“It Doesn’t Compute In My Brain”. Jim Parsons Cannot Remember an Iconic Children's Game from The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory’s characters played a popular children's game. However, it was difficult for Jim Parsons, who portrayed Sheldon, to remember its rules.
Jim Parsons played The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper. This character was very smart, intelligent, and had an IQ of 187. It was not a problem for him to absorb new information. However, the actor portraying this character had difficulty remembering a certain game – an expansion on the game Rock, Paper, Scissors.
In the eighth episode of the second season, Sheldon and Raj cannot agree on which science fiction movie they should watch. Raj suggests solving the problem by playing rock-paper-scissors. However, Sheldon explains that there is a high probability they will end in a tie.
He proposes to play an extended version of the game and introduce new elements – Lizard and the Star Trek character, Spock. The new rules were as follows:
- Scissors cuts Paper
- Paper covers Rock
- Rock crushes Lizard
- Lizard poisons Spock
- Spock smashes Scissors
- Scissors decapitates Lizard
- Lizard eats Paper
- Paper disproves Spock
- Spock vaporizes Rock
- Rock crushes Scissors
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly Parsons was asked if he was tired of strangers asking him to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock. The actor admitted that it is not he who has had enough of the fans; rather, he suspects that it is the fans who have had enough of him because he disappoints them whenever they ask him to play with them.
The actor no longer remembers the rules of the game, and the monologue in which he explained its rules was one of the most difficult he has ever had to learn.
I’m not tired at all! Mainly because I can’t do it. I think people are tired of me being such a let down when they want to hear about it, or God forbid play it. Honestly that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to memorize. It somehow doesn’t compute in my brain. I hate to say that must mean that it doesn’t mean anything to me, but I’m afraid that it really doesn’t mean very much to me.
Fortunately, the actor no longer has to remember the rules of the game for the needs of the show, as The Big Bang Theory ended after its 12th season.
