# The goggles! They do nothing! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500 "2005-03-14T19:13:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/1 "2005-03-14T19:13:56Z")
What’s that from? ---
**Author:** ![Chastain86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Chastain86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chastain86)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/2 "2005-03-14T19:18:44Z")
The Simpsons. There’s an episode where Milhouse gets the part of Fallout Boy in a big-screen “Radioactive Man” movie. During filming, Rainier Wolfcastle (who is playing “Radioactive Man”) has radioactive goop put in his face. He obviously expects the goggles he’s wearing to help, but…er, nope. Hence the line. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/3 "2005-03-14T19:19:05Z")
It’s from the simpsons. Reineer wolfcastle says it when he’s playing radioactive man. It’s in an episode where Milhouse ends up playing fallout boy. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/4 "2005-03-14T19:19:35Z")
It’s from the Simpsons, when Milhouse gets picked to be the sidekick of Radioactive Man for the movie version. In the scene, they release a vat of acid at Ranier Wolfcastle. Milhouse has skipped the set and doesn’t come to save the day. Our hero dons goggles as the acid rolls toward him, followed by the infamous quote. And yes, I’m a geek. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/5 "2005-03-14T19:29:56Z")
Oh, yeah! I’ve only seen that one once. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/6 "2005-03-14T19:31:02Z")
Aha! They’re 1920’s style simulposts from 1960! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/7 "2005-03-14T19:34:45Z")
It’s a big tent. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/8 "2005-03-14T19:44:38Z")
Why didn’t the OP just do a search? The googlws! They do nothing! ---
**Author:** ![klintypooh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3da27b/32.png) [@klintypooh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/klintypooh)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/9 "2005-03-14T19:49:47Z")
Isn’t this the episode where Ranier is dancing on the sand to a song I can’t quite remember, ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/10 "2005-03-14T20:47:24Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Why didn’t the OP just do a search? In his defence - it’s easy to google and find that the Simpsons character said it. It’s not so easy to tell whether that’s the _origin_ of the phrase, or if he was quoting some older source. I’ve been wondering the same and I’m glad he asked. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/11 "2005-03-14T20:50:32Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Why didn’t the OP just do a search? > > The googlws! They do nothing! Now, is that a special form of Godwin’s Law? Either way, **Bippy** has been punished. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/12 "2005-03-14T20:57:46Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > In his defence - it’s easy to google and find that the Simpsons character said it. It’s not so easy to tell whether that’s the _origin_ of the phrase, or if he was quoting some older source. I’ve been wondering the same and I’m glad he asked. I almost responded to **Bippy** , since I did do a search of ‘goggles’ on SDMB. Since there were more than 300 hits and I have a cold, I thought it would be easier to just ask than to slog through the list. But then I realised that **Bippy** was being funny. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/13 "2005-03-14T21:13:34Z")
The first time I saw it I was watching Futurama and the old scientist said it. Later I caught a re-run of the Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/14 "2005-03-14T21:18:42Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > In his defence - it’s easy to google and find that the Simpsons character said it. It’s not so easy to tell whether that’s the _origin_ of the phrase, or if he was quoting some older source. I’ve been wondering the same and I’m glad he asked. I’m not certain, but isn’t there a similar line in an episode of Star Trek? There was an alien that drove people insane when they looked at him, Spock could look at him as long as he was wearing goggles. The alien lived in a box and was carried around by a blind woman. I’m sure someone remembers the episode better than I do and can confirm if the line or similar is in there. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/15 "2005-03-14T21:35:08Z")
What adds to the humor is the director prior to the big stunt informing everyone to put on their goggles. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/16 "2005-03-14T22:08:58Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Now, is that a special form of Godwin’s Law? Either way, **Bippy** has been punished. Well I was partying till 6.00 AM Sunday. So my brian isn’t warking too well. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/17 "2005-03-14T22:45:30Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Well I was partying till 6.00 AM Sunday. So my brian isn’t warking too well. Make sure brian gets enough sleep in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/18 "2005-03-14T23:25:43Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > I’m not certain, but isn’t there a similar line in an episode of Star Trek? The episode you describe is “Is there in Truth No Beauty,” featuring a smokin’ Diana Muldaur as the woman carrying the alien in a box. I do not recall anyone saying the line, though it’s been years since I’ve seen the episode. I doubt it, though – for one thing, it’d be straining even the Star Trek audience’s ability to ignore flimsy props to refer to the strip of red cellophane as “goggles.” –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/19 "2005-03-14T23:31:05Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > The first time I saw it I was watching Futurama and the old scientist said it. Any idea which episode? I’m surprised I’ve not caught that before. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500/20 "2005-03-15T14:02:58Z")
I’m not certain. I was watching it late at night on the Cartoon Chanel. I don’t think I even watched the entire episode. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goggles-they-do-nothing/294500.md?page=2)