The true meaning of Ralph...

[Cameron]

Just a small debate question. Offer your opinions. I was talking to Dahl and he mentioned a simpsons quote where Ralph goes "it tastes like burning!" and then another where he says "It tastes like Grandma!" (and wiggum replies "it DOES taste like grandma!"). Dahl finds these amusing because he believes they mean Ralph had previously tasted burning, and as well both Wiggum and Ralph have both tasted grandma. I find them funny because I believe Ralph is saying it tastes like what burning feels like, or what grandma smells like, like it reminds him of grandma. Because grandma probably smokes a lot and therefore tomacco would remind them of her. You know? Or like, if you eat tobasco sauce it burns but might not have flavour so it "tastes like burning."

So what I'm asking (and Dahl too) is what you guys think on the topic. Post feedback here.

[Mazzocchi]

How do they taste Ralph?
*Ralph lay on the ground*
Good?

[cyanide]

I think it's more of the idea of using the senses to describe what he feels. For example, (not me, but I see this occasionally) if somebody takes a piss and he feels something 'burn' he would probably go, "It feels like burning!" So if Ralph ate tobacco or tobasco sauce (it would help to know what he ate or whatever to make him say that - perhaps Andrew could answer that), he would rely on his previous knowledge of his senses to describe that taste. In that case, if he tasted grandma, he probably relied on his sense of smell to describe that taste or even know what she tasted like through a kiss or something rather than actually lick grandma

[Andreas Dahl]

Of course Ralph has, in one way or another, experienced how his grandma tastes for crying out loud, it's just so typical of Ralph. Be it after kissing her hand or going down on her, what do I know; but I do know this: Cam isn't right. Would the Simpsons really miss out on a grand setup like that, just to make out Ralph to be normal by having him relying on his sense of smell to draw a parallel to the taste of tomaco? No, the fact that Ralph (and Wiggum) has experiences how his grandma tastes, is why it's' so damn funny.

And I also feel that Ralph has, at one time or another, put a burning object (perhaps a match or something like that) into his mouth. Why? The same reason he ate an entire jar of glue: Because he's Ralph! that's why.

- Ralphie: Eww...daddy! It tastes like Grandma!
- Wiggum: Hey, you're right. It DOES taste like Grandma!

[Cameron]

And he might say "This glue tastes like sticky!"

Lame I know, but obviously he has never tasted sticky. And I don't think burning yourself tastes like anything.

[cyanide]

Ok, let's say he actually licked grandma, but that doesn't explain "it tastes like burning!"

[Cameron]

I'm going to check back on this thread later... the simpsons is on in 4 minutes.

[hipn]

Ralph isn't bright...just like his dad.

[Andreas Dahl]

Good point there Cam. He did make that line while holding his stomach after he ate some bad berries, so I doubt it reminded him of the taste/smell of burning anything really, so perhaps that particular time he just said burning since he had an experience in the past where he got hurt by fire, and just linked fire with pain. I'll give you that one, but the fact remains, he has tasted his grandma

[Andrew]

I don't think Ralph's comment in "Das Bus" about the berries tasting like burning is meant to be taken literally. He's simply in a lot of pain - obviously a "burning" sensation in his gut - and when Bart aks him how he tastes he confirms what everyone's thinking with a typically nonsensical Ralph line.

On the other hand I think you can interpret the line in "E-I-E-I-D'oh" about "tasting like Grandma" more literally. Some old people have the rather gross habit of kissing family members on the lips, not in a sexual or romantic way but simply as a greeting. Since the Tomacco plant is supposed to taste strongly of tobacco, we can probably assume Grandma Wiggum is a heavy smoker and greets her family with kisses on their lips, thus Ralph likens eating the tomacco to the experience.

[kevC]

With all this perceptiveness we could be analyzing Faulkner or Hardy...

[J@3]

You there, eating the paste