The Big Bang Theory

Armenian references

Season 1, Episode 14

The Nerdvana Annihilation
08:45

Penny: ... Second of all, the door to the stairwell of the other building was locked, so I had to go down the fire escape, which ends on the third floor, forcing me to crawl through the window of a lovely Armenian family, who insisted I stay for lunch.

Leonard: That doesn't sound too bad.

Penny: It was eight courses of lamb, and they tried to fix me up with their son.

Leonard: I'm sorry.

Season 2, Episode 10

This episode is entitled, "The Vartabedian Conundrum"

During the episode Leonard tells his girlfriend that the neighbors in the building are very close and very casual after she asks why Penny just walked in in the morning in her underwear.

As an example he mentions he sometimes wanders to the 3rd floor in the morning to have cereal with Mrs. Vartabedian.

Sheldon, hearing this, says he's never been invited to have cereal with Mrs. Vartabedian.

Leonard replies that that's because Mrs. Vartabedian doesn't like him.

A few moments later, after the conversation has moved on, Sheldon asks what he could have done to offend Mrs. Vartabedian.

Season 5, Episode 19

Sheldon skips Amy's aunt's birthday party he had promised to go to for a gaming weekend. Amy complains to Penny that the last birthday party her former boyfriend couldn't go, so her relatives would ask if Sheldon is real or is he like Armen the miniature horse breeder. Penny asks, "who's Armen the miniature horse breeder?". Amy replies, "the pretend boyfriend I made up to get my family off my back. That unraveled quickly when they asked how'd you two meet?". Penny says, "I'd have thought at a miniature horse show", and Amy replies, "That's good. I panicked and said Woodstock".

Later, Amy confronts Sheldon and says, "And if you don't start treating me better, I'm leaving you for a miniature horse breeder named Armen". Sheldon asks "Armen who?" and she says "Armen.... damnit" as she can't think of an answer.

Season 7, Episode 8

The Itchy Brain Simulation
Near the end of the episode

References to the very recently deceased Armenian video shop owner (Nerses Manoukian) who Leonard needs to find the family of to return a rented DVD of "Super Mario Bros, the Movie" to in order to make Sheldon happy.

Leonard says he spent all afternoon at the Armenian Church where the funeral mass was held [in order to look for relatives to return the DVD to], which according to Father Sovakian(?), nobody attended. Leonard then says "luckily his trip wasn't a complete waste, I lit a candle and prayed for your death, but I'm not Armenian so it won't work!"

Sheldon suggests Leonard "look for long-lost relatives, either in Armenia or Lebanon". Leonard doesn't want to go to Lebanon to return Super Mario Bros., the Movie. Sheldon suggests it might be fun, since he loves hummus.

It then turns out that Sheldon paid for the unreturned DVD 7 years earlier, and was just teaching Leonard a lesson.

Season 12, Episode 14

At the Altadena Planning Office's desk on zoning, the city employee tells Howard and Bernadette are told that the form they need to fill out is available in Armenian, followed by a list of other languages.