Having run into these in Baldur’s Gate II, I’ve often wondered who the heck they were. I can’t have every bit of pop culture under my belt! And the other day I actually found myself referring to them iin a joke…and the other person laughed, even though I didn’t really know what I was talking about.
Upon googling I found some stuff about a Bob Newhart show in the 80’s? God I must really sound like a rube, but I barely know who Bob Newhart is.
Any Dopers care to enlighten me? Was it a show? Why are they funny? And why are they referenced in BG?
Larry was the only one who spoke and he always said “Hi, I’m Larry and this is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl.” He introduced themselves pretty much everytime they appeared.
They were three yokel brothers in the (very surrealistic) 80’s Newhart show. Originally one-off characters, they struck such a chord that they were written into the show as the owners of the restaurant next door to the Newhart character’s inn. Larry was the spokesman. Darryl and Darryl never spoke except in the classic final episode. No matter how many times Larry met you, he always started off by saying “Hello. I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl and this is my other brother Darryl.” Although good hearted, they obviously lived a strange, strange life, and clubbed weasel was their idea of good eatin’.
Why they’re in BG, I couldn’t say, other than the fact of how freakin’ cool they are.
Although “Newhart” didn’t get the ratings that a show like “Cheers” did, I think it was better written on the whole. And this series had the hands-down best “Final Episode” ever done. If it ever becomes available on DVD, I’d definitely Netlix 'em.
I think the one that put me on the floor was when Larry only showed up with one Darryl. He said
“Hi my name is Larry (pause) and this is my other brother Darryl.”
I think one of the Darryls spoke in one other episode when the brothers found out (or thought they found out) that Darryl was the oldest, not Larry.
It was weird. When it first came out, it was a real snoozer. I watched maybe 3 episodes and gave up on it. I accidentally tuned in years later, and found it to be the funniest thing I’d ever seen. When Michael went crazy then became a guru, that was when the show was at its peak.
I loved the two guys who always were together, where one would say something tactfully, and the other would repeat it tactlessly.
They must have done more with the characters than simply the Newhart show, because I never, ever watched it, and I saw 'em. Did they do commercials or something?
Often when watching My Name Is Earl, I think the Hickey boys owe at least a passing nod to Larry, Darryl and Darryl. Not only because of their “bear claw” moments, but the cadence and pacing of the monologue seems rather Larryish, although not quite as monotone.
Weren’t the brothers claiming to be best freinds with Johnny Carson, which cause Bob to chide them for telling tall tales, then to have Johnny Carson show up at the hotel and threaten him?
“Surrealistic” is a particularly apt way to describe it.
In the late 1980s my friend Manfred had two roommates, both named Jeff. When the three went out together he’d often introduce them all with “Hi, I’m Manfred. This is my roommate Jeff, and this is my other roommate Jeff.”
Well, thank you all. The one about showing up with only one and saying “This is my other brother Darryl” even made me chuckle. I can see the humor there.
So what exactly did they do?
As to BG, I forget the roles they were in exactly. I mean, a bit part, but it was amusing.
They were 3 kobold adventurers, if I recall correctly. You could get them to give you their autograph if you used the right conversation path. I don’t think they had anything useful on them if you killed them.