TV Quote of the Day (‘The Big Bang Theory,’ on the Jar-Jar Binks of the Hofstadters)

(The friends have been talking about Leonard Hofstadter’s family—including his intimidatingly brilliant professor mother.)

Sheldon Cooper (played by Jim Parsons): “Leonard, I had no idea your siblings were so much more successful than you.”

Raj Koothrappali (played by Kunal Nayyar): “Yeah, you're like the Jar-Jar Binks of the Hofstadter family.”

Howard Wolowitz (played by Simon Helberg): [Imitating Jar-jar] “Oh, meesa think yousa lookin' so-so sad.”

Leonard Hofstadter (played by Johnny Galecki): “You know, rather than mock me, my friends might realize that this is difficult and try to help me through it.”

Raj: “Nope, I think mocking you is more fun.”

Howard: [imitating JarJar] “Next time, don't yousa bring momma to work, Okee-day?”

[Raj and Howard laugh]

Leonard: [Leonard's mother, Beverly—played by Christine Baranski--comes back from a visit to the bathroom.] “That was fast.”…

Beverly: “So where were we?”

Leonard: [to his mother] “Howard lives with his mother, and Raj can't speak to women unless he's drunk. Go!”

Beverly: “Well, that's fascinating. Selective mutism is quite rare. On the other hand, an adult Jewish male living with his mother is so common it borders on sociological cliché.”

Howard [sheepishly]: “It's just temporary, I pay rent.”

Leonard: “He lives in the same room where his bassinet was.”

Beverly: “You know, both selective mutism and an inability to separate from one's mother can stem from a pathological fear of women. It might explain why the two of you have created an ersatz homosexual marriage to satisfy your need for intimacy.”

Howard: “Say what?”

[Raj whispers in Howard's ear]

Howard: “That's basically what I just said!”

Leonard: [to Raj] “You brought your husband to work, you know the rules.[imitating JarJar.] Meesa thinkin' yousa lookin' pretty sad now too, betcha betcha.”—The Big Bang Theory, Season 2, Episode 15, “The Maternal Capacitance,” air date February 9, 2009, story by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, teleplay by Richard Rosenstock and Steven Molaro, directed by Mark Cendrowski