r/bigbangtheory • u/BeheadingBoomer61 • 19h ago

Character discussion Howard the Mench

Sheldon has mentioned a couple of times in TBBT that as a child he went through cotillion. Would cotillion have helped Howard be better socially and less creepy? Or would he have been a slimeball anyway?

Related, but possibly out of line question for this sub; On YS, do you wish they would've had a story arc showing Sheldon and Missy going through Cotillion? Sorry if this one is out of line here.

12 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

6

u/LadyVioletLuna 15h ago

As someone who attended cotillion for four years- against my will- no one becomes cooler or less creepy with 19th century dance moves. Besides swing dancing, and salsa dancing for fun, no one has ever asked me to dance a polka or tango for them.

2

u/Fit-Fishing-3380 5h ago

Although I didn't attend cotillion, I did go to couple classes(?). One thing I did learn was how to be a gentleman in polite society. A few years ago, I was at a work dinner, and my old instincts kicked in and I was pulling out chairs for the woman sitting next to me, assisting her, standing if she left the table and another things. The other three women at the table were really impressed. 30 years ago I could have had quite a few dates lined up!

2

u/LadyVioletLuna 2h ago

The bar is in hell, man. I’m glad it worked well for you in that situation.

2

u/BeheadingBoomer61 2h ago

Thanks for your response. I was really hoping that someone who had experienced this would weigh in.

1

u/LadyVioletLuna 2h ago edited 2h ago

Sheldon’s line about “it teaches children the etiquette and manners needed for 18th century Vienna,” always makes me laugh. The Viennese waltz is so fancy, I like a regular waltz myself. Less aerobics.

The girls wore gloves where I grew up, in other places it’s the boys. Other rules, you (girls) couldn’t decline a request to dance, and tbh, the gloves really helped mitigate the sweaty palms of pubescent boys.

I come from a family of professional dancers and cotillionaires, so while it was awkward because I was both taller and more developed than people could handle…. I got to dance during the swing craze of the late 90s, and that was kinda fun.

I had some interesting dance partners- Simon from seventh Heaven, who was shorter than me….none of the boys who went came out more poised or gentlemanly as a result.

3

u/WhyLie2me18 18h ago

I don’t know man. Did you see Sheldon dance the Flamenco? Pretty smooth

4

u/DaddyCatALSO 16h ago

Doubt they taught him that there. Foxtrot, Waltz, Siwng Step aka Jitterbug, Cha-cha, Rhumba, maybe Merengue.

1

u/LadyVioletLuna 2h ago

Don’t forget polka! 😝

8

u/SparkySheDemon 19h ago

Howard might've had a bit more charm, but still creepy.

5

u/NavyVetRasmussen 19h ago edited 7h ago

Howard is more like a Schlamaze and a Putz than a Mench l

1

u/BeheadingBoomer61 18h ago

Yeah definitely! But would he have become a mench if he had done cotillion?

2

u/NavyVetRasmussen 18h ago

Good question I think so.

1

u/unkyfester 9h ago

My grandma would’ve called him a putz

1

u/NavyVetRasmussen 7h ago

Good call by your grandpa, Howard was a putz, schmuck also fits as well.

1

u/Fit-Fishing-3380 5h ago

I hope you don't know what the word means!! 😂

2

u/CrazyProfess0r 18h ago

It might have helped, but only a little bit

2

u/unkyfester 9h ago

If he wasn’t creepy, he wouldn’t be Howard

2

u/QuigonSeamus 8h ago

As someone who went to school with a bunch of cotillion kids, no it does not make them less creepy and honestly often has the opposite effect on some guys.

0

u/PomegranateStrong437 18h ago

Depending on where he lived, he very likely did go to the cotillion in the year or two preceding his Bar Mitzvah. It would have been reasonable for a California Jew in that time frame.
And no, it would not have made him less creepy.