Howard deserved to be humiliated by Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper for his treatment of Raj and Penny in The Big Bang Theory.
Played by Simon Helberg in The Big Bang Theory, the character of Howard Wolowitz has not been the most loved character in the show, primarily due to how the character was initially portrayed. While he undergoes significant growth over time, some underlying issues of inappropriateness remain throughout the series.
Fans of the show have since noted Howard’s hypocrisy in calling out Sheldon for making fun of him throughout their friendship despite having done the same to Raj (portrayed by Kunal Nayyar), by not only making fun of him but also making racial remarks.
The complex relationship of Raj and Howard in The Big Bang Theory
Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) shared a complex friendship throughout The Big Bang Theory, marked by both genuine support and moments of toxicity.
While they had times of mutual care, there were also frequent instances where Howard made jokes about racial stereotypes, particularly targeting Raj’s Indian heritage, accent, and his behavior toward women among many other things.
Although Raj also made jokes about Howard’s Jewishness, these were less common and offensive than Howard’s comments. Throughout the series, Howard continued to make jokes at the expense of their friendship, often ignoring his friend’s feelings.
Fans of the show pointed out the hypocritical nature of the character, noting how he reacted strongly to Sheldon making fun of him and undermining his achievements, while never acknowledging his own behavior toward Raj.
Portrayed by Jim Parsons, Sheldon Cooper is known for his blunt remarks. And he did such for several of the characters, including Penny and his friend and roommate Leonard along with Howard.
He regularly criticized Howard for not having a doctorate and for his personality, causing him to insist on adding a clause in their agreement to stop mocking him in Season 9.
Fans, however, criticized Howard for his hypocritical behavior in making Sheldon sign the contract, given his own treatment of Raj throughout the show. “The dude needs to look in a mirror whenever venting about Sheldon’s comments,” one fan said in a Reddit discussion.
Many viewers also pointed out that, while others in the group called out Sheldon for his treatment of Howard, no one ever called Howard out for his behavior toward Raj.
Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar reflected on Raj and Howard’s bromance and behind the scene stories
Similar to their characters, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar also share a close friendship off cameras. And the duo once reflected on their favorite moments from Raj and Howard’s bromance on The Big Bang Theory, along with some candid behind-the-scenes stories.
They revealed the “kissing machine” episode as one of their most bizarre and memorable moments on the show. “I think… for me, the best moment was when we were doing, remember that device where you kiss into,” Nayyar recalled in an interview.
Helberg also recounted his experience of filming the scene, which he described as difficult and funny to perform. He said,
I transcended even trying to keep it straight face. I literally, I think, in the run-through, started crying because I didn’t, I don’t know, it was so violating… I like lost track of what was [happening], what my job was, and why people wanted to watch that.
The actors also spoke about their off-screen bond. Nayyar fondly recounted a conversation with Helberg, saying,
Simon recently came up to me and we were just chatting about something. He’s like I love our relationship because I don’t know but I was talking to my wife about this and I don’t you’re the only person that I can just walk up to and say I’m going you and walk away and we’ll still be friends.
Since the show’s conclusion, Helberg and Nayyar have remained close friends. They frequently express their support for one another on social media and continue to celebrate each other’s professional achievements.
