# The Big Bang Theory [01/26/2012] - "The Beta Test Initiation"



## ScubaCat (Jun 26, 2003)

Leonard: So, I've got a gunshot wound. That's pretty bad-ass.
Penny: No, you've got a Reebok with a gunshot wound and an ouchie on your pinky toe.

So Leonard is aware enough to call Penny's Dad to ask what she might like to do on a date but not aware enough to realize giving her a full page of "notes" might cause friction?

Leonard: It's color-coded. Red means "fix right away" Yellow is "eh, whenever you get a chance." And, green is "I could probably learn to live with it."

I loved Raj and Siri.


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## RandomTask (Jun 30, 2011)

I'm really LOL'ing at L&P Beta test....

Raj and Siri at the end was a scream!


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## LifeIsABeach (Feb 28, 2001)

Loved the Siri plotline. Leonard/Penny was pretty good. Didn't like the Shamy flag parts. I have a Siri-like Android app (Speaktoit Assistant) which allows you to change the name. I asked her what her name was and she said someting (forget what it was). I then asked if I could change her name and she asked what I wanted to call her. Does Siri allow that as well or does Apple want everyone to know the name "Siri".


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

LifeIsABeach said:


> I then asked if I could change her name and she asked what I wanted to call her. Does Siri allow that as well or does Apple want everyone to know the name "Siri".


 She's just Siri, but you don't address the phone using the name (or don't need to).

I liked Raj's dream.. hahaha


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ScubaCat said:


> So Leonard is aware enough to call Penny's Dad to ask what she might like to do on a date but not aware enough to realize giving her a full page of "notes" might cause friction?


Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.

Another of my pet peeves is a lot of smart characters on TV...who seem as though the writers have never even met a smart person, let alone been one. As much as I love to rag on BBT lately, I will give it credit...it may go for cheap humor and stereotypes a lot of the time, but this is clearly a show that knows what smart people are like.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

LifeIsABeach said:


> Loved the Siri plotline. Leonard/Penny was pretty good. Didn't like the Shamy flag parts.


Same here. The whole flag thing fell totally flat, for me.



Rob Helmerichs said:


> Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.


I know people like this.  They can learn how to act in social situations on a case by case basis, but they do not seem to be able to generalize that behavior for other similar situations that are not exactly the same. My Asperger's kid is a lot like that. Once he learns what "normal" behavior is for a situation, he can do it. But throw in just a little curveball, and he is at a loss again.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

eddyj said:


> Same here. The whole flag thing fell totally flat, for me....


Yeah, but the final scene with Sheldon in shorts was a hoot....


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## HomieG (Feb 17, 2003)

One of the best episodes of BBT. Laughed hard at most of it. Raj not being able to talk to the "real" Siri was gold.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Dammit my phone won't call me Sexy.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I totally loved the Flag story line. One of the best, for me.


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## Sadara (Sep 27, 2006)

eddyj said:


> I know people like this.  They can learn how to act in social situations on a case by case basis, but they do not seem to be able to generalize that behavior for other similar situations that are not exactly the same. My Asperger's kid is a lot like that. Once he learns what "normal" behavior is for a situation, he can do it. But throw in just a little curveball, and he is at a loss again.


This is my son, who has autism, and for me Leonard is very believable because of it. He learns normal behavior for a very specific situation, but he cannot relate that behavior to another situation that is different, but yet similar. He's unable to see the similarities of it.

Plus Leonard is way screwed up because of his psycho mother!


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

Gunnyman said:


> Dammit my WIFE won't call me Sexy.


FYP!!!


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

/finger


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## milo99 (Oct 14, 2002)

the flag part of the episode was completely random to me. Just out of nowhere and i didn't see the humor in it really. 

The Raj stuff was a bit annoying, up until the end scene- even in his daydream he can't talk to a woman.  love that!

The only thing that can make it somewhat "believable" for me that Leonard would give that list to Penny, is that he is a very literal person and when they "agreed" on the beta test, he thought it meant, literally, he could do that and she was fine with it. I've had to learn the hard way that just because a woman agrees to something, that doesn't mean she agrees to what YOU think she's agreeing to, even if you *explicitly stated* what you were agreeing to.  sigh.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I agree that the (Leonard/Penny) list thing was a little out there. Loved how it ended with her list, though! However, I do agree with Milo as to how Leonard would interpret it so I guess it's not quite as 'out there' as I initially thought.

Loved the whole Raj/Siri storyline and the end was perfect. 

I really like all the characters, but I thought the whole Sheldon/AFF thing was kind of lacking. I enjoyed it, though, just didn't love it.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Yeah, that's my pet peeve about socially-inept characters on TV in general...usually (Bones is the classic case) they are exactly as socially inept or not as the scene they're shooting at the moment demands.


Yes, but Rob, people are complex. Few people are socially inept all the time, even the people who have organic reasons to be unaware of what other people are feeling.

I usually put my foot in it, but every now and again, I have flashes of brilliance that make me think afterwards "Oh, whew, I said the right thing."

So maybe Leonard calling Penny's dad to find out what she liked to do as a kid was one of those inspired moments, because he was actively trying to think about what might please her -- but the rest of the time, he's self-centered and clueless, the way a lot of us are.

(On the other hand, I would agree with you about the inconsistency of the writing on Bones, or at least, in the early episodes I watched before I bailed out on the show entirely.)


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## Drewster (Oct 26, 2000)

I'd like Penny's dad to make another appearance. I really enjoyed his episode one or two seasons back.


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## snowjay (Mar 27, 2007)

milo99 said:


> the flag part of the episode was completely random to me. Just out of nowhere and i didn't see the humor in it really.


It's complete randomness and trying to watch Sheldon and AFF impart their knowledge on the podcast universe is what is funny about it.

My nitpick about the show was the range scene. Leonard would have to be a magician to shoot himself in the Reebok. Penny picked up the gun, racked the slide and then inserted the magazine with no other manipulation of the gun. Short of some divine intervention there should have been nothing in the chamber.


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## Kamakzie (Jan 8, 2004)

Wow Siri is hot!!!


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## betts4 (Dec 27, 2005)

I haven't seen the show yet but just watched an episode when Leonard and Penny were first dating and he wanted to watch football with her and football friends.,he watched the games the week before and had Sheldon teaxh him stuff. he learned itbut when at they party...he still sounded like geek.or at least like was out of his element.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

ScubaCat said:


> So Leonard is aware enough to call Penny's Dad to ask what she might like to do on a date but not aware enough to realize giving her a full page of "notes" might cause friction?


I read the ensuing debate and I think you guys are overanalyzing this.
It's simply the fact that Leonard is a man that he's not aware of this.

Many a sitcom episode plot hinges on the fact that men often are unaware that their actions will irritate their girlfriend/wife.

If it had just been a list outside of the parameters of a "beta test" given by Tim Allen, Jim Belushi, or Kevin James, would it have been that different?

BTW, loved the Beta Test and the Siri plotline.
The flags video podcast was a little too out there even for Sheldon vut "Take 47" was funny.
(Sheldon, have you ever heard of editing?)

Although it was interesting that Sheldon thought that Amy's mascot idea was brilliant as it's very rare that he thinks that anyone else's ideas are worthwhile.



Gunnyman said:


> Dammit my phone won't call me Sexy.


Mine used to call me "Cutie" until I realized that was saved on the Contact card that I would send to other people from time to time.


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## ScubaCat (Jun 26, 2003)

Drewster said:


> I'd like Penny's dad to make another appearance. I really enjoyed his episode one or two seasons back.


 He was so excited about Penny dating Leonard and so disappointed when they broke up. I'm sure Leonard's phone call delighted him.


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## Vendikarr (Feb 24, 2004)

ScubaCat said:


> He was so excited about Penny dating Leonard and so disappointed when they broke up. I'm sure Leonard's phone call delighted him.


I just had a delightfully strange idea. They should have Penny's dad and Leonard's mother visit at the same time, and the two hit it off. That would drive both Leonard and Penny crazy.


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## Todd (Oct 7, 1999)

Best episode in awhile. Loved it!!


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Todd said:


> Best episode in awhile. Loved it!!


This.

Penny and Leonard was soooooo geeky. Beta test! Loved it.

Raj and Siri was great and I absolutely loved the dream at the end. Also highly geeky.

Folks be raggin on Shamy's podcast but other than us not seeing Sheldon being a fan of flags, it was spot on. Sheldon always thinks people are interested in what he is interested in and it would be natural for him to share it in this way. And typical Sheldon that he didn't edit but had to start st the beginning every time.

Laughed from beginning to end.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Excellent episode. I loved all three plot threads (beta test, flag podcast, and Siri).

Now that Raj has personified Siri to the point that he's vividly imagined a woman to go with the voice, I wonder if he'll no longer be able to speak to that disembodied voice on the phone.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Kamakzie said:


> Wow Siri is hot!!!


So this is what Siri looks like... Who knew?










Edited to add: Hotter than Rachael Dratch! (Who gets that reference?)


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

What do pretzels have to do with <whichever country they did at the end which seemed unrelated to pretzels>???


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

mattack said:


> What do pretzels have to do with <whichever country they did at the end which seemed unrelated to pretzels>???


Not a country, they were doing the German state of Bavaria. Pretzels (particularly soft or lye pretzels) have a very strong connection with the region.


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

That episode showed product placement done right. The Raj and Siri storyline fit right with the character and it didn't seem forced...well strongly forced like that Subway commercial in the last Hawaii 5-0.


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## Cearbhaill (Aug 1, 2004)

Anyone else notice how Sheldon was filling out his shirt?
It would appear that Jim's been busy in the gym!

No crackpot theories this week, LOL- it was a weak episode for me.
Even I can edit a video, so the 47+ take flagcast fell flat aside from Amy and Sheldon finding ways to amuse themselves. 

And IMO they should have taken this "Siri opportunity" to find a way to cure Raj- his selective mutism is way old and needs to be retired. At least find a way to add Penny, Amy, and Bernadette to his "family females I can talk to" list.


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

The part that made me lose it is when Leonard corrected Penny about the difference between alpha and beta tests. No one *ever* gets that right! Not even on shows with people who should know better. (For instance, Charlie didn't make that correction on _Numb3rs_, and he was always making corrections like that.)

That actress at the end did a great job at doing the Siri voice. I don't mean the odd intonation, anyone could do that with some practice, but the actual tone, too. (Unless they did post-processing or something, but probably not.)


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

TonyD79 said:


> Folks be raggin on Shamy's podcast but other than us not seeing Sheldon being a fan of flags, it was spot on. Sheldon always thinks people are interested in what he is interested in and it would be natural for him to share it in this way. And typical Sheldon that he didn't edit but had to start st the beginning every time.


I agree it was spot on, and totally Sheldon. It just wasn't funny, IMO.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

Hunter Green said:


> That actress at the end did a great job at doing the Siri voice. I don't mean the odd intonation, anyone could do that with some practice, but the actual tone, too. (Unless they did post-processing or something, but probably not.)


Actually, I'm thinking they did some post processing, or simply dubbed in the actual Siri voice in post production.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Cearbhaill said:


> And IMO they should have taken this "Siri opportunity" to find a way to cure Raj- his selective mutism is way old and needs to be retired. At least find a way to add Penny, Amy, and Bernadette to his "family females I can talk to" list.


I also thought that's where they were headed the entire time (Siri helps Raj finally speak to women). It is very tired and they need to drop it already. They only thing remotely funny about it is when Raj whispers into Howard's ear for a mini-punchline.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Fish Man said:


> Actually, I'm thinking they did some post processing, or simply dubbed in the actual Siri voice in post production.


I was think the actress was lip syncing. A second thought is you could probably set up an Auto=Tune for a computer voice effect.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Fish Man said:


> Edited to add: Hotter than Rachael Dratch! (Who gets that reference?)


Got it.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

How are we 35+ posts into this thread before someone mentions the scene with Bawwy Kwipke and Siri? That was comedy gold. I loved that his phone actually called him Bawwy.

Just before that, however, Sheldon was being very sarcastic to Raj. I thought Sheldon didn't really understand sarcasm.

Man, Siri is super hot!

The flag videos were just random and out of left field.


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> How are we 35+ posts into this thread before someone mentions the scene with Bawwy Kwipke and Siri? That was comedy gold. I loved that his phone actually called him Bawwy.


Was I just imagining it because I hate the 'Barry Kripke' character, or was there an audible, even loud, collective groan from the studio audience when he made his entrance, before he even delivered his first line?

And when I say that I don't like the character, it's not a "you're not supposed to like him / evil nemesis" sort of thing -- it's that I genuinely hate this character and was hopeful that perhaps he had been written off since we hadn't seen him in a long time.


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> How are we 35+ posts into this thread before someone mentions the scene with Bawwy Kwipke and Siri? That was comedy gold. I loved that his phone actually called him Bawwy.


I liked that scene too.

The _instant_ he entered I knew what was coming. Didn't make it less funny though.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Just before that, however, Sheldon was being very sarcastic to Raj. I thought Sheldon didn't really understand sarcasm.


I don't remember exactly what was said, something about Raj being a pioneer in human/machine relationships? I'm pretty sure Sheldon was completely earnest about that.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Fish Man said:


> I liked that scene too.
> 
> The _instant_ he entered I knew what was coming. Didn't make it less funny though.


The speech wecognition on Siwi is tewwible! 

I'm surprised Siwi, I mean Siri, understood Raj's accent.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

busyba said:


> I don't remember exactly what was said, something about Raj being a pioneer in human/machine relationships? I'm pretty sure Sheldon was completely earnest about that.


Yes, he said that line, and I think it was earnest. But then there was a line about how Raj had bonded romantically with the phone, and Raj denied it, and then Sheldon made a sarcastic remark, and even winked at Raj to indicate he was being sarcastic. Seemed out of character for Sheldon.


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## Boot (Mar 15, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> Yes, he said that line, and I think it was earnest. But then there was a line about how Raj had bonded romantically with the phone, and Raj denied it, and then Sheldon made a sarcastic remark, and even winked at Raj to indicate he was being sarcastic. Seemed out of character for Sheldon.


But he's starting to get the hang of the sarcasm thing. He can even recognize it occasionally now.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I'm with Charlie. I HATE the Kripkie character.


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## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

DevdogAZ said:


> How are we 35+ posts into this thread before someone mentions the scene with Bawwy Kwipke and Siri? That was comedy gold. I loved that his phone actually called him Bawwy.
> 
> .


:up: This is such stupid humor, which I usually don't like, but he totally cracks me up. I think it's partly the super serious look on his face. He's as oblivious to his speech impediment as Sheldon would be if he had one.


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## Todd (Oct 7, 1999)

I thought the Kripke/Siri scene was hilarious too!


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Todd said:


> I thought the Kripke/Siri scene was hilarious too!


I cannot STAND Kripke, but that was pretty funny!


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

Todd said:


> I thought the Kripke/Siri scene was hilarious too!





sharkster said:


> I cannot STAND Kripke, but that was pretty funny!


I agree, I can't stand the character, but that was darn funny and I think the reason was that no one in the scene made a deal about why it was so funny, Barry is normal for them, and that's a huge plus in the writing.

Of course this is the classic Chuck Lorre production issue, laughing with them vs. laughing at them, when they get it wrong it's ugly.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I just watched last week's episode of House of Lies and I swear there is a guy on his ep who looks like the guy who plays Kripke. No speech impediment, of course, but I happened to look away and the voice grabbed my attention. He really looks like him.

D'oh! Never mind. Looked it up. Actor's name is John Ross Bowie and it WAS him also playing a character on House of Lies. cool  (or boring, maybe)


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

Yeah. He's been in commercials, too. I see him every once in a while on other things.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Yeah, his BBT speech impediment isn't real.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

For some reason, it was very surprising to me the first time I saw Laura Innes walk without a limp. Sometimes, actors do a really good job of selling their affectations in a role!


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Hank said:


> Yeah, his BBT speech impediment isn't real.


You mean it isn't wheel....


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Bierboy said:


> You mean it isn't wheel....


That kind of mockewey is disgusting. You'we a tewwible, tewwible pewson.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

sharkster said:


> I just watched last week's episode of House of Lies and I swear there is a guy on his ep who looks like the guy who plays Kripke. No speech impediment, of course, but I happened to look away and the voice grabbed my attention. He really looks like him.
> 
> D'oh! Never mind. Looked it up. Actor's name is John Ross Bowie and it WAS him also playing a character on House of Lies. cool  (or boring, maybe)


Wait. A guy named Bowie plays Bawwy?


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## LifeIsABeach (Feb 28, 2001)

Fish Man said:


> So this is what Siri looks like... Who knew?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is she the girl who worked the bowling alley on KOQ before Dratch took over? Didn't recognize her if it is. Classic KOQ episode though (even has the TiVo sub-plot).


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I loved the Kripke scene. I was laughing so hard that I had to pause and of course it made me wonder how the REAL Siri software would handle that type of speech impediment.


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

I found that scene to be a rather poor excuse to bring that character back - it was the only reason he was in the show. It didn't advance the plot, it only served to make a rather simplistic joke at the expense of Kripke's speech impediment. It was rather mean-spirited and low brow and beneath the normal quality of the show. 

I'm not being hypocritical about it -- most of my favorite shows are highly non-PC, and I appreciate when shows go outside of the box. But I think this bit was lazy and unnatural for this show. It felt out of place. 

Just my .02


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## Fish Man (Mar 4, 2002)

LifeIsABeach said:


> Is she the girl who worked the bowling alley on KOQ before Dratch took over? Didn't recognize her if it is. Classic KOQ episode though (even has the TiVo sub-plot).


I have no idea, but that's not the Rachael Dratch reference I was referring to.

On SNL Rachael Dratch played a recurring sketch character who was "the woman who provided the voice for those automated phone systems" and as that character she'd talk like an automated voice recognition system voice.


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> For some reason, it was very surprising to me the first time I saw Laura Innes walk without a limp. Sometimes, actors do a really good job of selling their affectations in a role!


The first time I heard Hugh Laurie speak for a whole interview with a fake Australian accent I was *really *confused.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Steveknj said:


> I loved the Kripke scene. I was laughing so hard that I had to pause and of course it made me wonder how the REAL Siri software would handle that type of speech impediment.


I suspect it's about the same.

It seemed to me that almost of all of Siri's responses were actual responses from the software.


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> For some reason, it was very surprising to me the first time I saw Laura Innes walk without a limp. Sometimes, actors do a really good job of selling their affectations in a role!


Which brings up the question I had -- is Kripke's speech an affliction (like a limp) or an affectation (an accent cultivated by his social class)?

From the way he carries himself, I thought it was an affectation rather than simply a speech impediment. Of course that may be what Kripke would like me to think.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

CharlieW said:


> I found that scene to be a rather poor excuse to bring that character back - it was the only reason he was in the show. It didn't advance the plot, it only served to make a rather simplistic joke at the expense of Kripke's speech impediment. It was rather mean-spirited and low brow and beneath the normal quality of the show.
> 
> I'm not being hypocritical about it -- most of my favorite shows are highly non-PC, and I appreciate when shows go outside of the box. But I think this bit was lazy and unnatural for this show. It felt out of place.
> 
> Just my .02


It did remind me of the Siri thread here where someone was saying how badly Siri sucked because she did not understand him (or her?).


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

TiVo'Brien said:


> The first time I heard Hugh Laurie speak for a whole interview with a fake Australian accent I was *really *confused.


Australian? Now I'm confused.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

TiVo'Brien said:


> The first time I heard Hugh Laurie speak for a whole interview with a fake Australian accent I was *really *confused.


It was have to be a fake Aussie accent. Laurie is a true Brit, born in Oxford England in 1959. I'm not sure he'e ever been to Australia.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

LoadStar said:


> Australian? Now I'm confused.


Hugh Laurie is Australian with a rather thick accent IRL.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

photoshopgrl said:


> Hugh Laurie is Australian with a rather thick accent IRL.


Say what?


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Crikey...


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Seriously people didn't know that? LOL For realzie.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

That's a British accent, not an Aussie one.


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> Seriously people didn't know that? LOL For realzie.


Wait... are you serious that you think he's Australian? As MikeCC points out, he's British, not Australian. He speaks with an RP (Received Pronunciation) accent.


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## Unbeliever (Feb 3, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> Seriously people didn't know that? LOL For realize.


He's English. Born in Oxford, Oxfordshire. Not Australian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Laurie

--Carlos V.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

Oh well hell. Damn you TiVo'Brien. You got me all screwed up. Of course I know he's British not Australian. I'm at work so you get about 50% of my attention here.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

I'm gonna go sit over here and be quiet now. Carry on!


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> Oh well hell. Damn you TiVo'Brien. You got me all screwed up. Of course I know he's British not Australian. I'm at work so you get about 50% of my attention here.


Confusing him with Hugh Jackman maybe?


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

loubob57 said:


> Confusing him with Hugh Jackman maybe?


No I wasn't confusing him. TiVo'Brien said Aussie accent and everyone went "huh??" and only reading fast while at work I thought everyone was shocked that he wasn't American like his character on House.....

Oh nevermind.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

CharlieW said:


> I found that scene to be a rather poor excuse to bring that character back - it was the only reason he was in the show. It didn't advance the plot, it only served to make a rather simplistic joke at the expense of Kripke's speech impediment. It was rather mean-spirited and low brow and beneath the normal quality of the show.
> 
> I'm not being hypocritical about it -- most of my favorite shows are highly non-PC, and I appreciate when shows go outside of the box. But I think this bit was lazy and unnatural for this show. It felt out of place.
> 
> Just my .02


Really? That's the whole purpose of the Kripke character every time he's been on the show. So of course it was the only reason they brought him back. It was completely natural and "in place" for this show, as evidenced by all the other times the Kripke character has been on the show for no other purpose than for the audience to laugh at his speech impediment.


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> Really? That's the whole purpose of the Kripke character every time he's been on the show. So of course it was the only reason they brought him back. It was completely natural and "in place" for this show, as evidenced by all the other times the Kripke character has been on the show for no other purpose than for the audience to laugh at his speech impediment.


I disagree. His other appearances have generally been more plot related, used more as a nemesis to Leonard or Sheldon. I can go back and find examples. And yes, we all realize that his quirky speech-impediment is built into each appearance -- but there's usually more of a reason for him to be there.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Come on... how can you possibly have a plot that centers around a piece of voice-recognition software, and then _*not*_ write a scene including your recurring character with a speech impediment? Seriously.

Sometimes, even the obvious joke still needs to be told.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

murgatroyd said:


> Which brings up the question I had -- is Kripke's speech an affliction (like a limp) or an affectation (an accent cultivated by his social class)?


I vote affliction. It reminded me of when my kids were little. If you mispronounced a word back to them they'd get frustrated and say it again the exact same way. They can hear whether you're saying it right or not, but they can't hear that they're saying it wrong.

The "find a westwant" "you want a westwant" "No, a WESTWANT" had me in stitches because it was exactly like talking to a two year old.


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## CharlieW (May 30, 2001)

busyba said:


> Come on... how can you possibly have a plot that centers around a piece of voice-recognition software, and then _*not*_ write a scene including your recurring character with a speech impediment? Seriously.
> 
> Sometimes, even the obvious joke still needs to be told.


It would be interesting to find out which came first. We're assuming that the Raj/Siri storyline was the original idea, but sometimes it's the "throwaway" gag that spawns the larger story. I could easily see a scenario where the writers were sitting around playing with their new iPhones and someone saying, "Hey, you know what would be funny -- Kripke talking to Siri" -- and then that giving birth to the Raj/Siri story.

Either way, I didn't care for it.

And I still hate Kripke.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

murgatroyd said:


> Which brings up the question I had -- is Kripke's speech an affliction (like a limp) or an affectation (an accent cultivated by his social class)?
> 
> From the way he carries himself, I thought it was an affectation rather than simply a speech impediment. Of course that may be what Kripke would like me to think.


It's a real affliction called "Gliding of Liquids"

see: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Speech-Disorders-987/r-w-l-w.htm

Although the actor doesn't actually have it -- see: http://johnrossbowie.livejournal.com/141597.html


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> No I wasn't confusing him. TiVo'Brien said Aussie accent and everyone went "huh??" and only reading fast while at work I thought everyone was shocked that he wasn't American like his character on House.....
> 
> Oh nevermind.


I think you are confusing him with the host of the show you linked. He is clearly Australian.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

Kablemodem said:


> I think you are confusing him with the host of the show you linked. He is clearly Australian.


You're effing with her, right?

The host, Craig Ferguson, is Scottish, and Hugh Laurie is a Brit.

No one there is an Australian.


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## Kablemodem (May 26, 2001)

busyba said:


> You're effing with her, right?
> 
> The host, Craig Ferguson, is Scottish, and Hugh Laurie is a Brit.
> 
> No one there is an Australian.


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## vikingguy (Aug 12, 2005)

I thought the episode was a home run. The whole siri sub plot made me pause the dvr more than once because I was laughing so hard. When kripse was trying to use siri I lost it. I have my own issue with voice reconition and could relate lol.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Hank said:


> It's a real affliction called "Gliding of Liquids"


I didn't check out your link (yet?), but that's interesting to know.

I also learned what a "Sibilant S" is, from Adam Arkin on "Chicago Hope". (I think Mandy Patinkin's character was making fun of his "lisp", and Arkin's character corrected him.)

Who says you can't learn anything from TV??


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

busyba said:


> Come on... how can you possibly have a plot that centers around a piece of voice-recognition software, and then not write a scene including your recurring character with a speech impediment? Seriously.
> 
> Sometimes, even the obvious joke still needs to be told.


Of course. So obvious that we would be screaming here if it weren't done.

Does remind me of an early episode (maybe first) of the Osbournes when Ozzie couldn't get the VR system in his new car to work.


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## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

TonyD79 said:


> Of course. So obvious that we would be screaming here if it weren't done.


Exactly!


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## betts4 (Dec 27, 2005)

I think I knew the episode was a hit when my extremely mundane older brother called me and we were talking and he mentions that he just started watching BBT. I was surprised and he said "and that stuff with the Indian dude and Siri was hysterical". He said his son-in-law got him to watch the show and he likes it. I was pleased...we now have something to talk about!


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Hank said:


> It's a real affliction called "Gliding of Liquids"
> 
> see: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Speech-Disorders-987/r-w-l-w.htm
> 
> Although the actor doesn't actually have it -- see: http://johnrossbowie.livejournal.com/141597.html


Yes, Hank, I know that it is a real affliction, and it has been established that the actor doesn't have it.

My question was, does the character really have it, or is the character putting it on as an affectation (as the article you cited mentions, some posh Brits lisp as an affectation).

Maybe this question is too 'meta' for anyone but linguists.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Ok.. I think in the world of science geeks and phd level academia, it's definitely NOT an affectation.


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## Cearbhaill (Aug 1, 2004)

murgatroyd said:


> Yes, Hank, I know that it is a real affliction, and it has been established that the actor doesn't have it.
> 
> My question was, does the character really have it, or is the character putting it on as an affectation (as the article you cited mentions, some posh Brits lisp as an affectation).
> 
> Maybe this question is too 'meta' for anyone but linguists.


I can't even begin to fathom anyone, even Kripke, "putting on" this magnitude of speech impediment. Posh Brits dropping their r's are one thing but setting yourself up for relentless ridicule seems quite another.
Why would he?

I say it's a problem he's had since he began speaking.


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## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

photoshopgrl said:


> Oh well hell. Damn you TiVo'Brien. You got me all screwed up. Of course I know he's British not Australian. I'm at work so you get about 50% of my attention here.


 Sorry 'bout that. He sounds Australian to me!


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## Hunter Green (Feb 22, 2002)

No, that's not him, it's the rabbit!


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

murgatroyd said:


> ...Maybe this question is too 'meta' for anyone but linguists.


...even for cunning linguists?.....


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

LMAO Bierboy.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Cearbhaill said:


> I say it's a problem he's had since he began speaking.


I've been looking for an in to relate this story, and here it is. 

My daughter has trouble with her r's, but not as badly as Kripke. She was in speech therapy for it until this past year when they seemed her r's to be proper (they're not). She's 7.

I was watching TBBT a few weeks ago, and she heard Kripke (it was a S3 ep). She looked at me and said, "He never had speech class when he was little. How sad!"

Good ol' Kripke. 

Greg


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

gchance said:


> My daughter has trouble with her r's, but not as badly as Kripke. She was in speech therapy for it until this past year when they seemed her r's to be proper (they're not). She's 7.


Do you mean 'deemed'?


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

mattack said:


> Do you mean 'deemed'?


Yeah, iPhone autocorrect. 

Greg


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

gchance said:


> Yeah, iPhone autocorrect.
> 
> Greg


Hahaha. Best autocorrect for me was I was trying to type "sensible post" on a forum and it came out "sensual post"


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## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

gchance said:


> I was watching TBBT a few weeks ago, and she heard Kripke (it was a S3 ep). She looked at me and said, "He never had speech class when he was little. How sad!"


The expert has spoken. 

I yield to her superior expertise.


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

TonyD79 said:


> Hahaha. Best autocorrect for me was I was trying to type "sensible post" on a forum and it came out "sensual post"


Oh, you referring to Bierboys' 
"...even for cunning linguists?..... " post?

I somehow missed this episode and only caught the last half. I hope my gurlie friends' Tivo recorded it at her house so I can watch it tomorrow when I go to cat sit.

I loved all the threads of this episode that I have seen so far. ( I missed the first part )


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Holy thread-bump, Batman!


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