In 2019, it's difficult to believe that a cartoon like Beavis and Butt-Head could be
so controversial.
When the pair first arrived on MTV, however, multiple real-life incidents, attributed to
the show's influence, brought the idiotic duo to the attention of the U.S. Senate.
The many criticisms levied against the cartoon only added fuel to the fire, boosting its
popularity among a young, rebellious audience.
Creator, Mike Judge, true to character, just started using episodes to further parody and
subvert criticisms of the show itself.
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone famously referred to Beavis and Butt-Head
as The Blues.
It's a comparison intended to credit Judge with a revolution in comedy which paved the
way for their own work.
Much like the Blues, Beavis and Butt-Head works its genius around an incredibly barebones,
basic formula.
With so little depth to the characters and short, disconnected plot-lines, it's no surprise
that the internet has come up with a host of weird ideas to fill in the gaps.
I'm Kyle with WickedBinge.
And these are our some of the most bizarre Beavis and Butt-Head Theories.
Beavis and Butt-Head Have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome There's something wrong with Beavis and Butt-Head.
That much is certain.
What the show fails to do, however, is specify exactly what makes them so stupid.
That's where this theory comes in.
A thread on straight dope dot com ask's the question and commenters come up with a range
of possible answers.
The general consensus is that, while Butt-Head's not exactly a bright spark, Beavis is the
one with serious issues.
While watching Violent Femmes Breakin Up (no clip available), he reveals to Butt-Head that
he actually hears voices in his head.
And there's the whole issue of Cornholio which we'll come back to later.
Even if Beavis is more of an idiot, we don't think there's much in it.
It also doesn't quite explain why the duo both have bizarrely misshapen skulls.
User Shagnasty opines that the root of their deformity is a medical condition known as
fetal alcohol syndrome.
Wikipedia lists small eye openings, a thin upper lip and a range of learning difficulties
as possible symptoms.
Checks out.
We know their mothers are probably not the most responsible parents too, so this one's
definitely a possibility.
Then again, as Daria concludes, Idiocy: Genetic or Environmental [] both are contributing
factors.
(episode: Scientific Stuff) Beavis and Butt-Head Are Cousins
The show is generally pretty light on the background of the characters.
It's basically established canon that Beavis mom is fairly promiscuous (the only uncertainty
being whether or not she's charging for it) but the rest is largely up for debate.
In the film, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, we do get to meet the boys natural fathers.
While Butt-Head's dad (played by David Letterman) suggests Beavisdad has never scored, the resemblance
is too strong for us to doubt their connection.
But this still leaves us with a few loose ends.
When Butt-Head's life flashes before his eyes, we get to see that the pair have known each
other since birth.
Either they're close family friends or they're actually related.
That would explain their striking similarities in looks and personality.
One post on TV Tropes dot org puts forward the idea that their moms are sisters, making
them cousins.
And possibly their dads are brothers too.
Honestly, there might just be a whole load of awkward connections in that family tree.
Tom Anderson Is Hank Hill's Real Father Sticking with the topic of family for a minute,
fans of Judge's other work won't have failed to notice the similarities between Tom Anderson
and Hank Hill.
The voice is a near-perfect match and you can even see the origins of Hank's mannerisms
in Tom, like saying 'I tell you what and their enthusiasm for clean-burning fuel.
(Tom Anderson hooks up the Butane tank to his caravan in the movie)
Redditor, rildchaper9988 supposes that the two might be related going so far as to suggest
that Tom is Hank's real father.
Much like Cotton Hill, Tom Anderson is a World War Two veteran.
The theory goes that Tom's war injuries left him poorly-sighted and hard of hearing, requiring
the constant care of his wife.
In this state, he asked his war-buddy, Cotton, to raise their child as his own.
What doesn't quite add up is why his wife wouldn't just raise the kid as well, or rely
on extended family to support them.
Also, there's the issue that Hank is pretty similar to his mother and almost a dead-ringer
for his Japanese half-brother: Junichiro.
Even if they aren't father and son, Tom and Hank certainly share some DNA we're just grateful
to Judge for giving us both of these awesome shows.
Beavis and Butt-Head Are a Government Experiment Bear with us because this one's definitely
a little hazy.
Fanfiction dot net, where decency goes to die, hosts the following theory, created by
Spongemonkey nuff.
In short, Nazi experiments to create a superior human race, using Japanese microchips and
alien DNA, were cut short by the end of the war.
The U.S.
Government discovered, and secretly continued, the research but it resulted in the brain
returning to a primitive state, craving only primal desires such as food, sex, water and
a basic ideology (fulfilled by heavy metal, in this case).
Beavis and Butt-Head are the products of these experiments, and were considered harmless
enough to re-enter society.
In fact, they're one of many similar pairs, around the world, posing as brothers or friends,
endlessly watching videos and achieving nothing in a miserable state of co-dependence.
Maybe?
Daria Created Beavis and Butt-Head This theory comes from Reddit user Tinfoil_King.
So put on your hats, and let's take a look.
The idea is that the whole show is a work of fiction, written by Daria at some point
during or after her college education.
According to the theory, Daria's life went as follows:
Born in Arlen (the location for King of the Hill), where her family knew the Hills.
Hank and Cotton became somehow blurred in her childhood memory to jointly serve as the
inspiration of Tom Anderson.
She then moved to Highland, where she encountered Beavis and Butt-Head in high school.
The pair left such an impression on her that they'd become the basis for this work.
At some point, her parents moved to Lawndale and she changed high school.
Daria's own presence in the show, as a self-insert, provides context to her experience of the
insane pair.
This makes sense as Daria certainly shows more of an interest in the boys than other
characters.
She's also more patient and possibly more sympathetic maybe she's painting herself in
a positive light.
Bravo, Tinfoil_King.
This one's legit.
Beavis and Butt-Head Are Kept Alive Thanks to Their Stringy Bodies
The boys certainly take a beating in the show and not just from each other.
Some of the physical trauma they endure would be enough to kill an elephant.
So how do they bounce back, time after time?
According to Reddit user Deven247, it's a result of their light weight and stringy bodies.
Since they have such little mass, they don't really feel the impact of blows upon them
imagine trying to punch a feather in mid-air.
Also, since they're so stupid, they tend to be relaxed, which means they never tense up
their bodies during falling.
According to Wikihow, staying loose and rolling out of a fall can reduce the chance of injury.
It's possible.
Peace, Love and Understanding Is the Show's Chronological Ending
Mike Judge went from Silicon Valley scientist to bass guitar player and animator in a couple
of years.
When he entered a short called Frog Baseball for MTV animation showcase, Liquid Television,
the network immediately expressed interest in Beavis and Butt-Head.
Before long, they had paid Judge for the rights to the characters and started ordering episodes.
Amidst this rapid ascent to cartoon legend, Judge produced some Beavis and Butt-Head pilots
the second of which was Peace, Love and Understanding.
In the episode, not only is Mr. Van Driessen squashed by a monster truck, but Beavis and
Butt-Head, along with the entire stadium, are obliterated by Sterculius, the Roman God
of Feces.
Judge is apparently on record as saying he hates the episode.
So perhaps the continuity was ignored or, since we see all the characters again in other
episodes, perhaps this truly is the end of Beavis and Butt-Head.
Butt-Head Is Secretly Rich This is probably the most fleshed out theory
we've come across.
According to EJ Feddes, writing on spunky bean dot com, Butt-Head is actually from rich
family.
The theory draws on his own personal experiences of high school, citing rich kids who would
hang out with punks and rebels out of boredom or to present a different image.
Since Butt-Head tends to be more dominant, he'd probably just kick Beavis out during
a fight if they were at his place so what we're seeing in the show must be Beavis
house.
Also, if they were both poor like Beavis, it wouldn't add up that we never see them
short of cash.
When they eat from Burger World three times a day in Super-Size Me, for example, money
doesn't seem to be an issue.
Is Butt-Head really just hanging out with Beavis for kicks?
Does he have a safe job in his parents company waiting for him, no matter how hard he fails
in life, while Beavis is doomed to addiction and poverty?
That's actually kinda sad.
Cornholio Is a Supernatural Entity That Possesses Beavis
Cornholio is an enigma.
The substance-induced trancelike state seems to consume Beavis entirely for a short period
of time.
What if it's actually a supernatural entity working through him?
As Cornholio, Beavis certainly develops a degree of magnetism, resulting in cult worship,
the telling of prophecies and even heroic acts, as we see in the movie.
There's a lot of debate about the meaning and significance of the bunghole.
Does he lack one, signifying an immaculate conception or some alternative mode of creation?
Perhaps, as a transient being in a human body, Cornholio isn't used to dealing with physical
hygiene and therefore becomes preoccupied with cleaning Beavis bunghole.
We may never know your purpose, Cornholio.
But we are graced by your presence and wisdom.