No other word is so used and abused by the two pillars of American influence (music and film) quite like the word "baby". Where would pop culture be without it?

Rare is the movie without at least one baby-impregnated one liner. Rarer still is the song without a reference to a baby, hey baby, my baby, your baby or some other baby.

With so many baby's, how do we distinguish between baby use and baby abuse? Here is a guide:

"Pop culture" is a difficult term to define, although I suspect we all have our own preconceived ideas about what it means. However, since pop culture by definition includes what is presently popular, I will limit my discussion to baby's of recent memory.

My apologies to such greats as "Baby Love" (Diana Ross and the Supremes), "Baby I Love Your Way" (Peter Frampton), "Give It To Me Baby" (Rick James), and "Keep On a Rocking Me Baby" (Steve Miller Band). Sir Mix-a-Lot was a close call, but he missed by a hair.

Use:

Seinfeld.

1. "I'm back, baby! I'm back!" Thank God for mangoes. Otherwise, there would be no babies for George. Preoccupied with faking, George needs a little boost prior to his triumphant return to duty, and he finds it in Kramer's mango. Episode: The Mango.

2. On Jerry going to a heckler's workplace to heckle her: George: "This is unprecedented." Jerry: "There's no precedent, baby." George: "You're using my baby's now?" The result of Jerry's heckling? A broken pinkie toe for the heckler, Kramer's girlfriend, no less. Episode: The Fire.

3. "Pulp can move, baby!" George, on whether Jerry's grapefruit pulp is capable of flying across the table. Said pulp causing George to wink accidentally at a co-worker resulting in a very humorous story line. Episode: The Wink.

...And the winner is: George Costanza, who else? "I'm back, baby! I'm back."

Abuse: CSI Miami.

"Burn baby burn." Horation Caine, a.k.a. David Caruso, should avoid one liners altogether, although then he would have no lines at all. Is it me, or does it appear that every line spoken by David Caruso is an attempt at a profound one liner.

Episode: Curse of the Coffin. The title of the episode even oozes cheese.

Use:

No Doubt: "Hey Baby"

What is it again that all the boys say? Oh, yeah. "Hey baby, hey baby, hey." And the girls, what do they say? "Hey baby, hey baby, hey." Such simple lyrics, and such a great song.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: "Stick With Me Baby"

Again, it's the simplicity that makes it great. It's hard not to love Alison Krauss, and who doesn't love Robert Plant, former leader of Led Zeppelin. A dynamic duo if ever there was one.

Michael Bublé and Boyz II Men: "Comin Home Baby"

Anachronistic and refreshingly new all at the same time. The theme, apparently, is simplicity. Music doesn't get simpler or more elegant.

...And the winner is: "Hey Baby". Was there ever really any doubt? No, No Doubt.

Abuse:

Britney: "Baby One More Time"

"Oh, baby, baby."

Oh, baby, baby, indeed!

"Hit me, baby, one more time." A foreshadowing of things to come, perhaps. Please resist the urge, despite the invitation.

Poor girl. It's almost unfair, picking on Britney at this point in her life. It's too easy, there's hardly any satisfaction in it at all. I feel a little guilty even about doing it. Let's move on.

Use:

Swingers:

"Vegas, baby! Vegas!" "No, baby, you're money." "Baby, that was money. Tell me that wasn't money." "Beautiful babies." "Our baby's all grown up." There are really too many to choose from, and all of them are great. Go watch the movie and you decide.

Terminator 2:

"Hasta la vista, baby." It's hard to believe Terminator 2 is now over 15 years old, but the Governator is still going strong and so are his one liners.

Austin Powers:

"Yeah, baby." Like Swingers, Austin Powers is packed full of "baby's". "Yeah, baby." "Groovy, baby." "You've got mail, baby, yeah."

...And the winner is: Swingers, Baby!

Abuse:

Dirty Dancing:

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner." Not exactly Arnold or Sly, is it? But, Patrick Swayze is classic cheese.

Although this is a non-traditional use of "Baby", the cheese factor brings this "Baby" out of the corner and into the spotlight of worst abuse of a "Baby" in recent memory.

The "baby" boom is no fluke. Clearly, "baby" has staying power. It will continue to plague our popular culture for generations to come. When delivered appropriately, a "baby" can breathe life into a stale script or lackluster lyrics. When abused, a "baby" can deliver a good deal of grief to the producer and consumer alike.

Bye bye, baby.