thecommet's 2011 YouTube upload gave meme makers a clean source clip.

Coincidence I Think Not

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Published August 17, 2026

Coincidence I Think Not is a catchphrase from Pixar's 2004 film The Incredibles, spoken by teacher Bernie Kropp during a classroom accusation scene. It became a reaction GIF and text macro for calling out suspicious links between two events.

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Overview

Coincidence I Think Not is a catchphrase pulled from Pixar's 2004 film The Incredibles1, usually paired with a reaction GIF of teacher Bernie Kropp squinting at a video tape3. The line gets used whenever someone wants to point out a suspicious link between two events, often sarcastically.

The format is simple: list two related occurrences, then punctuate with 'Coincidence? I think not.' It works as plain text or attached to Kropp's exasperated expression from the classroom scene1. Voice actor Lou Romano's clipped delivery is part of why the audio travels well as a standalone reaction sound2.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

The Incredibles (film) / YouTube and Tumblr (viral spread)

Creator

Brad Bird

Date

2004

The line comes from The Incredibles, released by Pixar on November 5th, 20041. In the scene, Dash Parr's teacher Bernie Kropp shows the principal a slowed-down tape of the class, arguing that Dash moves at the exact moment tacks land on his chair. Kropp caps the accusation with 'Coincidence? I think not!' before the tape gets dismissed as inconclusive by the principal1.

How It Spread

The phrase started drifting outside the movie within a few years. On August 22nd, 2007, Yahoo Answers user Matt N4 asked where the quote 'Coincidence? I think not.' first came from, a sign it had already detached from its Pixar origin in casual chat.

On March 10th, 2011, YouTuber Thecommet2 posted the raw classroom clip, giving GIF makers a clean source to loop and caption. That upload passed 180,000 views by September 20143. On September 13th, 2013, Tumblr user diamondofblack5 tagged a Harry Potter post with the phrase, and that post picked up over 200 notes within a year.

The catchphrase settled into rotation as shorthand for calling out suspicious coincidences, especially in fandom threads and joke conspiracy posts3.

How to Use This Meme

The typical setup pairs two events that look connected, then closes with 'Coincidence? I think not.' It works on its own or dropped next to the Bernie Kropp reaction GIF2. Common use cases include fan theories, celebrity look-alike comparisons, and joke conspiracy threads where the link is obviously silly.