Dale Gribble
Dale Gribble | |
---|---|
First appearance | Pilot (episode 1.01) |
Portrayed by | Johnny Hardwick |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Exterminator |
Family | Bug Gribble (father), Unnamed Mother, Joseph Gribble son |
Spouse | Nancy Gribble (wife) |
Dale Alvin Gribble (voiced by Johnny Hardwick) is a character in the animated series King of the Hill. He is an exterminator, bounty hunter, chain-smoker, and paranoid believer of almost all conspiracy theories.
Family
He was estranged from his father, Bug Gribble, because he saw Bug kissing his wife, Nancy, on the lips on their wedding day. In truth, Bug only kissed Nancy to hide his homosexuality as he was nearing a kiss with the Filipino caterer when Dale entered the room. Dale did not learn the truth until 20 years later, when he witnessed his father working as a cowboy at a gay rodeo. It was here that father and son reconciled their differences.
Although highly suspicious of the government and of other people, Dale is unaware (although everyone else knows, except for his son Joseph) that his wife Nancy has had an affair with John Redcorn for nearly 15 years, and that Redcorn is the biological father of his son, Joseph Gribble. This is apparently in part to his blinding love for Nancy, his incredible naivete, and the fact that he thinks John Redcorn is gay. Incidentally, whenever Dale makes a comment about being Joseph’s father, John Redcorn will show up.
Lifestyle
He runs his own business, Dale’s Dead-Bug, and drives a white Dodge Caravan called The "Bugabago" (a reference to the Winnebago brand of RVs), with a large, fake, queen ant perched on the roof. The ant, which can be rotated to appear dead (legs up) or alive (legs down), was a group project of Dale and friends/neighbors Hank, Bill and Boomhauer, to help them over the emotional turmoil they shared over the death of actor Hervé Villechaize.
Dale is an accomplished musician, with the electronic keyboard as his principal instrument. His resume includes a stint with the Propaniacs, Big Mountain Fudgecake, and the Dale Gribble Bluegrass Experience.
When the chemicals he used to kill roaches forced Dale to briefly give up his job, he took a position as a corporate hatchet-man and was spectacularly good at firing people, but his action to deal with a roach infestation at that job led him to return to extermination for good. Dale’s favorite TV shows are Sanford and Son and What’s Happening!! He enjoys drinking Alamo Beer with Hank, Bill and Boomhauer. Dale is an avid smoker of Manitoba brand cigarettes, perhaps a parody of Marlboro cigarettes, and also drinks Mountain Dew. In one episode, Dale instructs a boy, who is receiving his kidney, to give his kidney a can of Mountain Dew once a week. He further explains that his kidney likes it ("Dale Be Not Proud"). He also stockpiled barrels of Mountain Dew in preparation for Y2K in the episode "Hillennium".
Perhaps owing to the research he has conducted as a conspiracy theorist, Dale has a thorough knowledge of the workings of the American government, legal system and bureaucracy. He has used this knowledge to assist his friends, both to help Hank with problems related to renewing his driver’s license, and to help John Redcorn with his land claim and lawsuit against the American government. Ironically, Dale's help for Hank in that instance came about after he realized the Warren Commission report was accurate and became obnoxiously patriotic, to the point of painting a huge American flag on Hank's house and trying to turn Hank in to the Department of Homeland Security.
Dale stands 5 feet 10 inches, and can bench press 35 pounds. He shares a birthday with Van Cliburn (July 12).
He often gets caught up in his (often far fetched and extreme) conspiracy theories, which can sometimes cause him to be very selfish or double-cross his supposed friends (particularly Hank), although in the end he usually sees sense and comes to the aid of his friends.
His trademark line is “Sha-sha-sshhaa," usually heard too fast to phonetically understand, and he says it whenever he is impressed with himself carrying out a plan, or when springing a sudden move. He also exclaims “Wingo!” when excited and “That’s a Gribble of an idea!” when someone thinks of a solution to his problems. He's also known for exclaiming "S'go, s'go!" (a combination of "Let's go") when he's excited and wants to leave quickly and "G'h!" when he is startled or learns something that feeds into his paranoid nature.
In the episode "Tankin' it to the Streets", Dale claims to have completed a Russian correspondence course and can speak the language, though his application of this in handling an Abrams M1A1 tank isn't exactly flawless.
Smoking
Dale reveals that he doesn’t know what to do with his hands and is consequently a chain smoker (“Of Mice and Little Green Men”). He once attempted to quit smoking and switched to chewing tobacco, but abandoned the effort when his wife prohibited spitting in their house. Dale also once reacted to a cigarette being taken out of his mouth by screeching “My oral fixation!” (“Torch Song Hillogy”). Dale has been smoking since the 3rd grade (with the same brand). This could be traced back to the fact that in elementary school Dale had social acceptance issues.
According to a high ranking employee of his favorite brand's company, Dale should have died by now. Exactly how or why Dale is still alive after almost thirty-five years of smoking is unknown.
Political Views
Dale's political leanings might be considered Libertarian. He is highly suspicious of all levels of government and ardently defends his Second Amendment rights, once remarking, "Guns don't kill people; the government does." Dale also refuses to pay taxes and does not vote ("The Perils of Polling"). He runs away and sweats a lot when the IRS comes knocking on his door.
Rusty Shackleford
Due to his beliefs, he uses the alias Rusty Shackleford whenever he doesn’t want his real name known, including when ordering pizza. However, Dale inevitably reveals his identity anyway after a few minutes through one act of stupidity or another, such as use the two names interchangeably with the same person.
In the episode, "Peggy’s Gone to Pots," the original owner of Dale's stolen alias paid him a visit, and asked him to sign some paperwork so that Rusty could get on with his life. Apparently, Rusty Shackleford is the name of a third grade classmate of Dale's who Dale thought was dead, but in fact simply moved away. Dale has claimed to have the birth certificate of a child who died in 1953 with the name Rusty Shackleford. It is not known whether this document is real or fake. The neighborhood block charter is the only document he has ever signed with his real name; he refuses to sign any document authorized by a government official. When he speaks, he speaks slowly and hesitates between words, except when excited.
Appearance
This article possibly contains original research. (September 2007) |
Dale looks very much like Mike Judge when he removes his trademark hat and dark glasses. Other than that, his appearance was mostly based on actor Robert Patrick, whom Mike Judge had hoped would sign for the part.
Dale also bears a resemblance to the author William S. Burroughs. Johnny Hardwick has stated in an interview that the voice he uses for the character is essentially a “really lousy” impression of the author [1]. The physical resemblance was taken further in the fifth season episode “The Exterminator” where Dale took a job in an office and was forced to shed his hat and dark glasses and don the type of generic grey suit that was Burroughs’ trademark. Like Dale Gribble, William S. Burroughs worked as an exterminator and had an interest in firearms.
Dale also looks very much like Hunter S. Thompson, with his bald head constantly covered with a hat, always wearing sunglasses, and always pictured with a cigarette. His love of firearms, anti-authoritarian stance, and dubious claims of being “in the know” regarding conspiracies and mercenary operations further the resemblance.
Much like Hank who looks and sounds like Tom Anderson from Beavis and Butt-Head, Dale resembles another character from Beavis and Butt-Head. In some Beavis and Butt-Head episodes, a skinny, bald, smoking man in his underwear wearing sunglasses can be seen. This man is the husband of the trailer park phone sex woman.
Trivia
This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (June 2007) |
- Dale’s last name is a tribute to Mike Gribble, who died of cancer in 1994. Gribble, along with Craig “Spike” Decker, founded the Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation in San Diego. The Festival is considered the birthplace of Beavis and Butt-Head, since Spike and Mike produced Judge’s first two Beavis and Butt-Head shorts.
- There is an inconsistency regarding the appearance of Dale’s father, Bug Gribble. When Bug was seen in a flashback from season one, in the episode “The Order of the Straight Arrow,” he looked almost exactly like Dale, only older and more rugged. This version of Bug was again shown in a flashback in the episode “Now Who’s the Dummy?” When Bug was seen in person when Hank tried to reunite Bug and Dale for Dale renewing his vows with Nancy, Bug was given an overhaul, looking nothing like Dale. However, by this time, Bug had spent many years as an open homosexual.
- The song “Get in Line” by Barenaked Ladies, on the King of the Hill soundtrack is based on Dale. The song’s music video features the band members performing various conspiracies on him.