| Debbie Downer | |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night Live character | |
 | |
| First appearance | May 1, 2004 |
| Last appearance | March 7, 2020 |
| Portrayed by | Rachel Dratch |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
Debbie Downer is a fictional Saturday Night Live character who debuted in 2004,[1] and was created and portrayed by Rachel Dratch.[2]
Evolving from the character's popularity, the name Debbie Downer eventually became an established slang phrase referring to a pessimistic person who frequently adds bad news and negative feelings to a gathering, thus bringing down the mood of everyone around them. The word downer has been used in this meaning since at least the 1970s.[3] Dratch's character would usually appear at social gatherings and interrupt the conversation to voice negative opinions and pronouncements. She is especially concerned about the rate of feline AIDS, a subject that she would bring up on more than one occasion, saying it was the number one killer of domestic cats.[4]
- ^ Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair Publishing Company. 2008. p. 190. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Tropiano 2013was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Debbie Downer". dictionary.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
The Atlantic 2014was invoked but never defined (see the help page).