# Revenge of the Nerds (1984 Comedy) - What crime did Lewis commit with Betty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906 "2018-09-25T18:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/21 "2018-09-26T23:04:13Z")
Pretty much it’s an illegal wiretap to install those cameras, burglary or at least criminal trespass to go in and install them, the pie pictures might fall under the revenge porn laws now days, many states have laws against taking a nude picture of someone without their knowledge (in an area they have an expectation of privacy) and in several states sexual assault. But it’s just a movie. And it’s enjoyable to watch horrible people get their just desserts. Just don’t do this stuff at home (or college), kiddies. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/22 "2018-09-26T23:21:43Z")
Harder question, while Revenge of the Nerds is indefensible, how do we justify the Lamp shading for contemporary shows like the Big Bang Theory today? Misogyny and racism are still tolerated still use the nerd trope and canned laughter to let the writers off the hook. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/23 "2018-09-26T23:56:29Z")
I’ve only seen like five minutes of TBBT and I’d like them back, so I can’t answer. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/24 "2018-09-27T00:44:50Z")
If the fictional university was in Michigan the relevant charge for the deception would be Criminal Sexual Conduct in the first degree. It’s really hard to have universal discussions since the terms used in normal conversation have differing or even nonexistent legal definitions. Michigan, the state I lived in longest, doesn’t have the crimes of rape, sexual assault, sexual battery or statutory rape. Sexual assault does have a broad legal definition in the criminal code. It is not a criminal charge, though. Instead, there are four classes of Criminal Sexual Conduct that can be charged to cover the gamut. Deception is one of the other elements that combined with penetration pushes it to the most serious charge. It falls under “(v) When the actor, through\*\* concealment\*\* or by the element of surprise, is able to overcome the victim.” in the [code](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(0g1ikbdwcbx3eefpsaqtjlfv))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-750-520b). The concealment of identity is just as much “force or coercion” as using actual physical force in Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/25 "2018-09-27T00:48:08Z")
Does that mean concealment of identity, though, or just hiding? ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/26 "2018-09-27T01:14:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Does that mean concealment of identity, though, or just hiding? It’s used to include concealment of identity. IANAL or law enforcement but I spent many years as part of a volunteer crisis center in Michigan that also provided free short-term counseling for survivors of sexual assault. I was never part of our sexual assault counseling staff but I held various elected positions representing the whole center. That includes one that had responsibilities closest to CEO in most people’s thoughts. That experience gave me more than typical exposure. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/27 "2018-09-27T14:41:40Z")
> [@Reindeer\_Flotilla](#): > > Obligatory relevant Robot Chicken clip, link spoilered for potential content: > > [Robot Chicken: Revenge of the Nerds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9D3FQlekrM) Awesome choice. I’ve referenced this before. Notice how this “progressive” clip highlights their crimes and their punishment. Notice, however, how Lamar relishes the idea of prison time – happy rape time bonus for the gay male. :smack: Since everything is always going to be viewed through the eyes of contemporary society, maybe we call all just decide to lighten up and ignore this crap. Or just be outraged at everything. Your choice. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/28 "2018-09-27T15:14:31Z")
Or you know, you could acknowledge that it’s easier to ignore this crap if you’re a straight male and harder to ignore if you are likely to be the victim in these incidents. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/29 "2018-09-27T15:50:57Z")
Also, don’t you think there is value in unpacking why rape was a source of mirth in mainstream American culture in the 1980s? I would think that a site dedicated to fighting ignorance would be interested in unpacking what exactly is funny about raping women because they are dismissive of the protagonists. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/30 "2018-09-27T16:23:50Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, don’t you think there is value in unpacking why rape was a source of mirth in mainstream American culture in the 1980s? I would think that a site dedicated to fighting ignorance would be interested in unpacking what exactly is funny about raping women because they are dismissive of the protagonists. It’s an interesting question, coming as it did along with the return of the alpha male in business and society (“Greed is good!”), supply-side economics, deregulation, and virtual collapse of the civil rights movement as a (quasi-)organized social force in politics, along with nostalgia of a mythological past of the post-WWII era. I don’t have a clear hypothesis beyond it being a part of the cycle of progressive social action being followed by regressive response. But certainly there is a lot of 'Eightes pop culture that is just painful to look at today, from _Ghostbusters_ to the resurgence of the “literary” oeuvre of Ayn Rand (“…stories of rapey heroes complaining about how nobody appreciates their true genius.”) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/31 "2018-09-27T16:37:39Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, don’t you think there is value in unpacking why rape was a source of mirth in mainstream American culture in the 1980s? I would think that a site dedicated to fighting ignorance would be interested in unpacking what exactly is funny about raping women because they are dismissive of the protagonists. I’d rather [unpack unpack](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/unpacking-the-word-unpack). ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/32 "2018-09-27T16:45:56Z")
And perpetuate the rape culture. We would have also accepted “lighten up Francis.” ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/33 "2018-09-27T23:09:05Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > And perpetuate the rape culture. We would have also accepted “lighten up Francis.” Really. There are only 24 examples in all of human culture that need to be purged from existence – easy peasy. [https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword?keywords=rape-by-deception](https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword?keywords=rape-by-deception) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/34 "2018-09-28T01:04:35Z")
What it comes down to is that people want to think that they’re good people, but good people don’t perpetuate rape culture, so when you point out that I movie or show reinforces rape culture people have to shut the conversation down. Often by mocking the person making the observation as being humorless or to derail the conversation with side criticism. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/35 "2018-09-28T07:32:12Z")
“Revenge Of The Nerds has so much rape culture, you could use it to make rape yogurt.” [Full article](https://goodmenproject.com/arts/how-revenge-of-the-nerds-ruined-my-life/http://) ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/36 "2018-09-28T08:00:38Z")
Come for the rape culture. Stay for the Cartesian dualism. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/37 "2018-09-28T08:26:17Z")
If you are really good at rape sometimes you can actually turn it into not rape. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjFuN00yGzI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjFuN00yGzI) ---
**Author:** ![ebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@ebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ebb)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/38 "2018-09-28T14:59:05Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > “Revenge Of The Nerds has so much rape culture, you could use it to make rape yogurt.” > > [Full article](https://goodmenproject.com/arts/how-revenge-of-the-nerds-ruined-my-life/http://) Your link’s broken. Try this one: > **[How Revenge Of The Nerds Ruined My Life](https://goodmenproject.com/arts/how-revenge-of-the-nerds-ruined-my-life/)** > > If you think your only two choices are to be a nerd or a jock, writes Noah Brand, you are doomed from the start. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/39 "2018-09-28T15:25:32Z")
Natural rape is extremely high in erucic acid, which is supposed to be bad for you. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906/40 "2018-09-28T16:03:03Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Also, don’t you think there is value in unpacking why rape was a source of mirth in mainstream American culture in the 1980s? I would think that a site dedicated to fighting ignorance would be interested in unpacking what exactly is funny about raping women because they are dismissive of the protagonists. The movie is called Revenge of the Nerds, not Nice Things Done by Nerds. By having sex with the main antagonist’s girlfriend and being so much better at it than him, Lewis emasculates the rival thus gaining revenge for the previous humiliations. In this particular case Betty is not harmed in that she dumps the mean boyfriend who neglects her and finds a new love who loves her too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/revenge-of-the-nerds-1984-comedy-what-crime-did-lewis-commit-with-betty/821906.md?page=3)