Iconic Bathroom Scenes in Literature and Pop Culture
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Poop is rarely the topic of polite conversation, but despite this, bathrooms (and especially toilets) have been the scenes of surprisingly iconic movie moments over the years! It’s not all toilet humor either. While this can certainly be the case, other movies manage to make awkward bathroom moments joyful, inspiring, vengeful, and even metaphorical.
Perhaps that’s something to take a cue from in how we talk about bathroom habits and bowel moments in general. That’s certainly what Julia Blohberger and Roos Neeter would like to see, and these yoga teachers and Ayurvedic practitioners have created Good Sh*t to help along the way. This guidebook to all things poop and health helps readers learn what our excrement can reveal about overall health and our bodies. It demystifies and lightens up the tendency to get very shy about something that literally everyone does!
In honor of Good Sh*t, we’ve got some of the best scenes that take place in bathrooms—and these are some good sh*ts too!
Pitch Perfect’s Shower Song
The original Pitch Perfect launched a new wave of a capella groups, Anna Kendrick fans, and the never-ending radio play of “Cups.” It includes a phenomenal shower scene, too. Early on, as Beca sings in the communal showers, Chloe bursts in on her, allowing her excitement at hearing such a fantastic voice completely wash away any social awareness. Most people would find it hard to sing when naked in a shower with a stranger, but to Beca’s credit, she rises to the (awkward) occasion… and without this shower song, the entire first film wouldn’t have happened.
Bridesmaids’ Food Poisoning
The Bridesmaids’ food poisoning/dress shopping scene is seared into the mind of anyone who has watched this instant-classic comedy of friendship. It is the definition of a nightmare scenario: a group of near-strangers, one bathroom, a very expensive dress, and an attack of food poisoning for everyone. Bridesmaids does, impressively enough, manage to toe the line between hilariously crude and unpleasantly crass (although some viewers may feel it went a little too far), but if there’s one way to up the stakes on wedding planning, pooping in the middle of the street in a dress you can’t afford has to be it!
Gretchen’s Gold Hoops (Mean Girls)
Mean Girls is another comedy classic, so much so that it spawned a Broadway musical version, as well as a generation of women who absolutely make “fetch” happen. And while Mean Girls doesn’t do toilet humor, it does have a particularly vital scene in the girls’ bathroom at school, when Gretchen reveals to Cady that she has her own issues with Regina, not least that she can’t even wear hoop earrings! The scene is hilarious and truly shows who Gretchen is, but is also a turning point for the movie as Cady takes over as Queen Bee… a lot for a conversation by the bathroom stalls!
Austin Powers Bathroom Attack
While this scene is definitely one that crosses into pure toilet humor, it’s one that works, and it also plays with the potential for humor in being able to hear stall neighbors in a public bathroom. Here, Austin is in a bathroom stall being attacked by one of Dr. Evil’s henchmen and is trying to find out who Number 2 (his right-hand man) is. Of course, the man in the next stall is understandably concerned by the thumping, splashing, and repeated cries of “Who’s number 2?”
Tyrion’s Crossbow Moment (Game of Thrones)
It may not be the kind of white tiled bathroom, or even public stalls that other iconic pop culture bathroom moments involve, but who can forget the ignominy of Tywin Lannister dying with his pants quite literally down? Tyrion’s crossbow-wielding murder was a highlight of the season as fans cheered for him getting his revenge on a neglectful, cruel, and vicious father. And of course, there were layers of meaning to this scene. Not just the symbolism of being caught unawares, but this as an end for someone who saw himself as so untouchable, so powerful. His tendency to underestimate Tyrion set his character arc up for the next few seasons, and there’s little doubt Tyrion is a fan favorite.
The Worst Toilet in Scotland (Trainspotting)
Finally, one of the most gruesome toilet scenes in film: the moment in Trainspotting where Mark plunges headfirst into the most disgusting toilet in Scotland in order to retrieve a suppository. One of the most impressive things about this scene is that while it would be easy to descend into pure gross out humor, Danny Boyle creates a scene that is somehow lyrical, imaginative, and evocative—with just enough disgust on either side.
What are your favorite bathroom scenes? Tweet us and let us know!
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