HOW you doin? Note the italics in the middle. Those three words provoked a small punch-up between this column and some of its readers. The argument is over whether it is classic screenwriting, worthy of celebration at the Emmy Awards ceremony taking place in Hollywood today, or merely a catchphrase hallowed by repetition.

The fight started when I asked readers to nominate memorable dialogue from Australian television, then lamented that most of the suggestions ("What's that, Skip?"; "Leave the money on the fridge"; Puck you, Miss"; "Look at moiye"; "She goes, she goes"; "Game on, moll") were more in the nature of catchphrases than clever writing.

Some readers wrote to complain that when I introduced the topic, I had given "How you doing?" as an example of the kind of creativity that is being celebrated at the Emmys (showing live from 8am today on the pay station Arena, and as a highlights package from 9.30pm on Channel Ten). They objected that the pick-up line used by Joey Tribbiani in Friends was merely a catchphrase.

For me, the line encapsulates Joey's character - his lustfulness, his stupidity, his vanity and his attitude to women. It turned into a catchphrase precisely because brevity is the soul of wit.

Other readers took up the challenge and sent these examples from 52 years of Australian TV: "There's an ancient current affairs recipe my grandmother gave me: take any story, add sex and stir."

"Get your head out of your date, Bill. Where are my hookers?"

"You're my second-best friend. You can't be my best friend. Brian's my best friend!"

"Are you trying to feel me up?" "No, I just mistook your boob for an M and M."

"This beer is gonna taste so good I'll probably have another."

"You don't know whether you're Siddartha or Martha."

Kim: "I've got the concept for the new kitchen. We've decided we want solid monogamy!" Kath: "Oh no, monogamy's so old-fashioned. You just need a veneer of monogamy. That's all people care about."

"Dick Smith is currently fighting a court battle with Arnott's. They've accused him of ripping off their Tim Tam range of biscuits with his own TempTins. This is not the first time Dick's done this to Arnott's. If I could draw your attention to Exhibit B: Arnott's very popular Scotch Fingers. This is Dick Smith's slightly less popular Scotch Thumbs. Not quite as long and not so many … Here's another one. Arnott's Gaiety biscuits. Here's Dick Smith's: Homosexuality biscuits. It's your choice and a perfectly valid one. And I used to love these as a kid - Arnott's Iced Vo Vos. Here's Dick's: Miced Volvos. That one doesn't even make any sense."

Learn where they are from and suggest more at blogs.