The ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Season 17 Finale Delivers An All-Time Great ‘Dee Is a Bird’ Joke

Throughout It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the jokes made by the male members of the gang about Deandra “Sweet Dee” Reynolds’ avian appearance have largely been unoriginal, predictable and ineffective at shaking their oft-abused target. Then, tonight, Dennis’ brilliant set-up turned Dee into a sitting duck.

In the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 finale, “The Golden Bachelor Live,” the moment that Dee, Dennis, Charlie and Mac had been rehearsing for over the course of an entire month finally arrived, and they got their long-awaited family visit with the contestants who were looking to win Frank’s heart on the popular ABC dating show. Almost immediately, both the Golden Bachelor viewers and the women in the hunt for the golden rose learned why Frank would rather hire a cast of actors to play his family instead of involve the real-life degenerates of Paddy’s Pub in his search for love, as potential partners Sammy and Cock Chewa seemed to ruffle the Gang’s feathers just by existing.

But as much as the Gang squawked at Frank’s suitresses during “The Golden Bachelor Live,” Dennis still took a moment during a joint confessional with his sister to remind Sweet Dee that, no matter whom Frank chooses to be the hen to his rooster, Dee will always hold the bottom spot in the pecking order.

During the family visit, Dennis and Dee pulled aside the chicken heiress Sam, played by Carol Kane, and attempted to intimidate her into abandoning any plans she had to marry Frank and steal his millions for herself. Of course, Sam isn’t working on such a scheme, because she both has her own money, and isn’t an opportunistic sociopath like Dennis and Dee themselves. However, Dennis and Dee admit to the camera crews that the conversation still didn’t instill any trust in them.

“We’re not really the trusting kind,” Dennis admits, then saying with a glint in his eye, “But if she does have this so-called ‘chicken money,’ then we wouldn't mind, uh…”

“Wetting our beaks,” Dee finishes, springing Dennis' trap.

Through 17 seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this might just be the single greatest “Dee is a bird” joke of all time, because, for once, Dee actually participated in the punchline. In 99 percent of instances when the men of the Gang make fun of Dee for being a bird, they’re literally just yelling, “Dee’s a bird,” “You look like a bird” or “Shut up, bird!” at her while she stares blankly back and continues to eat cake out of the garbage.

This time, on the other hand, Dennis actually got Dee to take the bait and make the bird joke herself. You could even say that Dee walked straight into his booby trap.