Bunny Boiler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bunny Boiler is a pejorative term for an obsessive and dangerous individual, most commonly referring to a jilted lover who is stalking the person who has spurned her or him. The term is normally used for a woman. The phrase derives from the 1987 film Fatal Attraction, about a woman who begins stalking a man who she had a one night stand with.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The phrase derives from a famous scene in the 1987 film Fatal Attraction where a scorned woman (played by Glenn Close), seeking revenge on her ex-lover (played by Michael Douglas), boils his daughter's pet rabbit in a pot.
[edit] Uses in popular culture
[edit] Big Brother (reality television series)
The term has been used regularly in both mainstream media and everyday discourse [1] to describe particular contestants in recent series of the UK version of Big Brother.
The first was Michelle Bass, from the fifth series, who was labelled a 'bunny boiler' for the way she acted towards fellow contestant Stuart. [2]
In the sixth series, Craig Coates attracted the label for the way he was perceived to act towards Anthony Hutton.[3][4] In the seventh series, Lisa Huo was labelled a 'bunny boiler' in response to her relationship with Pete Bennett.[5]
Germaine Greer was even given the title.[6]
Also, in the Australian 2007 series, housemate "TJ" or "Teresa Jane" was given the nickname for her perceived behaviour towards on again, off again boyfriend Bodie.
[edit] Other uses
- 'Bunny Boiler' is also the name of one of the characters on the UK Television show Balls of Steel, played by Thaila Zucchi.
- The scene from the film Fatal Attraction where Glenn Close boils the bunny was parodied in the last episode of the second series of the UK television show Spaced.
- In the South Park episode Chef Aid, Mr. Garrison finds Mr. Twig in a pot being boiled, in the same way as the bunny in Fatal Attraction. The act was done by the recently returned Mr. Hat.
- In the Smallville season four episode "Pariah," Lois Lane says the police are interested in Alicia in a "bunny-boiler" sort of way.
- The Only Fools & Horses Christmas special episode Fatal Extraction is a parody of the film, including a direct take-off of the bunny boiling scene. Instead of a rabbit, however, Del Boy discovers that Uncle Albert is 'boiling his pants again'.
- In UK TV series Skins, season 2, the character Sketch is referred to as a "bunny boiler".
- Calling someone a bunny boiler is relatively popular in public discourse, as evidenced by such vandalism to this page.
