# The Big Bang Theory, April 4, 2013 -- "The Tenure Turbulence" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888 "2013-04-05T02:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/21 "2013-04-05T17:37:12Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > So how does tenure work that was so far off? I didn’t see where they indicated how tenure worked except to say there was a committee to determine who should be eligible. First, tenure is really only given to professors, which none of the characters are (they’re research scientists). Second, there’s not a limited number of tenure slots as implied. If you’re tenure track, you make it or you don’t. It doesn’t matter if someone else dies. Third, tenure is usually up or out. People that get tenure stay forever. People that don’t tend to go to another institution. Fourthy, tenure review usually comes up after a set period of time (at my alma mater, I believe it was 6 years). They have all been working there long enough to have hit that point. I think the writers assumed tenure was like being promoted to VP - it’s really nothing of the sort. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/22 "2013-04-05T17:44:58Z")
Which is strange, because the science advisers on the show would know about tenure. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/23 "2013-04-05T17:51:32Z")
I am not too concerned about the whole tenure thing because quite frankly their whole existence at the University is nonsense. Leonard would never have a full lab like he works in all to himself, at a minimum he would have research assistants. They normally would be spending half their time filling out research grant applications and worrying over them. There would be far more collaboration, they work far too much in isolation. But I don’t care about these things at all, because it doesn’t really matter toward trying to make the show funny. Last night was “meh with moments” and by moments I mean boobs. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/24 "2013-04-05T17:56:03Z")
maybe they only ask about science stuff. it is a word people would associate with universities. it got to show the social awkwardness of the guys. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/25 "2013-04-05T17:56:33Z")
In a world where Leonard nails Penny, tenure for a research scientist isn’t that much of a stretch. I’m beginning to like Kripke more, he makes me waff and waff. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/26 "2013-04-05T18:02:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This was a great episode about Penny’s boobs. Are you proposing a spin-off? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/27 "2013-04-05T18:11:51Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Are you proposing a spin-off? as in tassels? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/28 "2013-04-05T19:35:32Z")
Sheldon’s character was very slowly evolving, but it seems this season they’ve snapped him back to how he was in the beginning. Actually, he seems to be somewhat worse. In an interview last year Jim Parsons said he was rooting for Sheldon and Amy. But with how Sheldon is treating her lately I don’t really see that happening, unless the writers pull a 180 and Sheldon uncharacteristically shows true romantic feelings for her. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/29 "2013-04-05T20:13:46Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Sheldon’s character was very slowly evolving, but it seems this season they’ve snapped him back to how he was in the beginning. Actually, he seems to be somewhat worse. > > In an interview last year Jim Parsons said he was rooting for Sheldon and Amy. But with how Sheldon is treating her lately I don’t really see that happening, unless the writers pull a 180 and Sheldon uncharacteristically shows true romantic feelings for her. I think he has the feelings but like the rest of his feelings suppresses or ignores them most of the time. Even then he’ll only go through the non-optional social conventions associated with love. Amy’s solution is simple, get Sheldon drunk, tell him that they had sex and that she’s pregnant, and call Sheldon’s mom. They’ll be married in short order. Well that’s not really her problem, but getting Sheldon drunk may still be the solution. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/30 "2013-04-05T20:23:55Z")
It would be a big thing for Sheldon if Amy were to find someone else to be interested in. Cooper might be willing to give more of what Amy wants of him if he saw her drifting away. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/31 "2013-04-05T20:24:39Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > It would be a big thing for Sheldon if Amy were to find someone else to be interested in. Cooper might be willing to give more of what Amy wants of him if he saw her drifting away. That’s happened before. Mixed results. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/32 "2013-04-05T22:33:51Z")
AFF needs to get sick again, chest congestion again and then UTI. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/33 "2013-04-05T23:21:54Z")
It worked better with the original recipe; before the girls were added to make it Friends as played by Nerds. My solution would be for the present couples to break up, since they make each other shrill, and the settlement for the best chance of happiness would be: Sheldon/Bernadette Raj/Amy Leonard/Sheldon’s Assistant Alex Howard/Penny > [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m beginning to like Kripke more, he makes me waff and waff. Bawwy is one of the best characters. > [@RickG](#): > > I’m also finding the humor increasingly relying on misogynist stereotyping of women (and men). You missed: ‘A Chuck Lorre Production’ ? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/34 "2013-04-05T23:41:25Z")
I’m pretty incredulous about Sheldon’s complete lack of libido. Unless he has zero testosterone output, he’s still got a functioning prostate and testes which means that jiz is being made fresh daily and had to find it’s way out one way or the other (e.g., what used be euphemistically called ‘nocturnal emissions’). So as icky as Sheldon may find certain ideas, he still has first hand (hehehe) familiarity with at least some of the biology. The fact that they keep hyping the Sheldon-[cum](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cum)-android (couldn’t resist that one) aspect of the story is starting to wear bit thin for me. Question: I’ve known a few people who were researchers at universities. They had people working in their labs who were doctoral students, post-docs but also undergrads I think. Why wouldn’t that count as teaching for the purposes of tenure? These people were mainly acquaintances so I never knew a great deal about their personal or professional lives. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/35 "2013-04-06T00:31:42Z")
The first pilot episode had the two roommates returning from a sperm bank deposit, so Sheldon knows how to wank and does. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/36 "2013-04-06T00:40:05Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The first pilot episode had the two roommates returning from a sperm bank deposit, so Sheldon knows how to wank and does. Yes, except they never actually went through with it, so technically that’s debatable. I do happen to agree though, which makes the . . . IDK, ‘posturing’ I guess seem even more disingenuous - no? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/37 "2013-04-06T00:49:39Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Fourthy, tenure review usually comes up after a set period of time (at my alma mater, I believe it was 6 years). They have all been working there long enough to have hit that point. Fifthy, unless me experience with tenure committees is unusual, an HR person wouldn’t be on the committee and, if for some reason one ended up on the committee the academicians on the committee wouldn’t give a flying flip on that person’s opinion of the academic merit of the candidate. It didn’t really detract from my enjoyment or not of the show. It was just bizarre how completely uninformed the system appeared to be. I’d missed the cold open so didn’t see the set up and was confused at first that it appeared Leonard was surprised to learn he was tenure track (though perhaps justified since he has shown little evidence of teaching or publishing). Then I realized that no, apparently at Cal Tech, tenure is like a noble title. There can only be one Duke of Astrophysics at a time. > [@deltasigma](#): > > I’m pretty incredulous about Sheldon’s complete lack of libido. Unless he has zero testosterone output, he’s still got a functioning prostate and testes which means that jiz is being made fresh daily and had to find it’s way out one way or the other (e.g., what used be euphemistically called ‘nocturnal emissions’). Are you under the impression that if you don’t ejaculate eventually your testicles will explode from the accumulated sperm? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/38 "2013-04-06T01:03:17Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Are you under the impression that if you don’t ejaculate eventually your testicles will explode from the accumulated sperm? Apparently you are unfamiliar with basic human biology. Let me help you out. [Webmd](http://teens.webmd.com/boys/wet-dream-faq) > [@](#): > > Semen can build up inside your body. One way that semen gets released is with a wet dream. [Ayurvedic blog, but has more detail](http://blogs.rediff.com/allayurvedicremedies/2011/09/17/what-specifically-causes-nocturnal-emissions/) > [@](#): > > According to research, it is found that a man needs to ejaculate from time to time even when he is not sexually active. This condition usually occurs after reaching the maximum holding capacity of semen in the body of person. It can be also described as a natural way to release sexual tension. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/39 "2013-04-06T01:14:49Z")
> [@deltasigma](#): > > Yes, except they never actually went through with it, so technically that’s debatable. This is true, but Leonard did imply that Sheldon was a frequent wanker: - Leonard, I don’t think I can do this. What, are you kidding? You’re a semi-pro. - ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888/40 "2013-04-06T01:23:56Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > This is true, but Leonard did imply that Sheldon was a frequent wanker: > > - Leonard, I don’t think I can do this. > What, are you kidding? You’re a semi-pro. > - Whoa. Give me a moment to pay you due homage. [lays prostrate] But don’t you think they’ve deliberately down played that since then? I mean the jokes about the fist sisters and the like was mostly Wolowitz territory when they were all single. Raj and Leonard got a few in here and there. But Sheldon? Never that I recall, except maybe as in that joke by implication. But even then, it was rare wasn’t it? Or is my memory just shit? (yes, I’ll just go ahead and preemptively check the second box. ☹ ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-april-4-2013-the-tenure-turbulence/654888.md?page=3)