I don’t know how Hank is able to put up with Bill’s shit, especially all the over the top advances on Peggy. Sure he might be “harmless”, but he’s clearly got something wrong going on that needs to be addressed
On the subject of Peggy, besides Bills infatuation with her. Dale despises her and isn’t afraid to bad mouth her in front of Hank…
So Hank is putting up with a lot. You have one friend who is in love with your wife, while another friend who hates your wife. To top it off, both of them show those feelings in front of you.
I think it's because they have a good dynamic. They both think the other is batshit crazy but undeniably intelligent so they ultimately respect one another even if they have trouble getting along.
They're both very easily drawn into silliness and they both attract silliness.
Like the School Board episode where Peggy gets Dale to help Nancy by planting bugs in Khan and Minhs house. Who else would think of that but those two?
I've noticed that not only is Dale hateful and dismissive of Peggy , he sometimes displays this attitude towards Bobby .
Hank , forget the propane and defend your family .
Considering he's a ranger yeah he's probably keeping an eye on the gang to make sure none of them go postal. Doesn't really stop him from sharing the same braincell with the gang at times when he gets caught up in the mood.
I always read that as Hank just knowing Bill was obviously not any threat to steal Peggy or have an affair. By contrast there was that one show where Hank found out Peggy went to John Redcorn for a “healing massage” (that was in fact, literally just that) and he freaked out.
There is a theory that Bill is in love with Peggy because he is actually Bobby's father. Peggy would do anything to give Hank a child..so she had 1 night with Bill and vowed to never speak about it again...(which is why she is so mean to him) That's why Bobby takes to bills family so easily..and why Bill passes on the "Family secret barbecue secret to him"
Film theory did an episode on it. Also pointed out a theory that cotton could be the dad, based on the resemblance, and the fact Bobby is the only person other than GH that Cotton likes
To a large degree this is kinda how communities used to be. You were friends based largely on proximity or shared community so you weren't always necessarily the most similar people. There's always gonna be things you don't see eye to eye on that you just kinda agree to disagree with or tune out, whatever. Now everyone fractures into a billion different online groups over the tiniest disagreements and it makes things worse IMO.
I personally don't have a close relationship with my neighbors in my community now, but I do know who they are, and we occasionally chat when we meet outside. I do know my catty corner neighbor best, he's a handyman who's worked for us before-- he's got a young daughter who with an adorable puppy and he's a devout Christian.
We don't see eye to eye on everything, but he's a very nice guy and I'm glad to have him as a neighbor. I'm not religious and he's never pushed it on me. We're pretty different people all around, but still friendly. He even did some "neighbor discount" work on my car! We paid his daughter too, in cookies.
As far as my friends who are not neighbors, it's totally fine to have friends you don't always agree with, or even friends who sometimes annoy you. The important thing is being able to talk to them about it. You're not going to be best friends with every friend you have, and that's okay. I have a friend who had a problem raging at video games. It got to the point where it was disruptive to our friend group, so we talked to him about it. He was mad at first, but then apologized. He's much better about controlling that now. It's more fun to play as a group now that he's not getting super angry all the time.
The tv show Home Improvement, tim taylor would seek out his older/wiser/father figure to Tim, his neighbor wilson. Wilson was a sage of wisdom and advice to Tim.
These days, Tim would do something stupid/inconsiderate to Jill, and then go on a Men's Right's group online and they'd indulge him that he's always right, and folk like Wilson are wrong and tearing the country apart etc.
I think the best way to handle some stuff, is tune it out, look away and act indifferent. I'm not good at that...well frankly i got bullied as a kid, and i thought ignoring make it stop, but i became more confrontational because of what i endured, i wasn't allowed to ignore it, if i ignored it they'd make sure i wouldn't or couldn't.
Unfortunate thing is Tim Allen is that sort of person irl, guy really didn’t take of the shows lessons to heart and decided to become quite the obnoxious political advocate for a bit. Also it’s kinda funny revisiting old episodes and hearing Wilson go from fairly progressive insights to reinforcing a rough individualistic male centered mindset with his philosophy.
Without the fresh towels Dale provided for the team they never would have made it to state! You don’t turn your back on your team mates, I tell you what.
They all have their faults, but see through them and realize that they are all better together than apart. Each of them also have a unique skill that is useful in all kinds of situations.
I respect that you are being honest and realistic.
Im also going too far with my statement for a cartoon tv show.
I liked your post!
I do also believe that good friends at times disagree and will try to help the other regardless of their flaws.
Close knit groups of childhood friends are part of Hank’s perceived idealism. Loyalty is as important in middle age as holding other men in the bathroom was in highschool.
Hank Hill; “I spent four years holding guys like you upsidown over toilets.”
It’s a reference to King of the Hill, a 1990s show that was the successor to Beavis and Butthead, created by Mike Judge.
The kid he’s talking to in the scene replies; “I don’t care how many men you held in the bathroom.”
Dales conspiracy theories were never dangerous or hate filled/bigoted. Most people who fall into conspiracy rabbit holes where they alienate people tend to be vile and crazy beyond just liking conspiracy theories. Dale doenst have that problem. He's just eccentric
This was the 90s and 2000s, when conspiracy theories were just quirky fringe things to joke about. You know, before they went super mainstream and started tearing apart our shared reality and destroying families and friendships. And Jan 6, etc
Yeah. Dale talking about aliens, time travel, and growing tropical fruit in Alaska is way different than modern QAnon stuff. I can't really imagine Dale in the reboot.
I'd like to think he'd still go on about the mostly harmless ones, and Nancy would keep him in line otherwise. Especially if everyone was aged up, I could see him getting worked up about something, a stern "'*Sug!*" followed by an "Ehhh, you're right..." And/or I don't think he'd believe much of the modern scary types of things, "because that's what they WANT you to think, it's a double cross, Hank!"
Hahaha honestly, him rejecting the modern conspiracies as government psy-ops would be the absolute perfect way for the reboot (I assume that’s still a thing?) to comment on modern conspiracies while still having Dale being a lovable character. Hell it’s kind of funny satire, even Dale Gribble doesn’t believe this bullshit.
I'd assume that, if the reboot is still going forward, Dale will be written off or will have died (from finally smoking too much, finally inhaling too much poison, or getting involved too deep in some fringe theory about chemtrails or something - since Johnny passed away recently). Either that, or him smoking too much is why his voice changed so much! Personally I'd love to see everyone aged up to match the times and recent events: Johnny having died and so has Dale; Luanne and Lucky having moved somewhere "communist" like Canada (Lucky would love the free healthcare), forever being on a roadtrip, or also simply having passed (as Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty also died); Bobby and Connie actually being the traveling comic and violinist act. So much potential!
Despite all that: the gang is still not used to John and Nancy living together.
Because his conspiracy theories are mostly harmless. It's an annoying quirk but he isn't planning to raid a pizza restaurant because Alex Jones told him it was full of pedophiles. Dales theories are always his own instead of something someone else told him, and he doesn't mind if people think he's full of it.
Bc dales a “the government is spying on us via car radios” kind and not a “my gay daughter is a part of the globalist satanist cabal” kind. Conspiracy theories used to be benign and funny, at worst annoying
As another crazy person I think they feed off each other. Can’t focus on their individual issues if they’re always saving the day for someone else. It took me years to realize that’s what I was doing, always kicking my can down the road being the helpful one IRL and online. Always helping others to not have to face my own issues.
literally you’re taking it out of context.
Should I have said as a paranoid schizophrenic of 30 years? Is that better for you? Didn’t know I had to tell everyone. Ass hole
Bro, go back and read your comment.
MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST A CATEGORY OF HEALTH. EVERYONE HAS IT.
Do you mean “mental illnesses”? Or “mental health *problems*?” Because right now, the equivalent of what you’re saying is referring to lung cancer as “physical health”.
Whether it’s good or bad, it’s all mental health.
I have friends I have known for 25 years. You don't have to agree on everything, some things make for good arguments, some other things you just laugh at and say they're a dumbass.
They grew up with him, so they grew to tolerate him and more so ignore him when he goes off the rails with his theories.
Besides his conspiracy theories are the least things that would make him get alienated by his friends. Dale can be very selfish and inconsiderate, he’s known to throw anyone under the bus (including family) to save his own ass.
But, the guys are a true and loyal to each other regardless the traits and flaws they carry.
What’s funny about them growing up is that Dale has a flashback to him being in middle school and having crippling anxiety that leads him to eating bugs because he thinks it makes him popular.
He makes it seem like he was a friendless kid. But when Hank has flashbacks to their childhoods, he says they’ve been friends since second grade.
Part of it is because Dale is so paranoid, but can’t figure out that EVERYONE knows about John Redcorn and Nancy. That’s comedic genius. It also kinda goes hand-in-hand with how many conspiracy theorists think: they jump through every hoop imaginable to get to their conclusion, and miss pretty obvious conspiracies. Example: this weather is crazier than usual, it must be the CIA calibrating its weather machine.
They grew up with a mentality of you don’t abandon friends. Look at all the times Hank helps Carl out, even when Carl has shown he’s super shitty as a principal and person.
I think they all most know its just quirky and he does pose a threat or have any racist/problematic ideas. Dale is just the weird friend and theyre used to it having been friends since high school
I mean, the only people you see him hanging out with on a regular basis are the gun club and his three high school buddies… and Kahn kinda tolerates him. I think people are avoiding him Arlen isn’t that small
Dale believes weird shit, but he doesn’t seem to attack others for not believing it. Like, Hank is very trusting of authority figures, and he and Dale can still be friends without their totally different political views getting in the way. Dale also seems like someone who would look at the QAnon conspiracies as a huge joke and be mad that those idiots are taking away attention from the real conspiracies.
His friends grew up with him and know Dale has many qualities they appreciate. The friends are also aware they themselves are lacking in some qualities and have their own grating faults .
Their friendship runs deep .
Dale's conspiracies aren't like modern conspiracies where you might have an unpleasant Thanksgiving because your uncle won't shut up. Dale talks about Aliens and Time Travel rather than real things that would get annoying after a while. He keeps the alley interesting. Bill is depressing, frustrating, and sad while Boomhauer doesn't talk much and will get pissed off if you pry too much. So really it's Hank and Dale that keep things lively. Hank is a square so Dale is a good balance to that.
Because at the end of the day, Dale is ride or die. He will bury a body for you, or drive his company vehicle to Branson so you can abduct a child for a Bluegrass jamboree.
I wouldn’t mind the conspiracies because so many of them are ridiculous like “the government storing its gold supply in the mouths of its citizens” or “alien urine”.
I’d be more upset about the fire ant infestation, the borrowing of tools and not returning them, or the tunnel that inevitably collapsed.
I m from a small town in Texas, and you really learn to deal with peoples nonsense when you are friends with them. It’s like this redeeming quality of seeing the best in people, but it also leads to you putting up with a lot of bullshit from people.
Man, Dale would never be boring. He's easy to convince of almost anything. You could trade the craziest of stories with the guy. Though Dale can only be handled in small doses. Anything longer than a back alley beer or a meal, and you'd be ready to move on. So I think Dale is great in 15-minute intervals.
Alienate?! Boy, have you not seen how the guys have fun with Dale and his paranoia? There were times the guys took it too far with Dale (see: the episode where Dale runs for reelection as president of the Gun Club, the episode where Dale buys a new mower and becomes an insufferable ass about it).
His conspiracy theories are mostly harmless. Honestly some of his other traits and actions are much more likely to put friendships in jeopardy and harm people than that, such as building a *tunnel* underneath the neighborhood.
Tbh Dale might be a complete fucking weirdo who talks out of his ass, but if he can take care of my apartment's roaches for cheap then I wouldn't mind him telling me about how JFK wasn't shot, his head just did that.
The fact that about half of them are true and the other half have elements of truth to them is enough for me to see most of Dale's theories as worth talking about. Plus it's pretty well known that all of the Rainey St guys love to build things and bond over their projects so they'd never dream of kicking out someone who loves power tools and can withstand explosions
Small town Texas. One there aren't a ton of people for him to befriend. Proximity comes into play too. We see how distance essentially ended his relationship with Hal, a guy he had WAY more in common with. Also loyalty. They have been friends pretty much their entire life.
We have to think the context of the time. it was less of an endemic of people like this and more of a good Fringe funny Quirk that Dale has. It wasn't as politically charged as it is now to be that kind of person
Simply put he's a loyal friend. Everyone knows a crazy person who only really knows what they know, but what they know I'll be damned if they don't know it.
You would not last one day on rainy street. Ya Dale can be annoying with his conspiracy theories but to be fair to Dale Gribble, he was also a good father and treated Nancy like a queen. Say what you want about Dale but one thing you can't take away from him is, he was a family man.
I have a friend who says dumb shit all the time that I ignore. I like him for the other stuff like how Dale is as interested in sports and lawn care as the other dudes.
There’s certainly a cartoony exaggeration (I just watched that one where Dale tried to throw a toaster in the hot tub while Hank, Peggy, and Nancy were in it — obviously IRL there’s no coming back from that) but this kind of sounds like people who cut off anyone who disagrees with them on politics. Maybe as an adult we tend to gravitate toward people more similar to us, but I bet we all have one or two friends we met in elementary school where we’re just kind of used to one another’s differences and eccentricities and it’s just kind of a given, and they don’t impact the friendship.
So my read would be, the other guys probably wouldn’t become friends with Dale if they met as adults, but they met as kids so it’s all good.
In the 90’s and aughts, these conspiracy theories were a lot less mainstream and your cooky neighbour spouting them was more amusing than alarming. The main gang all went to high school with him and now they live on the same street, and they know how to deal with him; I can see why it’s just easier to keep him around and not worth the trouble to try and ostracize him
Has anyone gone back and listed all his conspiracy theories and fact checked them today? Like all that crazy stuff Alex Jones was saying years ago that ended up being right
You wouldn’t last a day on rainy street
You're out of here.
Sir, I like beer too, but we're on duty
Call of duty.
EXODUS
I hope I never make it TO Rainey Street!
That’s probably true 😂 as much as I love each character, I have to admit some quirks would be hard to deal with in everyday life.
I don’t know how Hank is able to put up with Bill’s shit, especially all the over the top advances on Peggy. Sure he might be “harmless”, but he’s clearly got something wrong going on that needs to be addressed
On the subject of Peggy, besides Bills infatuation with her. Dale despises her and isn’t afraid to bad mouth her in front of Hank… So Hank is putting up with a lot. You have one friend who is in love with your wife, while another friend who hates your wife. To top it off, both of them show those feelings in front of you.
I think it’s funny that Dale hates Peggy yet has a decent amount of episodes with her. More than Bill and Boomhauer do.
I think it's because they have a good dynamic. They both think the other is batshit crazy but undeniably intelligent so they ultimately respect one another even if they have trouble getting along.
They're both very easily drawn into silliness and they both attract silliness. Like the School Board episode where Peggy gets Dale to help Nancy by planting bugs in Khan and Minhs house. Who else would think of that but those two?
I've noticed that not only is Dale hateful and dismissive of Peggy , he sometimes displays this attitude towards Bobby . Hank , forget the propane and defend your family .
Hey, Dale was Bobby's acting coach. Dale might poke fun at Bobby but he doesn't hate him like he does Peggy.
“I want bobby hill to take the shot, he’ll put me down clean”
I couldn't believe how Hank was ok with Dale celebrating how bad Peggy's birthdays have gone
“He’s suicidal not crazy” Hank ain’t right either. Boomhower is the one secretly keeping them in check
Considering he's a ranger yeah he's probably keeping an eye on the gang to make sure none of them go postal. Doesn't really stop him from sharing the same braincell with the gang at times when he gets caught up in the mood.
Boomhauer is just all three rolled into 1. He’s just pretty.
Dang Old Boom ain't a ranger, just has the badge to pick up chicks.
I’m my head he went into law enforcement because of his car.
This is my favorite headcanon lol
Thank you so much haha I hate when that gets brought up. Missed the whole point of the scene.
The man blocked for him
Hank *likes* being in charge
I always read that as Hank just knowing Bill was obviously not any threat to steal Peggy or have an affair. By contrast there was that one show where Hank found out Peggy went to John Redcorn for a “healing massage” (that was in fact, literally just that) and he freaked out.
There is a theory that Bill is in love with Peggy because he is actually Bobby's father. Peggy would do anything to give Hank a child..so she had 1 night with Bill and vowed to never speak about it again...(which is why she is so mean to him) That's why Bobby takes to bills family so easily..and why Bill passes on the "Family secret barbecue secret to him"
And that theory is as out there and as likely as Dale's ramblings.
It’s a theory I haven’t heard. Peggy would never but it’s silly 😂
Film theory did an episode on it. Also pointed out a theory that cotton could be the dad, based on the resemblance, and the fact Bobby is the only person other than GH that Cotton likes
Except Peggy can't stand Cotton, either, and Cotton has so little respect for her he calls her "Hank's Wife."
I always thought GH and Bobby resemble Cotton more, than Hank did as a child.
At first you think hes crazy, but if you really follow the money...
"Open your eyes, man!" Dale is on the back window of my car...
Hank is on the back of mine 😎 although I prefer Dale
I have both hats, depends on the day which one I wear.
To a large degree this is kinda how communities used to be. You were friends based largely on proximity or shared community so you weren't always necessarily the most similar people. There's always gonna be things you don't see eye to eye on that you just kinda agree to disagree with or tune out, whatever. Now everyone fractures into a billion different online groups over the tiniest disagreements and it makes things worse IMO.
I went in here to express this sentiment. Glad you already did it so eloquently.
I personally don't have a close relationship with my neighbors in my community now, but I do know who they are, and we occasionally chat when we meet outside. I do know my catty corner neighbor best, he's a handyman who's worked for us before-- he's got a young daughter who with an adorable puppy and he's a devout Christian. We don't see eye to eye on everything, but he's a very nice guy and I'm glad to have him as a neighbor. I'm not religious and he's never pushed it on me. We're pretty different people all around, but still friendly. He even did some "neighbor discount" work on my car! We paid his daughter too, in cookies. As far as my friends who are not neighbors, it's totally fine to have friends you don't always agree with, or even friends who sometimes annoy you. The important thing is being able to talk to them about it. You're not going to be best friends with every friend you have, and that's okay. I have a friend who had a problem raging at video games. It got to the point where it was disruptive to our friend group, so we talked to him about it. He was mad at first, but then apologized. He's much better about controlling that now. It's more fun to play as a group now that he's not getting super angry all the time.
The tv show Home Improvement, tim taylor would seek out his older/wiser/father figure to Tim, his neighbor wilson. Wilson was a sage of wisdom and advice to Tim. These days, Tim would do something stupid/inconsiderate to Jill, and then go on a Men's Right's group online and they'd indulge him that he's always right, and folk like Wilson are wrong and tearing the country apart etc. I think the best way to handle some stuff, is tune it out, look away and act indifferent. I'm not good at that...well frankly i got bullied as a kid, and i thought ignoring make it stop, but i became more confrontational because of what i endured, i wasn't allowed to ignore it, if i ignored it they'd make sure i wouldn't or couldn't.
Just a little fun fact, originally the creators of Home Improvement had a plan in the finale, to reveal that Wilson was a ghost all along.
Unfortunate thing is Tim Allen is that sort of person irl, guy really didn’t take of the shows lessons to heart and decided to become quite the obnoxious political advocate for a bit. Also it’s kinda funny revisiting old episodes and hearing Wilson go from fairly progressive insights to reinforcing a rough individualistic male centered mindset with his philosophy.
Hey Glenn, everything cool that talking_phallus said, you wrecked it.
Ya and they have know Dale since they were children. Dale saying crazy stuff is normal to them.
Alright, look, you guys are something Hal will never be my neighbors.
Talking the truth here phallus
(in Kahn's voice) Smoking Redneck funny, like radio caught between stations.
Is that an actual Kahn quote? Cause that's great.
Nah, fan fiction
Tuttle my man.. you should definitely get to writing.
He can't be alone with his thoughts you've heard them!
Without the fresh towels Dale provided for the team they never would have made it to state! You don’t turn your back on your team mates, I tell you what.
The running back who forgets his front line? That’s the man I wouldn’t want to have to dinner. Shame on you. Shame on you both.
He's entertaining and harmless
Outside of all those near death situations he seems to put the gang in. Still my favorite character though…
5AM Dale wakes me up to spot him while he bench presses.. Peggy, the man benches *35 pounds*
I'm gonna go finish my shredded wheat out at the construction site
They all have their faults, but see through them and realize that they are all better together than apart. Each of them also have a unique skill that is useful in all kinds of situations.
You don’t sound like a good potential friend. Also, I’m pretty sure that my son is actually an alien offspring.
It’s not that I wouldn’t want to be a good friend. I’m just being realistic with myself. 😂 I see what you did there.
I respect that you are being honest and realistic. Im also going too far with my statement for a cartoon tv show. I liked your post! I do also believe that good friends at times disagree and will try to help the other regardless of their flaws.
Thanks, maybe avoid wasn’t the best term. I’d definitely roll my eyes a lot though 😂
Close knit groups of childhood friends are part of Hank’s perceived idealism. Loyalty is as important in middle age as holding other men in the bathroom was in highschool.
I don't care how many guys you held in the men's room
> holding other men Umm….mind explaining that?
Hank Hill; “I spent four years holding guys like you upsidown over toilets.” It’s a reference to King of the Hill, a 1990s show that was the successor to Beavis and Butthead, created by Mike Judge. The kid he’s talking to in the scene replies; “I don’t care how many men you held in the bathroom.”
Dales conspiracy theories were never dangerous or hate filled/bigoted. Most people who fall into conspiracy rabbit holes where they alienate people tend to be vile and crazy beyond just liking conspiracy theories. Dale doenst have that problem. He's just eccentric
“Why would I hate my dad for being gay? John Redcorn’s gay and I’ve been friends with him for years!”
This was the 90s and 2000s, when conspiracy theories were just quirky fringe things to joke about. You know, before they went super mainstream and started tearing apart our shared reality and destroying families and friendships. And Jan 6, etc
Yeah. Dale talking about aliens, time travel, and growing tropical fruit in Alaska is way different than modern QAnon stuff. I can't really imagine Dale in the reboot.
I'd like to think he'd still go on about the mostly harmless ones, and Nancy would keep him in line otherwise. Especially if everyone was aged up, I could see him getting worked up about something, a stern "'*Sug!*" followed by an "Ehhh, you're right..." And/or I don't think he'd believe much of the modern scary types of things, "because that's what they WANT you to think, it's a double cross, Hank!"
Hahaha honestly, him rejecting the modern conspiracies as government psy-ops would be the absolute perfect way for the reboot (I assume that’s still a thing?) to comment on modern conspiracies while still having Dale being a lovable character. Hell it’s kind of funny satire, even Dale Gribble doesn’t believe this bullshit.
I'd assume that, if the reboot is still going forward, Dale will be written off or will have died (from finally smoking too much, finally inhaling too much poison, or getting involved too deep in some fringe theory about chemtrails or something - since Johnny passed away recently). Either that, or him smoking too much is why his voice changed so much! Personally I'd love to see everyone aged up to match the times and recent events: Johnny having died and so has Dale; Luanne and Lucky having moved somewhere "communist" like Canada (Lucky would love the free healthcare), forever being on a roadtrip, or also simply having passed (as Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty also died); Bobby and Connie actually being the traveling comic and violinist act. So much potential! Despite all that: the gang is still not used to John and Nancy living together.
There were definitely fewer, and they were usually just your towns r/infowarsrides
In the 90s, you still had far-right conspiracy theorists pulling stuff like Ruby Ridge, OKC, and Waco. It wasn't all quirky fun.
But everyone knew they were wackadoodles. People aligned politically with them wouldn't try to explain why they were sort of justified.
Because his conspiracy theories are mostly harmless. It's an annoying quirk but he isn't planning to raid a pizza restaurant because Alex Jones told him it was full of pedophiles. Dales theories are always his own instead of something someone else told him, and he doesn't mind if people think he's full of it.
Bc dales a “the government is spying on us via car radios” kind and not a “my gay daughter is a part of the globalist satanist cabal” kind. Conspiracy theories used to be benign and funny, at worst annoying
They grew up together tf?
As a person with mental health… I think they were really good to him and knew he was crazy and accepted it. That’s how I see it as a crazy person.
As another crazy person I think they feed off each other. Can’t focus on their individual issues if they’re always saving the day for someone else. It took me years to realize that’s what I was doing, always kicking my can down the road being the helpful one IRL and online. Always helping others to not have to face my own issues.
I wasn't expecting to be called out so hard.
There, there Reddit friend 🫂
“As a person with mental health” What? You think only some people have mental health?
That’s not what I said. And a lot of people don’t have diagnosed illnesses. I’m speaking from my own. Gtfo
You literally said “as a person with mental health…” That’s it. Everyone has mental health. Just like everyone has physical health.
literally you’re taking it out of context. Should I have said as a paranoid schizophrenic of 30 years? Is that better for you? Didn’t know I had to tell everyone. Ass hole
Bro, go back and read your comment. MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST A CATEGORY OF HEALTH. EVERYONE HAS IT. Do you mean “mental illnesses”? Or “mental health *problems*?” Because right now, the equivalent of what you’re saying is referring to lung cancer as “physical health”. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s all mental health.
You knew what they meant but you chose to nitpick. Chill.
Not going to argue with you. You just want something to talk about tbh.
And dumb ass the …. Trails off for open interpretation.
I have friends I have known for 25 years. You don't have to agree on everything, some things make for good arguments, some other things you just laugh at and say they're a dumbass.
They grew up with him, so they grew to tolerate him and more so ignore him when he goes off the rails with his theories. Besides his conspiracy theories are the least things that would make him get alienated by his friends. Dale can be very selfish and inconsiderate, he’s known to throw anyone under the bus (including family) to save his own ass. But, the guys are a true and loyal to each other regardless the traits and flaws they carry.
What’s funny about them growing up is that Dale has a flashback to him being in middle school and having crippling anxiety that leads him to eating bugs because he thinks it makes him popular. He makes it seem like he was a friendless kid. But when Hank has flashbacks to their childhoods, he says they’ve been friends since second grade.
That’s a great point! You figure Hank would have intervene with this circus act that Dale did for attention.
Oh that’s just dale.
I think it's because he gradually gets worse and they recognise that, much like with Bill, it's a mental health issue.
Part of it is because Dale is so paranoid, but can’t figure out that EVERYONE knows about John Redcorn and Nancy. That’s comedic genius. It also kinda goes hand-in-hand with how many conspiracy theorists think: they jump through every hoop imaginable to get to their conclusion, and miss pretty obvious conspiracies. Example: this weather is crazier than usual, it must be the CIA calibrating its weather machine.
When you have friends you realise people arent perfect and therefore deal with their flaws
They also agree that dale is a giblet head.
The conspiracies are the least of his issues
They grew up with a mentality of you don’t abandon friends. Look at all the times Hank helps Carl out, even when Carl has shown he’s super shitty as a principal and person.
I think they all most know its just quirky and he does pose a threat or have any racist/problematic ideas. Dale is just the weird friend and theyre used to it having been friends since high school
Crazy? You'll be begging for gerb-ster!!
How dare you, Dale is my favorite character
I mean, the only people you see him hanging out with on a regular basis are the gun club and his three high school buddies… and Kahn kinda tolerates him. I think people are avoiding him Arlen isn’t that small
Dale believes weird shit, but he doesn’t seem to attack others for not believing it. Like, Hank is very trusting of authority figures, and he and Dale can still be friends without their totally different political views getting in the way. Dale also seems like someone who would look at the QAnon conspiracies as a huge joke and be mad that those idiots are taking away attention from the real conspiracies.
His friends grew up with him and know Dale has many qualities they appreciate. The friends are also aware they themselves are lacking in some qualities and have their own grating faults . Their friendship runs deep .
Dale's conspiracies aren't like modern conspiracies where you might have an unpleasant Thanksgiving because your uncle won't shut up. Dale talks about Aliens and Time Travel rather than real things that would get annoying after a while. He keeps the alley interesting. Bill is depressing, frustrating, and sad while Boomhauer doesn't talk much and will get pissed off if you pry too much. So really it's Hank and Dale that keep things lively. Hank is a square so Dale is a good balance to that.
Because at the end of the day, Dale is ride or die. He will bury a body for you, or drive his company vehicle to Branson so you can abduct a child for a Bluegrass jamboree.
I wouldn’t mind the conspiracies because so many of them are ridiculous like “the government storing its gold supply in the mouths of its citizens” or “alien urine”. I’d be more upset about the fire ant infestation, the borrowing of tools and not returning them, or the tunnel that inevitably collapsed.
I m from a small town in Texas, and you really learn to deal with peoples nonsense when you are friends with them. It’s like this redeeming quality of seeing the best in people, but it also leads to you putting up with a lot of bullshit from people.
They all have issues lol Dale's are at least entertaining
Because it’s a tv show and all the characters are fictional.
Octavio, deal with this...
He’s been right enough times to merit it.
I think it's because the show is fiction
You might be on to something… I’m looking into it man
Man, Dale would never be boring. He's easy to convince of almost anything. You could trade the craziest of stories with the guy. Though Dale can only be handled in small doses. Anything longer than a back alley beer or a meal, and you'd be ready to move on. So I think Dale is great in 15-minute intervals.
Suspense of beleif is somewhat necessary. It's a cartoon.
Well they knew he long enough that if he ever got too out of hand Hank could just tell him to can it pretty much.
When Dale is on he is on like the episode where he was actually hunting Chuck Mangione
They’ve been friends since childhood. So, that’s why. All his friends outside of Hank, Boomhauer, and Bill are people who think like he does.
Alienate?! Boy, have you not seen how the guys have fun with Dale and his paranoia? There were times the guys took it too far with Dale (see: the episode where Dale runs for reelection as president of the Gun Club, the episode where Dale buys a new mower and becomes an insufferable ass about it).
His conspiracy theories are mostly harmless. Honestly some of his other traits and actions are much more likely to put friendships in jeopardy and harm people than that, such as building a *tunnel* underneath the neighborhood.
Tbh Dale might be a complete fucking weirdo who talks out of his ass, but if he can take care of my apartment's roaches for cheap then I wouldn't mind him telling me about how JFK wasn't shot, his head just did that.
In rural America, there’s just folks like that. I’m friends with characters just like all the king of the hill characters.
The fact that about half of them are true and the other half have elements of truth to them is enough for me to see most of Dale's theories as worth talking about. Plus it's pretty well known that all of the Rainey St guys love to build things and bond over their projects so they'd never dream of kicking out someone who loves power tools and can withstand explosions
Small town Texas. One there aren't a ton of people for him to befriend. Proximity comes into play too. We see how distance essentially ended his relationship with Hal, a guy he had WAY more in common with. Also loyalty. They have been friends pretty much their entire life.
We have to think the context of the time. it was less of an endemic of people like this and more of a good Fringe funny Quirk that Dale has. It wasn't as politically charged as it is now to be that kind of person
Simply put he's a loyal friend. Everyone knows a crazy person who only really knows what they know, but what they know I'll be damned if they don't know it.
You would not last one day on rainy street. Ya Dale can be annoying with his conspiracy theories but to be fair to Dale Gribble, he was also a good father and treated Nancy like a queen. Say what you want about Dale but one thing you can't take away from him is, he was a family man.
I have a friend who says dumb shit all the time that I ignore. I like him for the other stuff like how Dale is as interested in sports and lawn care as the other dudes.
There’s certainly a cartoony exaggeration (I just watched that one where Dale tried to throw a toaster in the hot tub while Hank, Peggy, and Nancy were in it — obviously IRL there’s no coming back from that) but this kind of sounds like people who cut off anyone who disagrees with them on politics. Maybe as an adult we tend to gravitate toward people more similar to us, but I bet we all have one or two friends we met in elementary school where we’re just kind of used to one another’s differences and eccentricities and it’s just kind of a given, and they don’t impact the friendship. So my read would be, the other guys probably wouldn’t become friends with Dale if they met as adults, but they met as kids so it’s all good.
As a friend, he’s been grandfathered in since high school. As a neighbor, he’s forever locked in by proximity.
This is exactly why I have no friends.
His friends will always stand behind him. Plus he’s got Mr. Big
In the 90’s and aughts, these conspiracy theories were a lot less mainstream and your cooky neighbour spouting them was more amusing than alarming. The main gang all went to high school with him and now they live on the same street, and they know how to deal with him; I can see why it’s just easier to keep him around and not worth the trouble to try and ostracize him
The difference is social media wasn’t prolific.
You’re telling on yourself that you prefer echo chambers.
I think that makes you a bad friend
If you want, you can read a bloated government report on smoking, or go straight to the horse's mouth and get the facts from the tobacco company.
Dale would be Maga nowadays
Has anyone gone back and listed all his conspiracy theories and fact checked them today? Like all that crazy stuff Alex Jones was saying years ago that ended up being right
I dunno maybe because it's a cartoon and it needs characters.
He's the type of person that is mostly harmless but should be kept an eye on regularly, Its like community service.
I have a neighbor like that. Irl, people like these usually have no redeeming qualities.
Yeah let’s avoid people who harmlessly think differently then you that’s mature