‘The Big Bang Theory’: 3 Things You Probably Never Noticed About Raj Koothrappali
The Big Bang Theory fans know everything there is to know about Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Raj Koothrappali, and Howard Wolowitz. During the show’s 12-season run, a ton of information was released about each character, allowing fans to walk away with an encyclopedia worth of knowledge about the pals. There was so much information that it’s easy to forget some of the smaller details. Did you forget these three facts about Raj?
Raj Koothrappali wore a baseball cap in The Big Bang Theory pilot but never again
Raj wore a baseball cap exactly once during The Big Bang Theory’s 12-season run. The hat was seen in the pilot episode of the series and disappeared without an explanation. The cap, however, wasn’t just any cap. It didn’t promote a baseball team or a comic book brand. The red hat had the number 42 prominently featured in a white circle.
According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the number is the answer to “the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.” The number refers to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a 1979 novel by Douglas Adams that has a massive following in the sci-fi genre. The hat, clearly a strategic costume choice, points to Raj’s love of science fiction.
Raj was shorter than Sheldon Cooper but taller than everyone else in the main friend group
Sheldon Cooper towered above his main pals. At 6’1, he was noticeably taller than Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj. Still, Raj was the second tallest member of the main friend group. At 5’7, he was far from tall, but he was still substantially taller than both Leonard and Howard. Leonard and Howard, at 5’5 and 5’4 respectively, are much shorter than the average American man.
Raj is technically shorter than the average American male by two full inches, but he’s considered above average in height by Indian standards. According to Healthline, the average height of men in India is just shy of 5’5. The average height of men in the United States is 5’9.
Raj was the most well-rounded member of the main friend group
While many The Big Bang Theory fans believe Leonard is the most well-rounded member of the friend group, there is plenty of reasons to think it was actually Raj. Raj loved the same things as his friends. He was a fan of gadgets, gizmos, science, and comic books. Unlike his pals, though, Raj had many interests outside of science and “geek culture.”
Fandom points out that Raj showed an interest in romantic comedies and drama shows like Grey’s Anatomy. Raj also had an interest in cooking, hosting, and luxury services like pedicures and massages. In theory, Raj’s hobbies and preferences made him the most well-rounded out of his friends, even though his social anxiety kept those interests largely hidden.
