Who first said the phrase it is what is?

The phrase "It is what it is" is an idiom, and it's difficult to pin down a specific origin for it.

* No definitive author: It's a common saying that likely arose naturally in everyday speech rather than being coined by a single person.

* Earliest records: The earliest known use of the phrase in writing dates back to the 1950s, but it likely existed in spoken language before that.

* Similar expressions: There are similar expressions with similar meanings, such as "That's the way the cookie crumbles" and "C'est la vie" (French for "That's life").

Therefore, attributing the phrase "It is what it is" to a specific individual is not possible.