Woman’s Hinge Prompt Inspires Men to Imitate Tim Allen Grunt

LOS ANGELES, CA — In a dating app universe filled with clichéd icebreakers, one woman has found a unique approach by invoking Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor. TikTok user Kathenn, known for her creative dating prompts, posted a challenge on Hinge earlier this year: “I get along best with people who can do the Tim Allen ‘awrhoo’ impression. Let me see what you got.”

For those unfamiliar, Tim Allen’s character from the early ’90s sitcom Home Improvement is recognized for his distinctive guttural grunt, a mix between a caveman and a confused dad. The response to Kathenn’s challenge was overwhelming, as men across the app took their best shots at replicating the iconic sound.

Kathenn later compiled their voice messages into a viral TikTok video. She humorously described her approach as part of her “4B movement,” where she requires men on Hinge to perform a Tim Allen impression before engaging in conversation. The video has garnered nearly 500,000 views and more than 500 comments.

Viewers expressed amazement at the accuracy of some impressions. “I refuse to believe that the first one was not sampled directly from the TV show,” remarked one commenter. Others found the concept amusing, with one user questioning, “Is this a kink thing?” and another proclaiming, “This is better than dating.”

The fascination with the grunt appears to resonate deeply, as some commenters noted its cultural significance. “The Tim Allen grunt is the REAL Roman Empire for men. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid,” one user claimed.

This trend even reached Twitter, where a post declaring, “I’m absolutely losing it,” gained over a million views, showcasing the widespread intrigue.

Interestingly, Tim Allen himself has shared that his signature grunt originated from attempts to engage an all-male audience during his stand-up shows. “All I was doing on stage, I hear men [grunting]… So I started doing that…and a career was built,” he recounted during a performance at the Laugh Factory.

From a sitcom catchphrase to a modern dating necessity, the legacy of the grunt continues to thrive in unexpected ways.