Howard Wolowitz is the hilarious engineer in The Big Bang Theory. As the only person in the group who doesn't have his Ph.D. and is often ridiculed for his short stature, Howard has created thick skin for himself against naysayers and has no problem dishing out insults when hurt. However, due to Howard's defensive personality and former creepiness in his single days, he has gotten himself into quite a bit of trouble with some of his best friends. Even his wife Bernadette isn't safe from Howard's mistakes.
Throughout the course of 12 seasons, we've seen Howard in more predicaments than most and today, we're taking a look at 10 of his mistakes and how viewers can learn from his wrongdoings.
BEING OFFENSIVE TO WOMEN CAN END IN PAIN
Before Howard was with Bernadette, he was single and on the prowl. There isn't anything he wouldn't do or say to get the attention of a lovely lady. However, with beautiful Penny living across the hall from his best friends, Howard tried and tried to get inside Penny's heart but it never worked.
In fact, instead of getting cozy with Penny, she grew tired of his misogynistic behavior and scolded him before later punching him square in the nose. If we can learn anything from this kind of behavior it's to not do it.
IMITATING YOUR FRIENDS WILL END BADLY
It's tough to say if Howard and Sheldon would be friends without the encouragement of Leonard and Raj. The two go back to back with insults and cruel remarks on a daily basis. But in the 12th season, Howard went too far when he dressed as Sheldon for Halloween. He imitated him so well that people couldn't stop laughing, which upset Sheldon. To retaliate, Sheldon and Amy dressed as Howard and Bernadette, which bothered Howard. Does this mean he can dish it but can't take it? Maybe it's best to not imitate our close friends if you don't want to be hurt in return.
SPENDING FRIVOLOUSLY DOESN'T GET YOU FAR
Howard gets excited over new gadgets and memorabilia so when the opportunity came up to create his own miniature figurine, he and Raj spent $5,000 on a machine to make as many 3D dolls as they'd want. The problem is, he was spending money that wasn't necessarily his.
With Bernadette making the most of their income, she was annoyed that he was spending that much money on silly things. He did something similar when he went out and bought a minivan without talking it over with Bernadette. (She ended up loving the van but it's the point that he never discussed these large purchases with her before buying them.)
YOU DON'T NEED TO PUT YOUR JOB IN JEOPARDY TO SHOW OFF TO A LADY
Before Howard married Bernadette, he would do anything to show off to a lady in hopes of them finding him attractive. He wore fake tattoos (and almost got a real tattoo) and even let a woman drive the Mars Rover. Breaking security codes and showing top-secret information in hopes of hooking up is pretty low. He was lucky that NASA couldn't find out what went awry with the Mars Rover or else he'd be jobless and probably in jail. On that note, don't lose your credibility and common sense just to show off to a woman.
FRIENDSHIP IS A GIVE AND TAKE
Among Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj, Raj is Howard's best friend. They're both wildly different and yet they connect on so many levels. Both were single for a long time and relied on one another as companions (which led to many thinking they were in a relationship).
In the 11th season, however, Raj realized that he wasn't getting anything positive out of his friendship with Howard. He was being treated poorly and used whenever Howard was in trouble. This led to an upsetting and long-lasting argument between the two besties.
The message viewers should take away from their quarrel is to never take our friends for granted.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Does Howard like Raj more than his wife? That's what was implied in the seventh season when Amy began working at Caltech, the same university as Sheldon. With the couple now working on the same turf, Amy wondered if working in close quarters would affect their relationship. Howard told Sheldon it was a bad idea and that he would never want to both live and work in the same space as Bernadette. Since Sheldon doesn't understand the sensitivity to this issue, he told the girls what Howard said, which left a bad taste in Bernadette's mouth.
DON'T VIRTUALLY CHEAT ON YOUR GIRLFRIEND
Howard was lucky enough to land a woman like Bernadette; a woman who thought his small stature and tight clothes were sexy. However, Howard's head was still up in the clouds when the two first started dating. He always thought he would end up with someone like Angelina Jolie instead of Bernadette... As if that wasn't bad enough, Bernadette caught Howard virtually cheating on her when he began a physical online relationship with Glissinda the Troll...
AND DON'T TAKE YOUR WIFE FOR GRANTED
Bernadette is always an angel nor does she always treat Howard with the respect that he deserves. However, there are times when Howard totally takes her for granted. With a house to tend to, two children to take care of, and two promising careers, Howard forgets that he's an adult with a family and acts like a child himself at times. When Raj and Stuart were both living with the Wolowitzs', the three men treated their home like a frat house instead of a family home. She put the boys to work, which prompted Howard to step up.
GHOSTING DATES ONLY MAKES YOU LOOK BAD
In "The Relationship Diremption," Howard and Bernadette go on a double date with Raj and his new girlfriend Emily. The moment Howard sees Emily walk through the door, he realizes that he knows her. As it turns out, the two were set up on a blind date years ago and Howard ended up ghosting her after clogging her toilet... The cowardly act ruined Emily's plumbing and she never got her security deposit back. The entire thing ended up embarrassing Howard, giving him a lesson learned.
BE SENSITIVE TO UPTIGHT MOTHERS
To be fair to Howard, he was in a tough position between choosing his mother and his wife. He shouldn't have ever had to choose between two women who love him but both women were severely dependent on him. The problem is, Howard kept choosing his mother over his (then) girlfriend and wanted to live with her instead of advancing his relationship with Bernadette. Even when the two got married, Howard was still afraid to tell his mother that he was going to move in with Bernadette. Being honest with both parties would have agreed with Howard more instead of lying to both women to make both of them happy.