In the vibrant, vast ocean of Pixar’s Finding Nemo, no character glides into your heart—and your laugh reflex—quite like Dory. With her boundless optimism, signature forgetfulness, and penchant for getting herself (and everyone else) into the weirdest situations, Dory isn’t just a comic relief sidekick—she’s a full-on comedy queen. Voiced to perfection by Ellen DeGeneres, Dory’s hilarious one-liners, absurd instincts, and strange yet effective problem-solving style turned her into a breakout star. She may forget where she’s going, who she’s talking to, or even what she’s doing, but she never forgets how to make us laugh. Here are the top 10 funniest Dory moments that prove this little blue tang is unforgettable—even when she forgets everything else.
#10: Dory Speaks Whale
One of Dory’s most hysterical and defining moments happens when she decides to speak whale. While trying to get help finding Nemo, Dory sees a whale and begins communicating with it in the most dramatic, drawn-out “whale talk” imaginable. “Oooooohhhhhhh… caaaaaaaan yoooooooooou heeeeeeeeeelp uuuuuuuuuuuuus?” she moans, with a face that stretches in every direction. Marlin is horrified, asking if she’s joking, and she confidently replies, “Maybe he only speaks whale.” What begins as pure silliness quickly becomes brilliant—because, against all logic, the whale responds. Dory’s confidence, paired with Ellen DeGeneres’s over-the-top delivery, turns the moment into comedy gold. The sounds, the timing, and Marlin’s increasingly panicked reactions make this one of the most iconic Pixar gags of all time. Even better, it ends with the whale launching them out of its blowhole—proving once again that Dory’s bizarre instincts are hilariously effective.
#9: “I Suffer from Short-Term Memory Loss”
Dory’s introduction to Marlin contains a line that is both side-splittingly funny and surprisingly poignant: “I suffer from short-term memory loss.” She says it casually, like someone announcing their favorite food. And the kicker? She forgets she’s already said it and repeats it within minutes. Her cheerful tone, combined with the sheer frequency of the statement, turns it into a running gag throughout the movie. Every time she says it, it’s as if she’s remembering for the first time, which is ironic… and perfectly Dory. The humor lies not just in the line itself, but in the timing, delivery, and how Marlin reacts to hearing it over and over again. It’s the type of joke that gets funnier each time she forgets, which she does—a lot. The line also becomes strangely endearing, transforming what could’ve been a sad limitation into a lovable and laughable trait that defines her character.
#8: P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney
There may be no line more famously linked to Dory than “P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!” It’s not just funny because it sounds absurd—it’s funny because Dory remembers it with a level of excitement that borders on obsession. She chants it like a victory song, announces it like a weather report, and repeats it so many times that even the audience won’t forget it. And that’s the best part—she actually remembers it. While everything else slips through her mental net, this one critical address sticks. Her joy in remembering is so genuine, it becomes hilarious. She’s so thrilled with herself every time she gets it right, and the enthusiasm is contagious. Of course, the comedy doubles when she immediately forgets why the address is important or who told her about it in the first place. Still, she sings it with the joy of someone who just invented fire, proving once again that even a forgetful fish can have unforgettable moments.
#7: Let’s Bounce on Jellyfish
When Dory and Marlin find themselves surrounded by deadly jellyfish, Marlin panics. Dory? She invents a game. “Whoever can bounce on the tops of the jellyfish without touching the tentacles wins!” she cheers, leaping into danger like it’s a trampoline park. The humor comes from her complete lack of fear and her ability to make fun out of the most serious situations. As Marlin screams about the risks, Dory’s out there boinging between jellyfish, laughing and keeping score. It’s ridiculous, reckless, and totally on-brand for her. Of course, the danger eventually catches up with her, but her unflinching belief that they’ll be okay—and her insistence that it’s just a fun little challenge—makes it one of her funniest and most outrageous moments. This is classic Dory: where others see doom, she sees a chance to play.
#6: “Hi, I’m Dory!”… Again
There are few things more hilarious in Finding Nemo than watching Dory introduce herself—repeatedly—to the same fish. “Hi, I’m Dory!” she beams. Marlin, confused, reminds her they’ve already met. “Oh! Nice to meet you!” she replies, as if the previous thirty seconds never happened. This running joke turns into a comedy engine throughout the film. The frequency of her reintroductions and her complete lack of self-awareness create laugh-out-loud moments in scenes that should otherwise feel serious. The best part? She never says it in a worried or awkward way—just full sunshine and sincerity, every single time. It’s such a simple gag, but because it’s rooted in her condition and her endless optimism, it becomes something uniquely her own. Dory’s world resets every minute, and every reintroduction feels like a tiny little comedy reboot.
#5: Distracted by a Shiny Anglerfish Light
One of Dory’s funniest and most dangerously distracted moments happens in the deep sea, when she and Marlin come face-to-face with an anglerfish. While Marlin is hyper-aware of the enormous, fanged predator lurking in the shadows, Dory is absolutely enchanted by the glowing lure that dangles from its head. “Ooooooh! Pretty light!” she squeals, floating toward it in a daze. The juxtaposition of her dreamy awe and the monstrous fish behind the light is comedy gold. Marlin’s yelling doesn’t faze her. She’s hypnotized by the sparkly bobbing glow, smiling and cooing at it like a baby with a Christmas ornament. It’s one of the film’s best uses of visual irony—Dory, always drawn to the wrong things, literally swims toward danger while completely forgetting she’s in a life-or-death situation.
Her voice during this moment is extra high-pitched and drawn out, which makes it all the more ridiculous. She’s not just curious—she’s mesmerized. And when the anglerfish lunges, she snaps out of it in total confusion, as if waking from a dream. “What happened?” she asks, blinking innocently. It’s a moment that encapsulates her charm: she’s oblivious, but never annoying; forgetful, but never frustrating. The scene also includes a hilarious twist when Dory’s distraction inadvertently helps Marlin trap the anglerfish using its own lure—once again showing that her randomness often ends up saving the day. The light may have been dangerous, but Dory’s childlike wonder and comic timing turn a moment of terror into unforgettable slapstick.
#4: “Through the Trench!… No, Over the Trench!”
This scene is the perfect storm of indecision, memory loss, and accidental comedy. Marlin and Dory find themselves facing a giant trench in the ocean floor. Dory insists with absolute certainty that they need to swim through it, not over it. “Trust me on this,” she says with a confident nod. Marlin, skeptical but desperate, agrees. Then, not thirty seconds later, Dory flips. “Wait, no—go over the trench! Definitely over!” she exclaims, completely forgetting her own advice and causing a heated fishy debate.
What makes this moment so funny is how convincing she is both times. She doesn’t hesitate. Whether she’s right or wrong, Dory believes she’s right. Marlin, of course, is stuck trying to decipher which version of her instinct is correct. The delivery of each contradictory command is so sincere that it almost sounds like a new idea each time. Dory doesn’t realize she’s changing her mind—she just speaks in the moment, like every sentence is the first one she’s ever said.
The irony hits hard when Marlin chooses to ignore her original advice and go over the trench—only to find themselves attacked by jellyfish. Dory, completely unaware of her earlier wisdom, happily bounces along while Marlin realizes she was right the first time. The humor lies in that whiplash—her logic is flawed, yet somehow accurate. This is Dory at her comedic best: unpredictable, contradictory, and—somehow—correct. She doesn’t remember why, but she knows what’s best. Sometimes.
#3: Reading the Diver’s Mask
The moment Dory tries to read the diver’s mask is one of her most delightfully confusing and hilarious scenes. Marlin holds up the mask containing the key to Nemo’s location, and Dory squints at the human letters like she’s trying to read a foreign language backward. “Okay… it says… uh… squiggly line?” she begins, narrating her confusion with such sincerity that you almost believe she’s onto something. Her commentary is a mix of guesses, made-up words, and delayed epiphanies. At one point, she proudly exclaims, “P. Sherman!” as if she just solved an international riddle, only to forget the rest of the sentence seconds later.
The brilliance here is in the chaos of her thought process. Her mind is clearly working hard—but it’s working sideways. She identifies parts of the letters, makes up names for them, and then completely forgets what she just read. Marlin watches helplessly, trying to keep her on track, but Dory is in her own world of half-baked breakthroughs and alphabet soup. And then, suddenly, she nails it: “P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!” Her face lights up with pride, and the audience erupts because, after all that nonsense, she somehow got it right.
The comedy here is multilayered—it’s in the delay, the delivery, and the unexpected clarity. The mask-reading scene proves that even in the most critical moments, Dory’s forgetfulness can bring not only progress but laughs.
#2: “I Shall Call Him Squishy”
During the jellyfish forest scene, Dory’s forgetfulness turns into one of the film’s most quoted comedic gems. Just after being stung, she encounters another jellyfish and, with zero memory of the pain, instantly falls in love. “I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy,” she says with a dreamy smile, gently poking the jellyfish like it’s a puppy. Naturally, it stings her again. “Ow! Bad Squishy!” she yelps, before immediately returning to baby-talking it again.
It’s the kind of moment that only Dory could deliver—a complete lapse in danger awareness paired with unfailing affection. Her tone is so nurturing and innocent that the absurdity becomes laugh-out-loud funny. The jellyfish, of course, isn’t a pet. It’s a floating hazard. But Dory’s inability to remember—and her refusal to fear—transforms it into a toy.
This moment is peak Dory: danger ignored, comedy embraced, and a one-sided friendship with a sea creature that’s trying to kill her. It’s a scene that shows how her forgetfulness often resets her emotions as well. Where others would grow cautious, Dory just starts over with a smile.
#1: “Just Keep Swimming”
The most iconic Dory moment—and arguably one of Pixar’s most beloved lines ever—is when she begins to sing “Just keep swimming.” As Marlin spirals into despair, Dory tries to cheer him up by repeating this simple, singsong mantra: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming…” She paddles ahead with a huge grin, completely unaware of the seriousness of the moment. Her little song is catchy, ridiculous, and perfectly timed. Even Marlin, grumpy and desperate, is caught off guard by its unexpected positivity.
What makes the moment timeless is its layered brilliance. On the surface, it’s a joke—a goofy fish trying to lift the mood with a repetitive chant. But underneath, it’s classic Dory logic. She doesn’t overthink. She doesn’t dwell. She just moves forward. The humor comes from her timing and tone—singing with complete joy while they’re in deep trouble. Yet it’s also weirdly profound. Dory’s forgetfulness makes her the one character who’s always in the present. She doesn’t look back. She doesn’t panic about the future. She just swims.
It’s this moment that turned Dory from comic relief into a pop culture legend. “Just keep swimming” became a rallying cry, a life lesson, and the perfect punchline. It’s hilarious, hopeful, and totally Dory.
