This Holiday, Let’s Remember Bob’s Burgers’ “Turkey in a Can” Made Bob Belcher a Bisexual Icon
Seven years ago, on November 24, 2013, Bob’s Burgers released one of their best episodes ever, “Turkey in a Can,” which happens to be an excellent Thanksgiving Day episode and also a cool, gay-ish episode.
Bob is excited about Thanksgiving and is planning on a three-day brine recipe for the Thanksgiving turkey. However, every morning, the turkey ends up in the toilet bowl. Who did it? No one knows, even though everyone thinks it’s Louise. So, every day, Bob has to go to the deli and pick up a new turkey from a gay man who works there and is suspicious of Bob’s multiple turkey purchases (after all, losing four turkeys is abnormal).
The butcher thinks these are excuses to see him and says he has a boyfriend but tells him not to let this rejection discourage him, offering to set him up with his friend, who’s into “sloppy bears.”
After trip number two, the butcher once again thinks this is Bob showing some romantic affection toward him. Sadly, things aren’t going well between the butcher and his boyfriend, Tony, and haven’t been good for a long time. Maybe it’s time for a chance with a sloppy bear. He excitedly asks Bob where he wants to go for a date, but Bob, flustered, tells him that he’s “straight … well, mostly straight” and not romantically interested in him. (Sure, Bob.) Bob quickly rushes out and mentions that the butcher is way out of his league, but that he’ll call him.
Honestly, the best kind of meet-cute possible.
this edit of mine always gets reposted around this time of year, so to celebrate turkey season, here it is… possibly my biggest contribution to the internet 🦃 pic.twitter.com/FsSJyfp6VF
— adri ♛ (@adriofwands) November 20, 2020
This scene launched an entire meta-culture around Bob Belcher being a bisexual icon. I mean, mostly-straight is a valid part of this entire queer spectrum. Yes, Bob is married to a woman, with three kids, but that doesn’t mean that if he weren’t married, Bob wouldn’t consider going on a date with a handsome butcher. I mean, after all, a butcher and a burger chef together? That’s perfect for both of them. The beautiful meat they would make!
Anyway, Bob’s Burgers has many amazing Thanksgiving episodes, but “Turkey in a Can” is among the best there is, not only because of the who-done-it aspect, but the little sprinkle of gayness they gave our titular Bob.
(image: Fox)
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