# Dr. Bunsen Goebbels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 6, 2002, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606 "2002-07-06T06:28:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/1 "2002-07-06T06:28:48Z")
I seem to remember a Muppet Show sketch wherein Dr. Bunsen Honeydew had created edible paper clips. Naturally, he wanted Beaker to be the test subject. Now, the way I remember it, Bunsen described his new invention, then plunked down the bowl of paper clips and said, “Beaker, eat these paper clips!” Frantic head shaking and meeping. “Beaker, **eat** those paper clips!” Beaker shoves double handfuls into his mouth, still twitching and screebling. “Aren’t they good, Beaker?” Screech as paperclips fall from Beaker’s mouth. If that’s really the way it happened, that’s awful! That reduces Beaker from the level of a lab **assistant** , who has the choice of whether or not to sample the product (even if refusing means his job, it’s still a choice) to a lab **animal** , who can be ordered to ingest something that might be dangerous without being informed of the possible risk! Beaker seems to be an employee, not a commodity: he wears a lab coat and performs tasks. So does this make Honeydew a sadist? I’d be okay with this scenario if Beaker had been able to agree instead of simply being ordered. Or am I remembering this wrongly? ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/2 "2002-07-06T12:24:13Z")
Yes, but he was always so certain that his inventions were the most wonderful thing in the world, he was doing Beaker a favor by ‘letting’ him always be the first to try them out. 😃 But yeah, I always felt sorry for the skinny guy. All the more so when I got tagged with the nickname “Beaker” in Jr. High. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/3 "2002-07-06T17:17:12Z")
You’re correct- Bunsen Honeydew routinely blew up Beaker, caused him unending pain, and tortured him mercilessly, all in the name of science. That’s why Beaker was so twitchy. Good stuff, man. Good stuff! Zette ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/4 "2002-07-06T19:25:40Z")
Don’t forget the electric Hammer that pounded Beaker mercilessly, and the time beaker got caught in the copy machine and made 20 Beakers that chased down Dr. H! And who can forget the Leprachan Brothers: Beaker, Animal, and Swedish Chef in their own signing group! ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/5 "2002-07-06T21:30:43Z")
And don’t forget the nose-warmer that didn’t have air holes!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-bunsen-goebbels/117606/6 "2002-07-06T21:47:40Z")
Ai-ya!