The Himbo Renaissance
On the Funny and Dangerous Nature of Aloofness
The turn of the twentieth century ushered in a surge of technical innovation in the Western world, including, but not limited to, the assembly line, gas-motored airplanes, the Theory of Relativity, and the origins of the modern usage of the word “bimbo.” The term entered the American lexicon via immigration in 1900 - it’s evidently a contraction for the word “bambino” meaning a little child or child’s doll in Italian. The naivety and elementary intelligence associated with little children have carried over to the modern meaning of bimbo, which is a derogatory way to describe an attractive but unintelligent and frivolous young woman. Many have come to associate “bimbo” (bimboness?) with the blonde, hyper-feminine, hot pink-clad starlets of the early 2000s, including Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan, who famously graced the cover of a November 2006 New York Post issue alongside the headline “Bimbo summit.” Since then, many young women online have attempted to “reclaim” the term by leaning into vocal fry, tight pink latex, and in some cases, incompetence.
Knowing the meaning behind bimbo is imperative to understanding the meaning of its sibling term: himbo. A composite of “he/him” and “bimbo,” a himbo is - you guessed it - the male equivalent of a bimbo. Himbos have been characterized in popular media as hot, dumb, and often extremely friendly. Gentle giants, “golden retrievers.” The himbo term and trope arose in the public consciousness in the 1980s and 1990s, and was further perpetuated - like “bimbo” - in romantic comedies of the early 2000s. Common examples of himbos in movies and TV shows include sitcom staples like Joey Tribbiani in Friends and Uncle Jesse in Full House. More modern iterations can be found in uber-fictionalized works like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in the Marvel universe, Derek Zoolander in Zoolander (2001), Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), Mr. Peanut Butter in BoJack Horseman (2014-2020), and just about any jock side character in a teen rom-com.
While himbos, like bimbos, have long been associated with media of the early aughts, they are undoubtedly back in 2023 in a big way. We are in the midst of a himbo renaissance if you will. The biggest and most glaring instance is the Ken characters of Barbie (2023), specifically Ryan Gosling’s Ken, whose vanity-obsessed, airheaded, whimsy nature embodies the trope to a tee. One could make a strong argument for the film’s “I’m Just Ken” ballad being a himbo anthem, as it’s ultimately an ode to Ken embracing his simplistic nature. In addition, Emma Seligman’s Bottoms (2023) features an array of himbo-like characters on the film’s fictional football team, including the highly revered quarterback royalty that is Jeff (similar to Ken, he’s just Jeff). I would even go as far as to rope The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Jeremiah Fisher into the himbo ranks, as his conventionally handsome, heart-of-gold qualities lend themselves to a hyper, non-threatening friendliness.
It’s easy to understand why the himbo is a widely celebrated character in the public consciousness. His friendly and empty-headed nature makes him appear harmless. In contrast with the brooding, emo masculinity associated with characters like Edward Cullen and Christian Grey, himbos almost always lighten the mood with their extraversion and positivity. And as opposed to a cocky kind of friendliness, himbos appear to have virtually no ulterior motive, other than to project an unflinching respect to all people, especially women. Similar to a golden retriever, which they’re often likened to, himbos are painted in a loyal light and with a kind of good-intentioned demeanor that makes any kind of sexist slips pass. If there were a real-life camera for the himbo to glance into with a shrug after an “accidental” misogynistic instance, he would most definitely break that fourth wall. And the audience laugh track would play: he’s pretty, he’s dumb, he doesn’t know any better!
Himbos are often my favorite characters in film and television, likely because they give viewers the rare chance to laugh at an onscreen man rather than with him. Women have long been the punchline of various works of media as dumb blondes, crazy ex-girlfriends, awkward male repellents, and much more. This is the case in many male-driven programs, as well as media in which women are the protagonists themselves. In those same movies and TV shows, the men are often the voices of reason; when something unlucky or embarrassing happens to them, their personhood is often left intact in a way that allows viewers to see that they’re not just their neurosis or lack of intellect. We get to laugh at their misgivings as they coolly chuckle themselves. Himbos, on the other hand, possess a silliness that’s unbeknownst to themselves which is undeniably funnier.
Nevertheless, the himbo character has its precarious qualities. It’s interesting that throughout its many iterations, the trope often involves a correlation between stupidity and unwavering respect and loyalty towards women, as if the himbo is too dumb to know how to dominate. And when he disrespects women somehow, the transgression is often brushed off easily because of his good looks and “good intentions.” It’s clear to see how such a character can become romanticized and infantilized. On social media (TikTok in particular), I’ve seen many women flaunt and express desire for a boyfriend who is a self-described “golden retriever”: well-meaning, energetic, family-loving, and too kind for his own good. In essence, a himbo! Being fun-loving, loyal, and goofy are certainly appealing traits for a romantic partner. A he-just-doesn’t-know-any-better quirk? Not so much.
What’s even more attractive than an aloofness that hinders sexism is a commitment to stable values. I think that more recent depictions of himbos - Ken in Barbie (2023) and Jeff in Bottoms (2023) - showcase how easy it is for a man to become indoctrinated into misogynistic lines of thinking when his values aren’t so rock solid. These more complex illustrations demonstrate how frail virtues can easily collapse. While having advanced intelligence can sometimes imply the possession of basic human decency, that’s not always the case. Being respectful and apologetic following a fluky transgression doesn’t require an advanced degree or superior intellectual acumen. Standards should be upheld, even for golden retrievers.
Men’s Health has described a himbo plainly as a “good simple man.” Meaning a himbo should be simple, but also good. While it’s easy to romanticize a man who is too dumb to know better, I’d rather advocate men offscreen who do know better, and choose to act better. The ones whose inaction or indifference isn’t celebrated, but rather whose active decisions to be civil towards all people are considered standard. Save the fourth wall breaks and shoulder shrugs for the onscreen himbos. They’re much funnier there anyway.
For more on a similar topic, check out this great article by on the “loveable misogynist” in sitcoms.
another killer think piece madison!! u never miss <3
It has always bothered me that the writing for Joey’s character had him regress in later seasons. He’s always been himbo-like but it became exaggerated, painting him as a helpless little man child who needs his friends to look after him. What annoys me about it the most is that it completely ignores Joey’s awful treatment of women. Now it has been a while since I’ve seen the show, but from what I remember, Joey’s increasing “himboness” correlated with his desire to form real relationships with women, like with Rachel and Charlie. To me at least, he seemed to become less of a womanizer the more dumb and “innocent” he became, completely disregarding his past behavior. I could be thinking way too much about this though lol!