Allergies on TV

A number of shows have included characters with food (and other) allergies. Even as far back as Happy Days and The Honeymooners, characters were allergic to “spices” (Marion Cunningham) and pickles (Alice Kramden).

Out of some of the shows that have been on TV at our house, here’s a list of some popular characters with their various food allergies …

• Stan Smith (American Dad) - allergic to shellfish, gave his epi-pen to Roger so he could be “The Decider” of his fate.


• Meg Griffin (Family Guy) - allergic to peanuts. She threatened to go to her room and eat a full bowl of them because her family didn’t care about her – they were oblivious.


• Howard Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory) – allergic to peanuts


• Lt. Malcolm Reed (Star Trek: Enterprise) – allergic to bromelain (found in pineapple, which is also his favourite food)


• Dr. Rodney McKay (StarGate: Atlantis) – claims to be allergic to citrus fruit but this may or may not be true, as he is also a hypochondriac.


• Ross Geller (Friends) – allergic to kiwi, lobster and peanuts


• Woody Boyd (Cheers) – allergic to black cardamom spice


• Lily Lebowski & Dr. Mahesh (Crossing Jordan) – chocolate


• Chief M.E. Dr. Garret Macy (Crossing Jordan) – peanuts


• Carlos Solis (Desperate Housewives) – eggs


• Lewis Kiniski (The Drew Carey Show) – strawberries & fish


• Jill Taylor (Home Improvement) – lobster


• Nina van Horne (Just Shoot Me) – peanut dip (her lips swell), and bananas


• Colonel Potter (M*A*S*H) – tomato juice


• Adrian Monk (Monk) – tomatoes


• Trudy Monk (Monk’s deceased wife) – fish


• Bart Simpson (The Simpsons) – butterscotch, imitation butterscotch (“and glow-in-the-dark makeup”)


• Kenny Becket (South Park) – peanuts


• Nikki Faber (Spin City) – shrimp


• Michael Kelso (That 70s Show) – eggs

And some characters’ allergies from kids’ shows …

• Binky Barnes (Arthur) – allergic to peanuts. An entire episode – Binky Goes Nuts – was dedicated to this.


• Timmy (Fairly OddParents) – allergic to oranges


• Dr. Jagu (the movie Space Chimps) – allergic to peanuts, briefly mentioned when his co-worker offers a Snickers bar.

What other ones do you know of?