Okay so normally this is the part of the article where I have some relevant story to tell about what you're about to read. Not this time. I've never been a zookeeper, though I did really want to be when I was younger. The closest I got was working at an exotic animal vet's office - and mostly that just involved a lot of rabbit poop.
Reddit user @lukavwolf asked:
Zookeepers of Reddit, what is the craziest thing you've ever seen happen while at work?
Yeah, these stories are WAY better than any of the ones I have to tell. I mean, do you really want to hear about the time I got felt up by a skunk when you can read stories about people slipping drugs to monkeys by slipping them into a wine cooler? Monkeys drink wine coolers?!?!
Psh, yeah they do... read on, my friends.
Penguin Rocks
My teacher in high school was a zookeeper. He told us a story once about when he was cleaning the penguin enclosure. Apparently male penguins will build up piles of rocks and whoever has the biggest pile is the most wanted penguin for the females to mate with. So one day my teacher was cleaning the enclosure and this one penguin used to always try to bite him and he bit him pretty hard that day so my teacher just kicked his pile down.
He said that everything after that happened in slow motions, he looked at the penguin, the penguin looked at him, all of the other penguins were staring at the rocks on the ground and then all of a sudden they all lunged for the rocks and the original penguin didn't have any more rocks.
- Tigpall
Instant Karma
Not a "zoo keeper", but was a primary zoologist for an "environmental learning center"
I had some nature items on display on a table while I was holding a barn owl, giving a talk about it. A couple of the objects are fairly valuable in that they are difficult or illegal to acquire; like a gopher turtle shell, drained vulture egg shell, fox skull, etc.. Some kid decides he wants to take some nature home so he slips a porcupine quill in his pocket, pointy end down, with the rest of it tucked under his shirt.
Now, if you don't know anything about porcupine quills you might think of them as just long points. This is not true. At the pointy end of a porcupine quill is a point - but there are also barbs. The barbs hook into the skin and make them difficult and painful to remove. Most animals need to be totally sedated to have it done, it's that painful.
Back to our young and hapless thief. When he goes to sit down, the quill he stole stabs him in the penis through the inside of his pocket. I remember the squealing like it was yesterday.
Duckling Murder
I volunteered at a petting zoo once, and I will never forget it. This little girl wanted to hold one of the ducklings we had, and we do let guests hold the small animals so long as they're sitting and gentle. So I bring the the duckling and being gentle with it.
Suddenly a little boy (likely her brother) runs up and appears to grab and bite the head off the duckling, and I was completely unable to react (how are you supposed to react to that?!) I was about the faint when he yells, "HA GOT YOU" and pull a glob of feathers covered in what I can assume was ketchup out of his mouth... the duckling was still in the girls arms, and she was laughing. I never volunteered at a petting zoo again.
"We Don't Eat That"
I worked Visitor Education at the New England Aquarium in Boston for a few years, so close enough.
So we had a touch tank called "Edge of the Sea" like most aquariums. It's full of tide pool animals; crustaceans, a few small flounder, and seastars (not starfish, they aren't fish but echinoderms!)
One day, this little kid took a sea star out of the tank, and put it in his pocket. Then he ran away. I was working the exhibit alone. A field trip came right up after the sea star was taken. I quickly grabbed the microphone and told everyone not to touch anything for a moment.
I ran to the next exhibit and greeted the kids mother. I told her what happened and she asked him to give back the animal. Out of nowhere, the kid takes a bite out of the sea star, spits it out and says "yuck" and then whips the rest of the animal against the wall. Mom? She just kind of weakly went "noooooo we don't eat that" to the kid.
I grabbed the body and leg. Sea Stars grow back from both. They survived.
Covered In Animal Blood
One time I was working at a museum with a live animal exhibit and a protester covered herself in animal blood. She tried to run into the building and got clothes-lined by a security guard.
Put The Tortoise Down
Had a guy try to pick up our African Spurred Tortoise (about 100lbs) that we let roam freely to show his kid he could do it, and got pissed when I told him to put the tortoise down.
Oh, and he called back later complaining that picking up the tortoise injured his back.
- Pegasvs
Valium In A Wine Cooler
I was a keeper and tour guide at a small zoo in Oklahoma and one day when I was cleaning up the barnyard I looked up and out towards the monkey enclosures and thought..."huh, that looks like a monkey walking along that fence...." and almost immediately realized who it was and what was going on. Got on the radio and alerted the entire place to the fact that one of our more dangerous capuchins was out and wondering the facility.
Moses, as the story goes, was rescued from a travelling circus after he had witnessed his owner being bludgeoned to death. We had to be very, very careful around him. He was violent and aggressive and it was instant chaos. Capuchins may be small but they are absolutely capable of maiming someone.
We escorted all the guests off property and after several hours of him approaching us and looking in the pockets of petrified zookeepers for treats, he was finally captured and put back into his enclosure.
It only took a couple of Valium in a wine cooler to make it happen, but that was by far one of the more frightening experiences I had there.
Better Aim
Used to work at a zoo teaching summer camps. Many of the chimps were rescues from shows and weren't very wild or shy, so would sit close to the edge of the enclosure near visitors. A couple teens were tossing rocks at them, and one chimp scooped one up that landed close by and just whipped it back. Guess what animal has better aim and can throw a hell of a lot harder than a 14 year old? Yep.
Thankfully this was in the early 90's before people sued for everything.
Out Of Funding
Worked at a zoo during one of the government shutdowns. A lady became convinced that we had run out of funding to feed the animals. She bought a bunch of meat from the grocery store and threw it, still wrapped in plastic and Styrofoam, into the lion enclosure. She got arrested and we had to quarantine the lion who ate the meat for a while.
Food First!
Not really crazy, more amusing. Volunteered at a zoo, preparing the monkeys' and small apes' diets—chopping up mostly fruits, veggies, canned primate diet and insects/mealworms. I was alone in the monkey house one day, chopping away, when I got that feeling that I was being watched. We had a pair of white cheeked gibbons (found in SE Asia), and I looked up to find the female hanging from her branches, with her legs spread in what looked like a cheerleader's split and the male behind her as they mated. He was busy with the task at hand, but she was staring at me intently (probably because I was making her breakfast). She just kept staring without blinking. She didn't even seem to notice when her boyfriend was finished, she just kept staring. I went back to my chopping, and she eventually lost interest. koookoookachoo
The Flamingos....
I used to work at Sea World at the Sea Lion and Otter show. One of the young Walruses was named Kabuto and he liked to climb over the edge and waddle into the walkway in front of the crowds.
The early morning Flamingo chase was always fun because the Flamingos would always escape their enclosures. JCarnacki
Not a zookeeper, an animal rescuer who used to run a shelter. It was a poorer country and those of us with shelters tended to know/visit each other. Because of the poverty, conditions were bad, and crowding was a real issue. Probably the craziest was also the woman who had been at it longest (which made perfect sense to anyone who understood the conditions). She had over 400 dogs crowded into a space that was about the size of a US suburban back yard. Yes, it was crowded, but every one of those dogs had a name, loved that woman, and, eventually, got rehomed in a richer country through the good offices of another woman who had connections. Katya, I will never forget the amazing job you did, and Christine, you are a truly wonderful woman.
All Hail Katya!
Not a zookeeper, an animal rescuer who used to run a shelter. It was a poorer country and those of us with shelters tended to know/visit each other. Because of the poverty, conditions were bad, and crowding was a real issue. Probably the craziest was also the woman who had been at it longest (which made perfect sense to anyone who understood the conditions). She had over 400 dogs crowded into a space that was about the size of a US suburban back yard. Yes, it was crowded, but every one of those dogs had a name, loved that woman, and, eventually, got re-homed in a richer country through the good offices of another woman who had connections. Katya, I will never forget the amazing job you did, and Christine, you are a truly wonderful woman. BoredBeforeMyTime
Hands Off!
Volunteered at a small nature exhibit, showcasing local animals. Mostly reptiles and insects, because they're easiest to house and clean up after. One exhibit had a few rattlesnakes, because they help attract visitors. Was told about how one of the volunteers would give impromptu bare-handed snake handling demonstrations with the rattlesnakes, grabbing one and bringing it out of the cage, even though there are well-posted rules against it. (Staff was in very short supply, so nobody else noticed, and this went on for a couple of weeks.) He thought he knew how to handle the snakes so he wouldn't get bit. Well, you know what happened... Luckily, the snake wasn't going for a kill bite, but just a little "hands off, buster" nip. He was able to get the snake back into the exhibit and the lock on, before having a buddy rush him to the hospital. He was still in great pain for a few days and lost just a couple of tablespoons of arm. twfeline
Little red Riding Hood you are NOT!
I work at an ecology center, so similar to a zoo and I once saw three grown men try to feed the black bears honey (one of them is named Pooh). Now, the bears were clearly hibernating, so I don't know what their goal was. All they did was get honey all over their hands and got kicked out. CStarling4
#TIMESUP Turtle!
Went to Costa Rica for an ecology program, was studying sea turtles and marking where they laid their eggs. I spotted a turtle and my group went over to watch and measure and tag her. When we got close we saw that she had a fin growing out of her left back fin. It was really weird. lilchey99
The Dingo!
I once volunteered alongside zookeepers at one of the best rated zoos in the U.S. My favorite part was that there was a kangaroo escape plan hanging up behind part of the children's zoo. There was a HUGE net and some other supplies along with detailed instructions. Apparently the kangaroos had escaped at one point and getting them back was complete hell. INeverKnowTheLyrics
Hands In!
Not quite a zookeeper, but I train animals at an educational facility. The craziest thing I see on the regular is this really interesting phenomenon where completely literate adults suddenly forget how to read. The sign says "please stay on the path?" Surely that doesn't apply to me. The sign says "please do not put hands inside the enclosures or harass the ambassadors?" Better stick my hand in, yell, and wave! Immediately followed by "why does that bird look so scared?" Ummm, it's because you're harassing her. /rant. tendencytodream
Please Don't Shoot!
Not a zookeeper but used to work with primates. Our alpha male primates got very attached to their female handlers/caretakers. Onsite veterinarian didn't believe me when I said that they started to furiously masturbate any time female handlers walked into their habitat.
When I finally got him to come observe morning feedings, he referred to it as "a shooting gallery." retroverted_uterus
People Share The Funniest Thing They've Ever Seen That They Weren't Allowed To Laugh At
Hilarious moments are blind to timing. They seem to strike at the absolute worst times, when laughing would be completely inappropriate.
Thankfully, Crying Can Look Like Laughing
<p>"Great Uncle's funeral.</p><p>"The vicar was doing his thing, but when he said 'our soul,' in his posh-ish accent it sounds just like 'arsehole' and it got me. I managed to keep it together the first time, but after the second one I could barely hold it back...."</p><p>"It was something like, '<em>our soul is something we should cherish, it defines who we are...'</em>"</p><p>"I was stifling laughter to the point of tears, my mum said after she thought I was crying."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtmy9t?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">F***TheseNewPlastics</a></p>One Man Show
<p>"A guy was acting as his own attorney. He was questioning himself in court by standing up, asking a question, then sitting down to answer it."</p><p>"The judge finally looked at him and said, 'Sit down, Mr. X.' I almost lost it, but managed to hold my court demeanor."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjttk7u?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Hellabore</a></p>A Dick Manifesto
<p>"At my friend's grandfather's funeral. The first sentence of the pastor's speech was 'We are all here because we love Dick so much.' His name was Richard."</p><p>"This holy man gave a 15 minute speech about his love of Dick and how Dick changed his life. My wife and I did not make eye contact through the entire thing for fear of busting out laughing in a quiet crowded church."</p><p>"It took me about a year to ask my friend his thoughts about it and apparently he was close to losing it too."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtzut0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">TigerGuitarist</a></p>Til the Very End
<p>"A friend of mine who was always late to work died after an epileptic fit. The undertakers and vicar got delayed and he was late to his own funeral and it was the most fitting and hilarious moment and he'd have loved it."</p><p>"But obviously you can't burst out laughing when the staff at a funeral tell you that he's not there yet."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtpoko?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Miraclefish</a></p>Corpse Slapped
<p>"I was in a cadaver lab for an anatomy class, and that week we were learning hip and upper leg muscles. My group were at the table and one of the guys proceeded to roll the cadaver leg over, from looking at the hamstring to study the quads."</p><p>"We didn't realise that the leg belonged to a male until its manhood slapped him straight on the back of his hand."</p><p>"Entire group was breathing super hard trying not to laugh and appear disrespectful in the eyes of the tutors, but I honestly reckon the guy would've been laughing with us."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjttrul?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">code1520</a></p>Taking It in Stride
<p>"Paramedic here, watched a drunk falling down a bunch of stairs."</p><p>"He then just screamed at his friend to get him a new beer because he dropped his. Nearly pissed myself."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtn6y8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Sir_f***_off</a></p>She Knows Not What She Doesn't Know
<p>"Just two nights ago my picky daughter was telling us that she didn't like meat loaf, no way, no how."</p><p>"Then she described a Japanese hamburger steak that she wanted to make: hamburger, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, soy sauce, etc."</p><p>"When she was done, I said that she described the exact thing sitting on her plate, and she got really mad. Laughing only made her madder. Couldn't stop laughing though."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtqbvz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">GooberMcNutly</a></p>Nothing Else to Say
<p>"I was watching hunger games in theaters and the Rue death scene caused a reaction from the person behind me that left me laughing so hard I thought the people who didn't hear her would think I was a horrible person."</p><p>"Right when the spear hits her I heard this 'O DAMN' from behind me like the most stereotypical dumb reaction gif sound effect of a dude getting kicked in the nads."</p><p>"It clashed with the scene so much and was the only time the person ever spoke it just cracked me up"</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtsk7v?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">nightbrother42</a></p>Committed Revenge
<p>"Helping a Grade 2 class (~8 year olds) and one of the kids was just so loud. He was running around the class when one of the girls held out her arm and clotheslined him."</p><p>"I was able to keep a straight face for that but she kneeled down and yelled, 'Boom!' at him."</p><p>"He started crying, they both got a detention, and I almost bit through my tongue."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtq3xu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">asolitarycandle</a></p>Growing Into It
<p>"My step Dad was an Italian from Manhattan. He had the classic Italian mobster accent. We all live in Minnesota, born and raised. So his accent was definitely different from what we're used to."</p><p>"My brother loved to playfully make fun of him by imitating him by saying classic Italian mobster exclamations along with the hand mannerisms. Stepdad was a laid back guy and found it funny and the banter between those two was very light hearted."</p><p>"So, one day, we were having a small get together at our house with my mom, stepdad, my brother and a few friends. We were all hanging out outside when my 4 year old daughter excited started saying 'Uncle Pauly, Uncle Pauly! Watch this!'"</p><p>"As everyone watched, she went over to a piece of dog poop, pointed at it by shaking her open palmed hands, and exclaimed in the most perfect Italian Mobster accent 'What the f*** is thiiiis?!' She even did the head bob perfectly."</p><p>"We all stifled laughter."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l0i8mb/whats_the_funniest_thing_youve_seen_someone_do/gjtpug3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Spookyredd</a></p>Working with dogs is a field like few others. Though a job at a veterinary clinic, animal shelter, or training class may have its moments of tragedy and frustration, the unique hilarity that dogs bring is a real treat.
Quite the Bone
<p>"A client of mine has a Doberman girl that once got stuck in a doorway because she was carrying a long bone and couldn't figure out on her own how to proceed."</p><p>"Ever since that incident, this dog won't walk through any door no matter how wide as long as she's got anything in her muzzle, be it a bone or a tiny little cracker."</p><p>"She is sweet, but really dull."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9pntj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Kleene_Dilljurke</a></p>Unobservant and Phobic
<p>"I work with dogs professionally but the dumbest one I ever met was one of mine. He was a very large Great Dane who somehow developed a fear of hardwood floors."</p><p>"The worst part is he would walk through a hallway or room without realizing it was hardwood, and then as soon as he realized it he would sit himself down and refuse to move anywhere."</p><p>"I miss the idiot"</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj962la?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Galacticheartofgold</a></p>Give Them an Inch...
<p>"I volunteered for an organisation training guide dogs for blind people. One of the dogs graduated training and was assigned to a blind young lady. It costs €40,000 to get the dog trained to this point. Dog successfully guides her to work every day safely with no problems."</p><p>"Then it's pissing rain one day so her dad asks her to collect her and the dog and drop them to the office. The next day the dog just refuses to work and literally never worked a day again for her."</p><p>"I think it just didn't see the point when she could get in the car if she wanted!! "</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9qnn3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">whatever_the_f***_</a></p>Bruce the Golden Sniffer
<p>"Bruce. A big old bloodhound who, on multiple occasions, would stick his nose right under other dogs while they peed." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9p4wr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">DavidWestSideStory<br></a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"My dog is so submissive that he let a bigger, meaner dog pee all over him while he grinned. If he could talk he would've said, 'Look mom! I made a friend!'" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gjan5zi?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">NeedsMoreTuba</a></p>Trouble With the Back Half
<p>"My boyfriend walks a large Dalmatian who is the most uncoordinated dog I've ever seen. He just can't jump. Has no sense of what his back legs are doing."</p><p>"When my boyfriend comes to pick him up he tries to get into the van by jumping normally with his front legs but fails to follow through with the back, so just stands excitedly leaning on the floor of the van, doing frantic tippy-taps with his back feet on the ground outside."</p><p>"And he's a big dog, he could step right in without even jumping."</p><p>"No amount of showing him by actually moving his limbs has made it click for him, so he does his partial jump then one of us hoists his butt end in too."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9zw9h?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Semele5183</a></p>Howling at Herself
<p>"Used to volunteer at a Human Society and I remember this one dog who was terrified of shadows."</p><p>"The kicker? This was an akita/husky mix so every time she saw a shadow she would howl loudly till the shadow went away."</p><p>"Last I knew she got adopted by a farmer and was happily chasing cows."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9pf8c?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">WaYaADisi1</a></p>A Paradoxical Reaction
<p>"I used to work at a shelter, so I guess this counts. One of our dogs had excitement-induced narcolepsy (called cataplexy). So, he'd fall asleep whenever he was too happy. Playing with other dog? Fall asleep. It snowed? Fall asleep. Get people food? Fall asleep."</p><p>"We adopted him."</p><p>"In a home, we figured out he was afraid of doorways. This doof would turn around and walk backwards through doorways instead because that was less scary."</p><p>"He was also no fan of hardwood floors or ceiling fans. Solid 50lb of staffy, biggest coward ever."</p><p>"He was the best dog."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9vdtw?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">foolhardywaffle</a></p>Crossing Wires
<p>"Was walking a golden lab and this poor dog smelled something interesting. Decided to pee on it and lifted his leg."</p><p>"Mid pee decided to smell it again and ended up peeing on his own face. Dog was something else."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9qcew?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">ARKITIZE_ME_CAPTAIN</a></p>A Quick and Relentless Wagging
<p>"My mom's pit/lab mix is dumb. He has a crazy long tail and it wags at like 35 mph."</p><p>"The other day he was wagging his tail and it was smacking the edge of the fridge. It hurt, he whined. Instead of moving or holding his tail still he just stood there whacking it against the fridge and whining."</p><p>"I finally moved him away from the fridge and he sat and licked it for a while. He's a good boi, but he ain't bright."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gj9jf81?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">J_DayDay</a></p>Baby Steps
<p>"My sister's dog was dumb. One day I decided to teach it to sit on command, the way I had taught a couple of other dogs. So, every time I brought him in from the backyard I'd get a treat from on top of the refrigerator and go through training."</p><p>"It took much longer than I thought it would, but eventually the dog would sit on command."</p><p>"Then I discovered it only knew what 'sit' meant when he was facing the refrigerator. So, more training, Every time I brought him in, I'd have him face a new direction until he made the connection and would sit on command."</p><p>"Then I discovered he only knew how to do it in the kitchen."</p><p>"A dumb, dumb dog."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kx9rll/people_who_work_with_dogs_professionally_who_was/gjamg6g?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">suddenly_satire</a></p>People Break Down The Worst Examples Of A TV Show Dumping A Major Cast Member And Trying To Continue
We're all aware television shows are fake and, heck, even the ones pretending to be real have a certain level of fabrication permeating throughout. That's not why we watch, though, we watch because we want to be invested into believing in a show's characters and their journeys. So when a character is mysteriously removed from a show with zero explanation it can leave a bad taste in our mouths that never goes away.
Not Gone, Just Reborn
<p>Top Gear</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmtbm7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">SleazyP_317</a></p><p>Came here to say this. Top Geat BBC is nothing w/o Jezza, Crash and Mr. Slowly.</p><p>I watched a few episodes of the reboot and its a total joke.</p><p>On the other hand i bought amazon prime because of Grand Tour.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn0amm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">InfraredDiarrhea</a></p>No More Troy & Abed In The Morning
<p>Community</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmpsib?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">DystopianTruth</a></p><p>It definitely lost some of its charm without Troy, but Hickey, Elroy, and Frankie were decent. It was still a good show without Troy, just not as good.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmxss8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">emueller5251</a></p>Fired For Good Cause
<p>Criminal Minds comes to mind for me. Thomas Gibson definitely deserved to be fired, but once he was gone the show felt completely different. They should have stopped there instead of trying another season.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmmzxg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">PaladiinDM<br></a></p><p>To be fair, they pulled it off once before, when Mandy Patinkin left. Hotch was very much the solid center of the group, after that though, and they never really found someone to fill that role. I love Prentiss, but she doesn't fill that void, and Rossi wouldn't really do either. They would need to find someone that had chemistry with the other characters but still had the darkness that Hotch brought.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn2yso?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">Irishpanda1971</a></p>How Does Your Family Work?
<p>Dukes of Hazzard for one season tried to replace Bo and Luke with two other Duke cousins.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmvpsh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">heelspider</a></p><p>The Coy and Vance situation made the whole Duke family tree even more suspicious. Bo, Luke, Daisy, Coy and Vance all called each other cousin, and called Jesse "uncle". None of them were siblings. Were these all just random children that Jesse "found" and raised? Did Jesse have 5 siblings who each had a child that they were unwilling/unable to care for? Did they all leave their kids with Jesse because a moonshine runner was considered the most respectable? There probably aren't too many social workers in Hazard County, but someone really needs to look into this.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn0a18?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">thalanos42</a></p>Yeeeeeah!
<p>CSI after Grissom left was never the same</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjnzt40?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">gk101991</a></p><p>I thought Liev Schreiber's short guest-stint standing in for William Petersen was good, but Grissom was kind of integral.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjotz3j?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">Reciprocity2209</a></p>A Magical Missing Sister! Of Course!
<p>So what always hit me as funny was in the TV Show Charmed.</p><p>Basically the entire concept was about three sisters being the chosen triad that together could do amazing magic.</p><p>After a couple seasons all three of them were on the floor "Dying" and it cut off.</p><p>Next season apparently two of the sisters had been saved, the but the last one had died off screen and the entire thing was skipped over. "You saved me, X saved Y, but that left Z to die!"</p><p>But how can a show that's entirely about the power of three sisters being the chosen ones continue with one of them gone? Easy, they find a long lost sister and activate her magic!</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjnpe9b?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">ericbomb</a></p>Steve?
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwNjI5NS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDQ4MzYzOH0.REXjY78pt4sWn-5qE7H59G_cUJUX9DrTJz0Zx1qzNV8/img.gif?width=980" id="46946" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="028c340e3ef77df21e78dbbd493921e8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="480" data-height="362" />confused homer simpson GIFGiphy<p>Blues Clues</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn5dl1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">SonicFanBOI0655</a></p><p>As a child I remember being very confused and not realizing right away it was a different person.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjncf6a?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">CardWitch</a></p>I Want To Believe
<p>The X-Files after David Duchovny left.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmutr1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">KungFu-omega-warrior</a></p><p>Something was missing when Mulder was gone. Scully and Mulder dealing with the monster of the week type episodes were the best.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn2b0h?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">adumberscully</a></p>It's A Teaching Hospital...Get It?
<p>Scrubs final season was so bad that even Dr Cox couldn't save it.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmuvku?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">TheGodDamnLobo</a></p><p>It was meant to be a spinof series but wasn't allowed to be branded as such.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjn5df9?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">Shirley_Schmidthoe</a></p>We ALL Hate Randy
<p>That '70s Show</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmso47?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">dottmatrix</a></p><p>We all hate Randy</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmvc4h?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">BelichickRockneGOATS</a></p><p>Randy embodies everything people hate about late series main cast replacements. He's a buff pretty boy, unlike Eric, but is still marketed as being a sensitive, nerdy guy, which is what made up a big part of Eric's appeal. He bonds with Red like Eric never could, he immediately takes Eric's place as Donna's love interest and is shunted into the main group without pretense and with little defined character. He's basically Poochie, from the Simpsons, but unironically.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjnus5r?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">AReluctantEssayist</a></p>Perhaps The Biggest Of All
<p>The Office comes to mind, though I enjoy the later seasons too.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjms8wv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">FievelWentWest</a></p><p>This is the one for me. I'm fine with folks enjoying the last few seasons (and I guarantee there's post-Carrell episodes I enjoy as well) but by and large, it lost a lot of its magic without him. That said, I imagine some key writers departing were also responsible for the tonal shift (where some characters turned into the cartoon versions of themselves while others were seemingly reinvented on the fly).</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjncumm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">rake2204</a></p>Yeesh...
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUwNTY3NC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTMwNjYzNX0.s1tW_kEDJV64A1lU1gf94wpoDz7SUUgCNrE9Szbo71g/img.gif?width=980" id="0c390" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="46c41116ca2fcc11d28d18d9bb333548" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="320" data-height="240" />nervous the simpsons GIFGiphy<p>John Ritter, from 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter.</p><p>The main character died in the beginning of the second season*. It's a family sit-com, but I remember liking it. And it was starting to build a bit of a following when it happened.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjmvns7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">ConneryFTW</a></p><p>John Ritter. Died from aortic dissection. So sad.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kzbj5p/whats_the_most_egregious_example_of_a_tv_show/gjndilh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">werdzishard</a></p>Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay |
There's something quite wonderful about finding a loophole and taking advantage of it... especially when you're broke. (Trust me, it could mean the difference between surviving and well, not.)
When I was really poor, for example, I used to go to a Burger King to get cheap burgers with what little money I had. The food was filling and helped tide me over. I eventually found a glitch on the app that allowed me to add two extra burgers to my order. Trust me, it saved me on my worst days. (As you can imagine, I am really sick of fast food now that I'm much more financially stable.)
After Redditor Thym3Travr asked the online community, "What loophole did you exploit mercilessly?" people shared their stories.