Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long) is an inspirational character and role model in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills. She dedicates herself to being the best leader for the troop and she goes above and beyond to fulfill the call of duty. She's got a black belt in shopping, great taste in fashion, high standards of living and creates her own patches to give to her troop. She's not exactly the traditional troop leader, which is exactly what we love about her.
Her quotes are timeless, and 30 years later, here we are utilizing her words. This time, we're lining up 10 of her most hilarious quotes for you to enjoy.
"I am the log. I am the ravine. I am scared."
Sure, Phyllis throws off her own moment of zen, but at least she tried to get into the mindset. When faced with a roadblock, Phyllis steps up to the plate to find a way to the other side of the ravine to finish the Jamboree, braving her fear of heights to do so. Her zen is honest and straightforward, something we can appreciate and relate to.
Next time that you're faced with something debilitating (preferably something that's not a ravine), take a page out of Phyllis's book and find your zen. Maybe admitting you're scared will help you. Maybe not. The point is to try.
"My troop and I were busy describing the fall fashions to the blind."
Community service comes in all sorts of forms. For Troop Beverly Hills, it's describing fashion to the blind. Apparently they have an aptitude for it, as one of their peers commented that they could "feel the colors." When you love fashion as much as these girls do, it resonates with their audience.
For the girls to be so vivid and descriptive is especially thoughtful for the blind who unfortunately can't experience the fall fashions in quite the same manner. If ever there was a reason to be late to court, this would be it.
"I started my new meaningful life today, and I bought a whole new meaningful wardrobe to go with it."
Chapters come and go throughout life. With her impending divorce, Phyllis decides to change things up. Her way of doing that is pretty much buying out every store on Rodeo Drive. As the movie progresses, she adds some flair to her troop leader uniform (that to this day is still stylish).
Her style is unique and definitely reflective of the 1980s, but it's still beloved. While we may not have the same flair or endless stream of money, we all have moments where we need a wardrobe to match our new meaningful lives too. And we love this, making it one of her most hilarious quotes.
"He permed me!"
Only in Beverly Hills could this "campfire" story be horrific. As they are rained out of their original campsite and end up in a suite at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel, Phyllis and her troop sit together and she tells them the story of how her hairdresser messed up her hair.
Not getting your regular hairstylist can be bad, that's given. They don't know your hair like your own personal maestro. The girls' horrified reactions sum it up. Beware the dooming perm!
"Yep, it's a beast all right."
Hearing Velda shout isn't pleasant. Hearing her shout while injured and in the woods? That's a beast of a different nature. Phyllis says this to her troop to ease their concerns as they trek through the woods, and they end up rescuing Velda when her own troop abandons her. Oh, the insane irony there.
It's memorable because Phyllis's quiet tone is such a big contrast to Velda's banshee nature and it always makes us laugh as Phyllis casually calls Velda a "beast." She's not wrong.
"I may be a beginner at some things, but I've got a black belt in shopping."
Isn't this the truth? Phyllis knows her way around Rodeo Drive and can identify a well-cut diamond no problem. She's thrifty in her own divine way ("You know, it's missing a bead."). We all envy her shopping budget, too. To be able to buy anything you want that possesses the utmost quality, and then buy even more if you so please? Sign us up!
This quote is memorable because shopping is one of the best things Troop Beverly Hills does best, something they picked up from their savvy leader.
"Don't worry, silicone is buoyant."
This is one of Phyllis's more savage quotes, if you will. Her husband, whom she's separated from, is dating another woman named Lisa. When Lisa freaks because Freddy accidentally kisses Phyllis, she winds up overboard.
Phyllis points out the fact that because Lisa possesses fake breasts, she's got a built-in lifesaver. Speaking of lifesavers, Phyllis has some if you need them: "butterscotch or wintergreen?"
"She can pull into the garage and wait with the motor running."
Phyllis is joking, we promise. Well, mostly. Freddy drops off their daughter in the midst of a meeting with the other parents regarding the upcoming sale of cookies, and Lisa impatiently honks her horn as she waits outside for him.
Phyllis encourages Freddy to stay for the meeting, but Lisa's insistent nature doesn't allow that, even though Phyllis offered her a lovely spot in the garage. Her comment even got Freddy to laugh (and us, too). She's a very kind and sweet person, but she has her moments of viciousness.
"In the wilderness of life, we can never be too prepared."
Next time someone complains about the amount of stuff you're bringing on a trip, totally throw them this quote with a smile in Phyllis fashion. Sure, she may have a few bags too many for an overnight trip, but if you're going to be out in the wilderness (or away from home), it's better to have everything you need instead of having to use leaves for toilet paper or having to run to a CVS in the middle of the night for deodorant and toothpaste.
It's that simple. Life throws unexpected curveballs. Be like Phyllis and pack ahead of the game.
"It really frosts my cookies that we have worked so hard and we have come so far and now we have to stop."
When initially faced with a ravine during the Jamboree, Phyllis is ready to give up. She grieves for how close they've come, but her determination is renewed by the troop's positive spirit and their resolve inspires her to continue. Though, Phyllis's moment of despair produced this adorable quote that we just have to use for future reference.
Didn't it frost your cookies every time Velda tried to destroy Troop Beverly Hills? With their victory and her new job at Kmart, it looks like Velda's the one whose cookies have been frosted. Evil never wins.