It's the hottest phrase in the country but there are huge segments of the population that have never heard it: "Whoomp, there it is!"

Or, if you prefer, "Whoot, there it is!"

It's the joyous cry of the streets and the clubs in the big cities, the cry of the young who refuse to succumb to their troubles and grief. "Whoot, there it is!"

Little kids can't stop saying it. A 10-year-old boy in Detroit opened his birthday package and pulled out a new Nintendo game. "Whoomp!" he shouted. "There it is!"

A little girl in Atlanta was striving for an A on an English test. When her graded paper came back, she jumped up in the classroom. "Whoot," she said, "there it is!"

It's a phrase that makes you feel good. It gets the endorphins going. It's much better than a cigarette or a cocktail. Whoomp, there it is!

Amazingly, very few people outside of the black urban environment are aware of this phenomenon, although the phrases have launched two hit songs. The number two song in the country is by the rap duo Tag Team. It's called "Whoomp! (There It Is)." Also on the charts is "Whoot, There It Is," an altogether different -- and blatantly risque -- song by the rap group 95 South.

There's a bowling alley in Manhattan that plays a phrase from one of the songs every time someone rolls a strike. A special "championship" version of "Whoomp!" was recorded for the Chicago Bulls. Tag Team and 95 South will both be on the Arsenio Hall Show tomorrow night.

In other words, the whoomp-whoot phenomenon is very big. But as it comes primarily from black kids, much of the country remains absolutely unaware of it. The media have stayed away from it big time. These are America's youngsters, but it's as if America can't hear them.

On Capitol Hill, where Congressmen are shadowboxing with the big issues of our time, you'll get a dumbfounded stare if you happen to mention, "Whoot, there it is!" Several blocks away, in the D.C. neighborhoods, the phrase is everywhere, but hardly anyone on the Hill has heard it.

That's a shame. Some of the folks in Washington could benefit from a little loosening up. Senator Bob Dole comes to mind. He often seems to have a gloomy view of the world. He'd perk right up if he got into the habit of calling out "Whoot, there it is!" every time he threw a roadblock in front of some Democratic legislation.

And then there's Senator Orrin Hatch, who was clearly exasperated last week by Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg's refusal to disclose whether she believes the death penalty is constitutional. Lighten up, Senator. Take a deep breath. Now look into the camera and say it . . . "Whoop, there it is!"

"It means you're excited, you like something," explained Terence Braddock, a Harlem 12-year-old. "Everybody knows what it means. It means something's good. Everybody's saying it. I say it a lot. Whoot, there it is!"

Terence's face was angled toward the sun and it held a smile full of warmth and wonder. He looked like he wanted to say it again.

The whoomp-whoot phenomenon is a terrific example of how most blacks and whites in the U.S. continue to lead separate existences, looking past each other, not seeing one another, not hearing one another, except on those days when, inevitably, we collide and it's time to fight.

This happened in Crown Heights a couple of years ago and a riot ensued. It happened in the Senate last week, when Senator Carol Moseley Braun rose suddenly and unexpectedly to denounce a Senate endorsement of the Confederate flag.

Too often, whites don't know what blacks are thinking and doing and feeling, and vice versa. It would be better if we knew a lot more about each other. There are ways.

Tomorrow night, when Tag Team and 95 South are on Arsenio Hall, the show will post a 900 number for viewers to call and say which song they like better. The proceeds from the calls will go to the American Red Cross to help the victims of the flooding in the Midwest.

It's a terrific idea. And there's a rumor going around that when it was finally decided upon, Mr. Hall and his staff looked up and cried out, "Whoop, there it is!"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25834278)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-FPimCmbX8

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25834304)

...

The whoomp-whoot phenomenon is a terrific example of how most blacks and whites in the U.S. continue to lead separate existences, looking past each other, not seeing one another, not hearing one another, except on those days when, inevitably, we collide and it's time to fight."

LOL, drink poison nyt, even in 1993 drink poison

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25834323)

y did we let the nyt be the paper of record again?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25834324)

A young nick denton read this and had a life changing moment.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25834329)

Terence's face was angled toward the sun and it held a smile full of warmth and wonder. He looked like he wanted to say it again.

-----------

LOL @ the 90s. mothefucking LOL

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25987781)

Headline says something controversial and dramatic.

Article doesn't support the title at all.

Kill yourselves, conservatives. You are all deranged.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25987792)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25987797)

Everybody, where da booty at?

One mo' 'gain, where da booty at?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25987916)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5JGNxrHQC84

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#25992375)

And it would be even better today, because that song is now a cherished classic instead of just the latest trend.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#29641571)

(see: the 'stupidity as Zen' message of 'Forest Gump', etc.)

" Some of the folks in Washington could benefit from a little loosening up. Senator Bob Dole comes to mind. He often seems to have a gloomy view of the world. He'd perk right up if he got into the habit of calling out "Whoot, there it is!" every time he threw a roadblock in front of some Democratic legislation. "

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=2605472&forum_id=2...id#29641607)