# The Big Bang Theory - Sheldon - how the ..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981 "2012-05-15T12:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/121 "2012-05-25T17:26:53Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > [AFF] seems to love the characters, and the show, and also takes pride in the fact that they work hard to get geek culture and touchstones correct. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Which is a huge 180 from Sheldon, who uses interviews to pretend that he has no idea what any of this geek stuff is and how dare anyone assume he acts like Sheldon in real life. That might not be pretending. I heard that interview with Ms. Bialik, and she came out and said that she’s the only actor on the show who really _does_ “get” the nerd-culture aspects that are portrayed. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/122 "2012-08-02T21:43:06Z")
Has the show ever mentioned _why_ Sheldon doesn’t drive? I _like_ Sheldon, although I wouldn’t want to live with him. I would want to be able to get away from him. 😛 He’s like Data with an ego. He’s always defining his terms or establishing the rules of something, and I tend to be like that myself. When somebody has to talk him down from something (like Bernadette telling him why he has to get some sleep), it’s like an experiment: what do you have to say or do to get him to respond in the way that you want? But he’s honest and direct and plays by the rules, even if he can be childish. But they have to work on getting him to say “please” and “thank you” more often! I just hate to see these guys wasting so much money on comic books and all that plastic junk. They could be saving that money or giving it to charity or something. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/123 "2012-08-02T21:58:44Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Has the show ever mentioned _why_ Sheldon doesn’t drive? > … > I just hate to see these guys wasting so much money on comic books and all that plastic junk. They could be saving that money or giving it to charity or something. Sheldon doesn’t drive because he can’t. He’s tried to learn, but the skill eludes him. He sucks at MarioKart, ended up on the roof of a mall in a driving simulator, and got a three-point ticket when forced to drive Penny to the hospital. Spending money on comic books and trinkets is not wasting money. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/124 "2012-08-02T22:16:45Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > If I may take a slight detour off topic, as I’m new to the show. Question, why dose Penny hang around the guys? In the episodes I have seen she seems completely uninterested in science and even seems belittling of their work. I get the “she really is the smartest one for not being interested in geeky sciency stuff” vibe. Am I wrong? Is the series really making fun of science? She gets to be the queen bee, and they feed her ego. What I don’t get, is why, after knowing her for a while, they still want her around? Yeah, I get that she has a nice body. But she’s also stupid, and stupid people are boring. Howard did much better in getting Bernadette, who is smarter and is a scientist herself. Though in some episodes Penny is smarter, and more capable of learning, than in others. I also never got why Joey on Friends was supposed to be so sexy. Stupidity is the biggest turn-off. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/125 "2012-08-02T23:15:35Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > I just hate to see these guys wasting so much money on comic books and all that plastic junk. They could be saving that money or giving it to charity or something. Even with all that they spend there, the comic book store seems to be barely staying in business. Stuart is almost a charity. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/126 "2012-08-02T23:58:26Z")
I can tolerate the annoying parts of a Sheldon personality far better than other varieties of annoying. I can relate to him a bit, I guess, minus the genius part. I came late to this series, only having started to watch it in the last week or two. It’s the first series to make me laugh out loud heartily in a long time. This very morning I was watching the one where Penny was introduced to online gaming and is becoming addicted. I had to leave halfway through the episode because it was time for work and I can’t wait to get home to finish it. BTW, the laugh-out-loud part was when Leonard entered her online game as his avatar (huge, muscular and macho - har) and tried to reason with her, but got his head sliced off. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/127 "2012-08-02T23:58:59Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > …But she’s also stupid, and stupid people are boring. Howard did much better in getting Bernadette, who is smarter and is a scientist herself. > > Though in some episodes Penny is smarter, and more capable of learning, than in others. > … Penny isn’t stupid. She at worst ignorant, having gotten by on her looks for so long, but she’s sharp as a tack and quick thinking. Her expertise is social interactions, not science. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/128 "2012-08-03T00:55:51Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > BTW, the laugh-out-loud part was when Leonard entered her online game as his avatar (huge, muscular and macho - har) and tried to reason with her, but got his head sliced off. Good episode. Later in the episode, she encounters Howard inside the game for another amusing moment. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/129 "2012-08-03T01:06:52Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > In real life most people wouldn’t be friends with someone as obnoxious as Sheldon. This is a sitcom, not a documentary. > > In real life, Ricky would have murdered Lucy, the castaways would have killed Gilligan, The Clampetts would have become more sophisticated, Seinfeld would have locked his door and Andy would have fired Barney. These things didn’t happen because none of those shows we’re documentaries either. And Joey and Phoebe would’ve been boning each other blind. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/130 "2012-08-03T03:49:57Z")
Yeah, Penny is stupid only by comparison with the other main characters. As sitcom characters as a whole go, she’s on the smart side of average. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/131 "2012-08-03T13:03:31Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Has the show ever mentioned _why_ Sheldon doesn’t drive? Sheldon has a big mental blind spot when it comes to his abilities. This manifests itself in various ways. Either he thinks he can just be because he read (or could read) a book about it. Or that it’s beneath him and therefore doesn’t need to learn it. E.g., he claimed he could swim but only practiced on the floor of the apartment. That was good enough for him. He can avoid proving he can swim. But he can’t avoid proving that he can drive. So he does mental gymnastics to explain why he doesn’t need to. (As opposed to admitting that he can’t.) The show over time has been pushing him to towards admitting that he can’t. As to why he can’t drive, I think one of the key reasons is that it requires him to think outside of himself. About the motion of the car, the actions of other drivers, etc. These are difficult for a person with his mental condition. But I don’t think this is explicitly mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/132 "2012-08-03T13:17:53Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Has the show ever mentioned _why_ Sheldon doesn’t drive? My roommate in college (30 years ago) never learned to drive, and when I re-connected with him recently, I found out he _still_ doesn’t drive. This was a guy who was very smart, and not too socially awkward, but he was just terrified of driving. Just watch the episode where Sheldon has to drive Penny to the ER - he struggles to process all the steps required to drive (checking all the mirrors, seatbelt, traffic lights, etc.). For an OCD person like Sheldon, that might simply be too many sensory inputs to handle. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/133 "2012-08-03T14:14:09Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > She earns less than minimum wage, but it if she’s a good waitress, she can make good money in tips. And there has been mention of Leonard and/or Sheldon covering her rent a few times. As well as paying for her food a lot. Perhaps Leonard and Sheldon are still paying off student loans? ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/134 "2012-08-03T14:36:58Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/135 "2012-08-03T14:40:35Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > I just hate to see these guys wasting so much money on comic books and all that plastic junk. They could be saving that money or giving it to charity or something. Between the four of them they have 2 cars and a motor scooter. Compared to what guys spend on their cars they are actually quite thrifty. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/136 "2012-08-03T15:22:03Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Good episode. Later in the episode, she encounters Howard inside the game for another amusing moment. Which I missed because the DVR stopped recording a minute or two before the end! What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/137 "2012-08-03T16:05:06Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > As to why he can’t drive, I think one of the key reasons is that it requires him to think outside of himself. About the motion of the car, the actions of other drivers, etc. These are difficult for a person with his mental condition. But I don’t think this is explicitly mentioned. There’s definitely a reason for why he doesn’t drive… It’s been explicitly mentioned that he’s scared shitless being behind the wheel of a car. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/138 "2012-08-03T16:10:42Z")
Because they need a 4th for Halo night? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/139 "2012-08-03T16:29:54Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Which I missed because the DVR stopped recording a minute or two before the end! What happened? Howard’s avatar asks her if she wants to have sex, and she agrees… Which is when she rips of her headphones, closes the laptop, and realizes she’s **WAY** addicted to the game. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981/140 "2012-08-03T16:38:07Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Which I missed because the DVR stopped recording a minute or two before the end! What happened? Cued up for you (this video has all the inside-the-game scenes): [http://youtu.be/wQVGNW6zfdY?t=5m54s](http://youtu.be/wQVGNW6zfdY?t=5m53s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-bang-theory-sheldon-how-the/621981.md?page=8)