# Why is this Joke funny? (The Big Bang Theory) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029 "2012-08-29T13:55:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [August 29, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/1 "2012-08-29T13:55:43Z")
Kayla and I were watching a rerun of _The Big Bang Theory_ last night. The guys were sitting around the apartment discussing who id the bravest person in the Marvel Universe. Raj said, “whoever does She-Hulk’s bikini waxing.” This got a laugh from the audience. Then Howard said “Captain America’s undocumented Mexican gardener,” and got a big laugh. Kayla turned to me and said, “Why is that funny?” And I had no answer. :eek: I’m her FATHER, and I couldn’t answer a SIMPLE question for my child! :smack: I felt like a failure as a man. ☹ (NOTE: I did feel a LITTLE better when I said “Go ask your mother,” but not very much) I contemplated going with “Because Captain America is such a law-abiding do-gooder that he would deport the gardener personally,” but that seemed like a bit of a stretch, even for a joke by Howard. So, I know we have at least one Hollywood writer on the Dope, and we have even more Marvel Comics readers. Why was that joke [del]funny[/del] a joke? TIA. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/2 "2012-08-29T13:59:37Z")
Probably because Captain America is such a paragon of justice he would NEVER allow an undocumented Mexican gardener? ---
**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 29, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/3 "2012-08-29T14:10:47Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I contemplated going with “Because Captain America is such a law-abiding do-gooder that he would deport the gardener personally,” but that seemed like a bit of a stretch, even for a joke by Howard. You got it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/4 "2012-08-29T14:16:16Z")
The writers of the show probably never read Captain America comics, but ASSUMED (wrongly) that Cap is a super-patriotic, ultra-nationalistic vigilante who would hate Mexicans and personally grab all illegal aliens and throw them back over the Rio Grande. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/5 "2012-08-29T14:19:15Z")
_Anything_ can be funny if you have a laugh track. ::canned laughter:: ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/6 "2012-08-29T14:20:54Z")
Neither of those jokes are even remotely funny. She-Hulk is pretty much invulnerable; I doubt she would feel anything at all from being waxed. Even if she did, why would she have any worse a reaction than any other normal woman? (I’m making the assumption that women who undergo the procedure do not consider it _unbearably_ painful.) So a gardener working illegally in the US would have to be incredibly brave, on a (Marvel) universal scale to accept employ from Captain America? Not funny. I’m glad I don’t watch this show. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/7 "2012-08-29T14:22:50Z")
We’re glad you don’t watch it either. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/8 "2012-08-29T14:25:54Z")
Thank you for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/9 "2012-08-29T14:29:18Z")
No thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/10 "2012-08-29T14:31:19Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > Neither of those jokes are even remotely funny. > > She-Hulk is pretty much invulnerable; I doubt she would feel anything at all from being waxed. Even if she did, why would she have any worse a reaction than any other normal woman? (I’m making the assumption that women who undergo the procedure do not consider it _unbearably_ painful.) > > So a gardener working illegally in the US would have to be incredibly brave, on a (Marvel) universal scale to accept employ from Captain America? Not funny. > > I’m glad I don’t watch this show. Wow, you’re a tough sell. I think both of those jokes are funny when you imagine the superhero behaving like a normal human. IOW if you bikini wax She Hulk, but she behaves like you imagine an ordinary woman could react then it’s funny because of the hilarity that ensues. The Captain America is funny for similar reasons. For one, thinking about the absurdity of Captain America hiring a gardener, let alone an illegal one. Then if he discovers it… uh oh. more wackiness undoubtedly ensues. It’s the situation that’s funny; not “In real life how would a super hero react?” ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/11 "2012-08-29T14:31:26Z")
My pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/12 "2012-08-29T14:33:27Z")
Yeah, we don’t tolerate undocumented Latverians here! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/13 "2012-08-29T14:41:21Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Wow, you’re a tough sell. I think both of those jokes are funny when you imagine the superhero behaving like a normal human. IOW if you bikini wax She Hulk, but she behaves like you imagine an ordinary woman could react then it’s funny because of the hilarity that ensues. > The Captain America is funny for similar reasons. For one, thinking about the absurdity of Captain America hiring a gardener, let alone an illegal one. Then if he discovers it… uh oh. more wackiness undoubtedly ensues. > > It’s the situation that’s funny; not “In real life how would a super hero react?” I suppose if one is completely horrified at the prospect of the immense pain involved with bikini waxing, and the utterly incredible outburst of violence expected of an “ordinary woman” (otherwise why bother with the She-Hulk reference?), then the hilarity of the situation and the assumed bravery involved in administering said procedure is clear. I concede this to you. Captain America needing a gardener? Har-de-har. Why not an accountant? Why not a motorcycle mechanic? Oh, that’s right, because there is much more humour to be found in the stereotype that Mexicans are more apt to be employed in a menial labour setting. I also concede this to you. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/14 "2012-08-29T14:42:43Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Yeah, we don’t tolerate undocumented Latverians here! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/15 "2012-08-29T15:16:41Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Wow, you’re a tough sell. I think both of those jokes are funny when you imagine the superhero behaving like a normal human . . . There’s a Shortpacked! comic about that. [Batman is comedy gold.](http://www.shortpacked.com/2005/comic/book-1-brings-back-the-80s/02-one-upmanship/a-25/) ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/16 "2012-08-29T15:29:21Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > _Anything_ can be funny if you have a laugh track. ::canned laughter:: I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/17 "2012-08-29T15:37:15Z")
I’m having trouble believing this is the real Dr. Doom. He hasn’t once referred to himself in the third person. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/18 "2012-08-29T16:14:36Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Wow, you’re a tough sell. I think both of those jokes are funny when you imagine the superhero behaving like a normal human. IOW if you bikini wax She Hulk, but she behaves like you imagine an ordinary woman could react then it’s funny because of the hilarity that ensues. > The Captain America is funny for similar reasons. For one, thinking about the absurdity of Captain America hiring a gardener, let alone an illegal one. Then if he discovers it… uh oh. more wackiness undoubtedly ensues. > > It’s the situation that’s funny; not “In real life how would a super hero react?” To be fair, **Dr\_Doom** ’s comment \*is \*pretty funny if you read it in Sheldon’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/19 "2012-08-29T16:23:32Z")
Dr Doom: > [@](#): > > She-Hulk is pretty much invulnerable; I doubt she would feel anything at all from being waxed. I don’t think the invulnerability applies here. Her skin is impenetrable, but she probably still has nerve endings and pain receptors, and I imagine that pulling out hairs will cause those to react. (Unless her follicles are invulnerable and make her hair un-pluckable? But generally, yanking on hair is painful even when it’s unsuccessful.) > [@](#): > > Even if she did, why would she have any worse a reaction than any other normal woman? Because if she’s unhappy with the sensation, she can punch you through a wall. Whereas the worst a normal woman could do would be less deadly. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029/20 "2012-08-30T00:05:50Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > To be fair, **Dr\_Doom** ’s comment \*is \*pretty funny if you read it in Sheldon’s voice. You win the thread! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-joke-funny-the-big-bang-theory/633029.md?page=2)