Bob’s Burgers Fans Can’t Forgive Season 11 for Killing the Best Running Gag in Animated Sitcom History

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Bob’s Burgers is a truly excellent animated comedy, notable for its consistent jokes, references to popular culture, and surprisingly well-developed characters – something you don’t often see in shows geared towards adults. The show’s recurring jokes are a major part of what makes it special, so when Season 11 unexpectedly ended one of the funniest and most beloved of those jokes, many fans were disappointed.

In Season 11 of Bob’s Burgers, the episode “Mr. Lonely Farts” centers around Gene being left home alone. Uncomfortable with being by himself, Gene tries to reach out to a friend. This episode unexpectedly brought the show’s long-running joke about whether Gene’s friend Ken is real or not to a conclusion.

Who Is Ken in Bob’s Burgers?

We first met Ken way back in the Season 1 episode “Art Crawl” of Bob’s Burgers. While Season 1 isn’t considered the show’s strongest – the humor and voice acting really improved later on – it did successfully introduce us to Gene’s friend, Ken, a 28-year-old with albinism.

In the episode “Art Crawl,” Louise convinces Gene and Tina to create artwork so she can sell it. However, Bob decides to display their paintings in the restaurant as a way to finally take down Gale’s artwork. When Bob looks at one of Gene’s paintings, Gene reveals that the figure in the background is his friend Ken, a freestyle rapper.

The running joke began with Bob questioning if Ken was a real person or just a figment of Gene’s imagination. Gene insisted Ken was real, which bothered Bob, who didn’t want Gene associating with someone his age. From then on, the family would repeatedly dismiss any new details Gene shared about Ken.

As a fan, what I always loved about the running gag with Ken was how the show brilliantly played with ambiguity. They never confirmed whether he was actually a person! Gene would constantly bring up things Ken had supposedly done – and these stories got wilder and funnier as the show went on – but the rest of the family, especially Bob, would just act like Gene was making things up. Gene would always insist Ken was real, which just made the whole thing even better. It was a perfect comedic setup!

When the episode “Mr. Lonely Farts” revealed that Ken was actually a figment of the main character’s imagination, a lot of viewers were let down. It wasn’t that people necessarily wanted Ken to be real, but the ambiguity surrounding him made the running jokes about him much more amusing. Once his imaginary status was confirmed, the humor just wasn’t the same.

“Mr. Lonely Farts” Confirmed Ken the Albino Was Imaginary

In the fourteenth episode, titled “Mr. Lonely Farts,” the focus is on Gene. The episode starts with Linda and Tina going shoe shopping, while Bob needs to pick up some new restaurant supplies he ordered online. Louise and Teddy join Bob, leaving Gene struggling with who he wants to accompany him.

Gene keeps changing his mind about who he wants to hang out with – Bob, Louise, and Teddy. This back-and-forth leads to a misunderstanding where both Bob and Linda assume Gene chose to go with the other one. They both end up leaving, leaving Gene alone at home. Once he realizes this, Gene gets really upset because he hates being by himself.

Okay, so things get really strange for Gene when he’s at his lowest. His best friend, Ken, tries to reach out, but it’s not a normal phone call. Gene actually makes the ringing sound himself, and then uses kitchen tongs to ‘answer’ the phone! It’s a brilliantly weird moment that instantly tells you Ken isn’t actually there – Gene is fully spiraling and having a conversation with someone who’s a figment of his imagination. It’s a simple visual, but incredibly effective in showing just how disconnected from reality he’s becoming.

Throughout the rest of the episode, Gene keeps up a conversation with Ken using kitchen tongs, making him a strong contender for something. He attempts to take his mind off things by snacking on crackers, reading Tina’s diary, and exploring the restaurant’s basement, all while still “talking” to Ken. However, while in the basement, Gene gets accidentally locked in just as Ken ends their conversation.

​​​​​​​This Bob’s Burgers Episode Gives Gene Some Character Development

Although some viewers were disappointed to learn Ken wasn’t a real person, the episode “Mr. Lonely Farts” was still a strong one for Gene’s character. Episodes focused on Gene aren’t always fan favorites, but this installment from Season 11 allowed him to confront his fears, even if it meant saying goodbye to a funny, recurring joke.

After Ken finishes their pretend phone call, Gene is left to entertain himself in the restaurant basement until Bob and Linda get back. This sparks a song where Gene reveals that Ken helps him cope – he’s become a support system, allowing Gene to become more independent.

When Bob and Linda realized Gene hadn’t come with either of them, they immediately began a frantic search, eventually finding him in the basement. Everyone was surprised to find Gene calm and collected after being alone for so long, suggesting he’s becoming more independent.

Ken Is Still Referenced in Bob’s Burgers Episodes After “Mr. Lonely Farts”

Okay, so even though Bob’s Burgers officially revealed Ken wasn’t real in the “Mr. Lonely Farts” episode, it’s hilarious how they still keep bringing him up! I mean, they don’t just drop him after that reveal. He’s been mentioned in episodes all the way through Season 15 – I’ve noticed references even in the newer seasons! It’s a running joke at this point, and I love that they haven’t forgotten about Gene’s imaginary albino friend.

As much as I love the running gag about Ken on Bob’s Burgers, I have to admit it’s lost a little bit of its punch. I remember when the joke first started, it was genuinely mysterious – people were actually wondering if Ken was a real person! There was even speculation about whether we’d see him! Now that the ‘Mr. Lonely Farts’ reveal happened, the jokes are still amusing, but they don’t have that same surprising edge they used to. Knowing the truth about Ken just takes a little bit of the fun out of it, you know?

Loren Bouchard, the creator of Bob’s Burgers, has stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the character Ken isn’t actually real. He mentioned this while discussing an episode where Ken assists Gene, likely referring to “Mr. Lonely Farts.” This makes it highly unlikely the show will alter its established storyline to confirm Ken’s existence, leaving a long-running mystery unresolved.

​​​​​​​Bob’s Burgers Still Has Other Great Running Gags

The running joke about Gene’s friend Ken feels a little different after the episode “Mr. Lonely Farts,” but Bob’s Burgers is great at creating memorable moments. A particularly beloved one is Linda’s habit of telling everyone “Stay out of my room!” – she always says it as she’s leaving, even though it’s the kids who are staying home.

Interestingly, Linda actually says this line in the Season 8 episode, “The Wolf of Wharf Street.” In the episode, Linda takes the kids trick-or-treating because there’s a wolf running around town. Bob is hurt and stays home with Teddy, and as Linda leaves, she tells them to stay out of her room.

The show also features consistently funny running gags, like Louise’s secret love for Boyz4Now’s Boo Boo (which she always denies!), and Bob’s comical chats with things like his kitchen appliances or food. The background gags are great too, and often include some of the show’s cleverest puns.

Bob’s Burgers is a really funny show, and it’s surprisingly consistent with its details, more so than most animated sitcoms. This means that when something happens on the show – even something small – it usually stays that way. Unfortunately, this also confirmed that Ken, the character with albinism, is actually a figment of someone’s imagination.

​​​​​​​Bob’s Burgers Has One Other Character Fans Still Haven’t Seen

Ken, the albino character, has been part of the show since the beginning, though mostly through Gene. Another character viewers haven’t seen much of is Ginger, Linda’s best friend. Ginger and Ken shared a connection, but that changed during the sixth season of Bob’s Burgers.

Similar to Gene’s friend Ken, Linda had often talked about her friend Ginger, but viewers had never actually seen her. That changed in the Season 6 premiere, “Sliding Bobs,” when Ginger finally appeared – though only briefly, and from behind – in a flashback showing how Bob and Linda first met. She doesn’t have any lines in the episode.

It would have been funny if Linda and Gene both had completely unique friends – friends that no one else knew – making you wonder if those friends were even real. This idea works well because Linda and Gene are already very close. Interestingly, a similar character appeared in the Season 12 episode, “Clear and Present Ginger.”

Okay, so Ginger made another quick appearance in this week’s episode! It wasn’t a speaking role, but honestly, just seeing her again is enough to remind me she’s real within the show’s universe. We all know Ken is totally imaginary, but I’m still holding out hope that maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to hear Ginger talk someday! It’s a long shot, but a fan can dream, right?

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2025-11-30 05:43