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Is Tobias gay?

Is Tobias gay?
Appearances: Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four

A recurring joke on Arrested Development is Tobias' more-than-likely homosexuality. In Season Four Tobias is shocked to learn the family assumes he is gay based solely on the way he acts and the words he chooses. He decides to address the issue but ends up further down the rabbit hole — as a convicted child predator.

Below are the instances of him displaying homosexual traits.

Freudian moments[]

Season One[]

1x03 Bringing Up Buster (39)

Tobias in "Bringing Up Buster"

1x06 Visiting Ours (36)

Tobias in "Visiting Ours"

1x09 Storming the Castle (69)

As a member of Whips-and-Snaps Barbershop Quartet in "Storming the Castle"

1x17 Justice is Blind (25)

Tobias in "Justice Is Blind"

1x19 Best Man for the Gob (04)

Tobias in "Best Man for the Gob"

1x22 Let 'Em Eat Cake (40)

Tobias in "Let 'Em Eat Cake"

  • Tobias befriends some local gay actors at a protest and decides to become an actor. ("Pilot")
  • Before Tobias tells Lindsay that he wants to be an actor, she guesses that he is going to tell her that he is gay. His response: "No. No. No, I’m not... I’m not gay. No. Lindsay, how many times must we have this... No. I want to be an actor." ("Pilot")
  • He is very quick to assume George Michael is gay. Later, Maeby tells George Michael that her father "thinks everyone's gay." ("Bringing Up Buster")
  • He confuses gender repetitively when talking about Steve Holt, ending with "For the love of God, she's playing a woman." ("Bringing Up Buster")
  • When coaching the kids to act out the romance in a more mature way, he reminds them that they are playing adults with fully-formed libidos, not "two young men playing grab-ass in the shower." ("Bringing Up Buster")
  • Tobias nearly kisses Phil Gunty in counseling. ("Visiting Ours")
  • When buying a leather outfit to seem "cool" to Maeby, he accidentally and happily purchases a "Leather Daddy" outfit. He later visits the Gothic Asshole instead of the Gothic Castle where he makes friends. ("Storming the Castle")
  • When Jessie says "There are very few intelligent, attractive and straight men in this town" Tobias responds "Well, that certainly leaves me out!" Following this, he attempts to save face by claiming he heard her say "single". ("Public Relations")
  • Tobias compares himself to Jada Pinkett-Smith. ("Public Relations")
  • Maeby refers to Tobias' friendship with Carl Weathers as a "big boy crush". ("Marta Complex")
  • When Tobias attempts to explain the birds and the bees to George Michael, he uses the phrase "when a man needs to prove to a woman that he's actually..." before cutting himself off. He also states that an erection comes "with deep, deep concentration and-and great focus," ("Beef Consommé")
  • When asked "say something to scare me" by Tobias, Lindsay responds with "[bleep] me." ("Staff Infection")
  • Tobias refers to prison as a "men’s penal colony." ("Staff Infection")
  • Referencing his catlike agility Tobias claims that during his adolescence "I always ended up on all fours." ("Justice Is Blind")
  • Little Justice dubs Tobias "Dorothy" and calls himself a "friend of Dorothy." Both terms refer to homosexuals. ("Missing Kitty")
  • Tobias tells George Sr. he wants to talk “man on man,” instead of saying "man to man." ("Missing Kitty")
  • While alone on stage Tobias says he feels "a bit like a Mary without a Peter and a Paul." ("Best Man for the Gob")
  • Tobias wears a woman’s coat while in a frigid office. ("Best Man for the Gob")
  • Lindsay confesses to Michael that she and Tobias had only had sex once in the past year, and Tobias "just lied there". ("Whistler's Mother")​​​​
  • When Lindsay starts dancing on top of Tobias in bed, he points to the acting book he is reading titled Acting: Like a Man and states, "I'm trying to grow." Lindsay replies that that is clearly not going to happen. ("Whistler's Mother")​​​​
  • Tobias tells Michael that he would not get in bed with Sofia Coppola but would get in bed with Robert Redford, and that he would not just "lie there" like he does with Lindsay. ("Whistler's Mother")​​​​
  • Watching the girls from Girls With Low Self-Esteem tape, Michael asks Tobias, “Is this what you want?”referring to Maeby potentially appearing on the tape. However, Tobias responds that he is not interested in the girls, before adding that he would not want it for Maeby, either. ("Not Without My Daughter")
  • He refers to getting a job as a security guard as "butch." ("Not Without My Daughter")
  • Tobias has replaced all the gender-related pronouns in The Man Inside Me reading with the masculine form only, including the "her" that refers to Lindsay in the dedication. ("Let 'Em Eat Cake")​​​​
  • Tobias is oblivious to the fact that his book appeals only to the gay community. ("Let 'Em Eat Cake")​​​​
  • Tobias frequently walks around in the gay area of Newport Beach. ("Let 'Em Eat Cake")​​​​


Season Two[]

2x01 The One Where Michael Leaves (044)

Tobias in "The One Where Michael Leaves"

2x06 Afternoon Delight (52)

Tobias says "I got blown" in "Afternoon Delight"

2x08 Queen for a Day (29)

Tobias and Buster at the Tobias is Queen Mary in "Queen for a Day"

2x08 Queen for a Day (54)

The Tobias is Queen Mary from "Queen for a Day"

2x08 Queen for a Day (63)

Tobias and the Hot Cops in "Queen for a Day"

2x10 Ready, Aim, Marry Me (61)

Tobias in "Ready, Aim, Marry Me"

2x10 Ready, Aim, Marry Me (66)

Tobias in "Ready, Aim, Marry Me"

2x11 Out on a Limb (56)

Tobias in "Out on a Limb"

2x14 The Immaculate Election (73)

Tobias crossdresses as Mrs. Featherbottom in "The Immaculate Election"

2x15 Sword of Destiny (28)

Tobias in "Sword of Destiny"

2x18 Righteous Brothers (31)

Tobias flashes Michael in "Righteous Brothers"

  • Tobias "accidentally" sets off Lucille's rape horn just before Michael mentions that Lindsay thinks he's a homosexual. ("The One Where Michael Leaves")
  • Tobias says it's "nice to be back in a queen," referring to sharing a queen bed with his wife. ("The One Where Michael Leaves")
  • Tobias says, "No, I'm afraid I just 'blue' myself." ("The One Where Michael Leaves")
  • When Lindsay walks in on Tobias in the bedroom, he is seen practicing her EZ Keglin Kegel exercise tape. ("The One Where Michael Leaves")
  • Lindsay says, "I wonder how many women [Tobias] has slept with, if any," hinting that Tobias has not slept with any women in his life. ("Sad Sack")
  • Tobias, deaf from Lucille's rape horn, says "I got blown, so I can't sleep.". ("Afternoon Delight")
  • When Buster comes to the house because he's on furlough and everyone is out dancing with their girl, Tobias mentions "My schedule is as open as my relationship with my wife. So why don't we pair up?" ("Queen for a Day")
  • In the same scene Tobias mentions that he could be Buster's wingman and continues to say, "Even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up." ("Queen for a Day")
  • Tobias brings Buster to a drag bar saying "This place is exactly what I'd hoped for." ("Queen for a Day")
  • Tobias was dancing with "what turned out to be" the Queen Mary's owner at the club. In his defense he says "Oh, he really, really did look like a woman." ("Queen for a Day")
  • The sign on the Queen Mary is changed to "Tobias is Queen Mary" after Tobias assumes ownership. This is a mistake as it should read "Tobias's Queen Mary", although instead of seeing this as the error, he mentions that it's not too bad, and he could just paint over "Mary." The sign would then read "Tobias is Queen." ("Queen for a Day")
  • Tobias says to Michael "I need to prove to [Lindsay] that I'm not just a man, but a man's man." ("Burning Love")
  • Tobias says "Oh, that is quite a basket you’ve got there, Michael." Michael seems worried by this, until he realizes that Tobias is referring to the gift basket on the table. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias makes one of his most innuendo-filled lines when he says "I’m afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so now I’m afraid I have something of a mess on my hands." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias immediately assumes that Michael is taking him to the romantic getaway, then goes on to suggest that he will share a horseback ride with Michael, and the two will dip each other in body chocolate. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias comments on Michael setting up him and Lindsay on a romantic getaway, telling him that he's "quite the cupid," saying "I tell you, you can zing your arrow into my buttocks any time." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias ignores Michael's comments on his poor phrasing of words, and offers him a lick of butterscotch. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Maeby tells Michael that Tobias wanted to "thank him for the romantic getaway," and that he "left, dressed all westerny." She tells him to leave her out of that, immediately making the homosexual connection in her mind. Unfortunately, Michael says "I screwed my brother-in-law" (referring to how he's taking advantage of him), which only furthers Maeby's suspicions. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias mentions that Jeff, the horse-worker at the Four Seas hotel, doubts Lindsay is coming. Michael reveals that Lindsay is not coming, so Tobias ends up taking the horseback ride with Michael. Later, Tobias says "Well, you certainly didn’t help my reputation as a ladies man with Jeff. But we’ll clear all that up in the spa when I get my facial." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • To make the horse go faster, Tobias slaps Michael's buttocks rather than the horse's. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias offers Michael body chocolate, which he also did to two total strangers earlier in the episode, regardless of the fact that one of them was male. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Michael mentions that he used the word "afraid" in the Jacuzzi, to which Tobias replies "And I apologize for that. I thought it was a pool toy." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • Tobias refers to Stan Sitwell as "Miss." ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • When Tobias listens to his tape recordings, he can't see what's wrong with the line "even it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up," which was also used in "Queen for a Day". The next recording is "Oh, I’ve been in the film business for a while, but I just can’t seem to get one in the can," where Tobias merely says it's out of context. The last recording is simply "I wouldn’t mind kissing that man between the cheeks," which can simply not be interpreted in any other way. However, Tobias misses this too, and calls himself a "blowhard," adding even more to the innuendo. ("Ready, Aim, Marry Me")
  • When agreeing to break into Maggie's house, he says that he and Lindsay will be like (Spencer) Tracey and (Kathrine) Hepburn, and then proceeds to imitate Hepburn. ("Out on a Limb")
  • Dave Attell says that if Tobias is straight, then he is sober. ("Motherboy XXX")
  • When George Sr. confronts Tobias in the attic, Tobias licks his hand. ("Motherboy XXX")
  • Tobias cross-dresses as Mrs. Featherbottom. ("The Immaculate Election")
  • When approached by Lindsay trying to save their relationship, Tobias is reading the "Poof" magazine. ("The Immaculate Election")
  • When Maeby meets Mrs. Featherbottom, she calls him Mr. Finger Bottom, and he only corrects her calling him "Mrs." ("The Immaculate Election")
  • He refers to himself as "she" when disguised as Mrs. Featherbottom, telling Maeby, "I'm sure wherever your father is right now, she loves you very, very much." ("The Immaculate Election")
  • The name Tobias makes up for himself is "Felitia Featherbottom," the first name being very similar to the word fellatio. ("The Immaculate Election")
  • When analyzing Michael, he talks of taking off his assistant's skirt and donning a Barbara-Streisand-in-the-Prince-of-Tides-ass-masking therapist pantsuit. ("Sword of Destiny")
  • When reassuring the Bluth Company employees that Michael is in good health, he remarks that his buttocks looked "as fresh and firm as a Georgia peach." ("Sword of Destiny")
  • In the hospital, he speculates about Michael's illness, saying it could be his colon, and he'd want to "get in there and find some answers." ("Sword of Destiny")
  • As Mrs. Featherbottom, he asks if anyone would like a "banger in the mouth," referring to sausages. He then quickly corrects himself, saying that he forgot that he was in the states, where it is referred to as a "sausage in the mouth." ("Meat the Veals")
  • Also as Mrs. Featherbottom, he mentions that he's "stuffing the mushrooms." ("Meat the Veals")
  • Tobias jumps at the chance to film men flashing for Lindsay's Men with Low Self-Esteem video. Buster comments that he just wants to see boys' "Linuses" (penises). ("Spring Breakout")
  • While filming Men with Low Self-Esteem, he yells, "Let's see some bananas and nuts!" ("Spring Breakout")
  • Tobias says that he was "too busy on his knees in front of a toilet" to be working. ("Righteous Brothers")
  • Tobias later says he found a "wonderful circle of men" to get him through an embarrassing incident. ("Righteous Brothers")
  • When Tobias believes he's been replaced, he says to Michael "I see you wasted no time in filling my seat-hole." ("Righteous Brothers")


Season Three[]

3x01 The Cabin Show (47)

"Tobias Swallows" at the Swallows Restaurant in "The Cabin Show"

3x01 The Cabin Show (81)

Tobias and Barry make out in "The Cabin Show"

3x02 For British Eyes Only (46)

Tobias at a wig shop in "For British Eyes Only"

3x02 For British Eyes Only (56)

Tobias wearing a bob wig in "For British Eyes Only"

3x03 Forget-Me-Now (12)

Tobias's Analrapist business card, as seen in "Forget-Me-Now"

3x03 Forget-Me-Now (36)

Tobias dressing as Lucille in "Forget-Me-Now"

3x03 Forget-Me-Now (46)

Tobias wearing Lucille's underwear in "Forget-Me-Now"

3x05 Mr

Tobias in "Mr. F"

3x06 The Ocean Walker (08)

Tobias in "The Ocean Walker"

3x10 Fakin' It (34)

Tobias with Beefcake magazine in "Fakin' It"

3x11 Family Ties (52)

Tobias and "girl Michael" in "Family Ties"

3x12 Exit Strategy (09)

Tobias in "Exit Strategy"

3x13 Development Arrested (53)

Tobias and Michael spoon in "Development Arrested"

3x13 Development Arrested (73)

Tobias, Lindsay, and the Hot Cops in "Development Arrested"

  • Tobias works at Swallows Restauranta family-style restaurant by day and an anything-goes, pan-sexual bazaar by night. ("The Cabin Show")
  • As Tobias approaches Michael in Swallows, he says, "May I interest you in a smoothie or an amyl--Michael!" The word after "amyl" is probably "nitrite," referring to poppers, a popular recreational drug among gay men. ("The Cabin Show")
  • Tobias's nametag has his name followed by that of the restaurant, thus reading "Tobias Swallows," a reference to fellatio. ("The Cabin Show")
  • When talking about his relationship with Kitty, he says "with all the sexual intercourse," as if it were foreign to him. ("The Cabin Show")
  • Tobias refers to himself as a cocktail waitress. ("The Cabin Show")
  • Tobias dresses as Kitty and pays Barry $50 to dress as a Blue Man Group member and make out with him, to make Lindsay jealous. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • Regarding G.O.B.'s illusion (which G.O.B. has described as "a spectacular protest — a protest-acular"), Tobias says "I so very much would like to be in your prostate-icular," as in prostate-tickler. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • Tobias says that he is "buy-curious" (obviously pronounced "bi-curious") while in the costume shop, and he also misses the double meaning of 'TV' while in conversation with the sales clerk. She uses it to refer to transvestites. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • Tobias wears a woman's 'bob' wig mistakenly believing that 'bob' refers to the male name, rather than to the woman's hair style. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • Tobias expresses a wish to "taste those meaty leading man parts in my mouth" during the prep for G.O.B.'s illusion. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • Lupe calls Tobias "Mister Gay." ("For British Eyes Only")
  • The costume beak G.O.B. acquires for his illusion has a prominent wattle that resembles testicles. When Tobias is wearing the beak in the cage, the fake wattle hangs down over his mouth. ("For British Eyes Only")
  • He refers to himself as an "analrapist", a half-analyst, half-therapist (and Buster is more shocked by the word rather than the pronunciation when Tobias tries to correct it). ("Forget-Me-Now")
  • In order to help Buster overcome his inferiority to his mother, Tobias dresses up as her and at one point is seen wearing her bra. ("Forget-Me-Now")
  • Tobias grabs and later slaps Michael's buttocks when Michael arrives at the "Family Love Michael" party. ("Forget-Me-Now")
  • Tobias says that he'll "show them a little T and A." ("Notapusy")
  • Tobias says about Ann, "Within her lies a queen. Let me out that queen." ("Notapusy")
  • When helping Ann with the inner beauty pageant, Tobias tells her "You need to decide whether you want a man or a boy. I know how I'd answer." ("Notapusy")
  • While Tobias is in the gym with Frank, he acts as though he's attracted to him, offering to take him out to dinner, and behaving in a flirtatious manner around him. ("Mr. F")
  • When Frank says "I think we can be more than just gym buddies," Tobias responds with "You’re blowing my mind, Frank." Tobias acts surprised and nervous when Frank reveals that he wants to work with him, with Tobias saying "I’m so glad you went first." ("Mr. F")
  • Tobias says that Frank has the "same size" and "same curly hair" as Michael. However, Michael doesn't have curly hair, and Tobias is clearly pointing to a place lower than Michael's head when he says this, while Michael is off-screen changing his pants. ("Mr. F")
  • Tobias seems to know the location of the moles on Frank's body very well. ("Mr. F")
  • Tobias tests the levels by repeating the phrase "Let Lily lick Lionel's lusty leathers" over and over again. ("Mr. F")
  • Tobias thinks the British are saying he’s a tourist when they call him a “poofter,” which, in reality, is slang for a homosexual. ("The Ocean Walker")
  • Tobias is in a wheelchair, holding a video camera. When Michael asks what he's doing in a wheelchair, Tobias says that it's a dolly to help videotape his nuptials. Michael realizes that Tobias is pointing the camera at his crotch, and tells Tobias that he doesn't need any footage of Michael's "nuptials". ("The Ocean Walker")
  • Tobias wonders why Warden Gentiles is interested in Lucille, saying "The guy runs a prison, he can have any piece of ass he wants." ("Prison Break-In")
  • Tobias refers to the gala as the "gay-la." ("Prison Break-In")
  • Tobias tells George Michael not to "leave your Uncle T-Bag hanging." ("Prison Break-In")
  • Tobias refers to Bob Loblaw as the "best-looking lawyer". ("Making a Stand")
  • As an expression of gratitude, Tobias offers to accompany Bob Loblaw to a shvitz, the Yiddish term for a steam bath. ("Making a Stand")
  • After hearing about Bob Loblaw's law blog, he tells him that "You, sir, are a mouthful!" (The narrator segues by saying, "While Tobias was trying to get his mouth around Bob Loblaw...") ("Making a Stand")
  • When Michael says they lost Bob Loblaw because someone wanted a boyfriend, Tobias says "Don't blame me." ("S.O.B.s")
  • Tobias refers to the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz as the "Steel Man." When Michael corrects him, Lindsay says "He knows," implying that Tobias deliberately said the wrong thing in an effort to appear straight. ("S.O.B.s")
  • Tobias calls George Michael a "Freddie Wilson" who is a member of a fictional Village People-esque band - who were said to be gay. ("S.O.B.s")
  • Tobias sees himself as a 'mother' when Maeby acts out of line. "Lindsay: She should be punished for this. You know, Tobias, if I can become a more traditional mother, then maybe you could start being more of a... Tobias: Non-traditional mother. Yes, you’re right. After all, I am her father." ("S.O.B.s")
  • Tobias is listening to a gay song called "Discipline Daddy." ("S.O.B.s")
  • He is called the "glitter queen" by a casting director. ("S.O.B.s")
  • Tobias wants to wear lipstick and eyeliner when he is preparing his gift bags for casting directors. ("S.O.B.s")
  • When Michael goes over witness list he says "Well, they’ve got one guy who won’t be talking. That is unless there's a hand inside of him." and Tobias replies "Oh, please, Michael. Even then, I wouldn’t say anything." ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • Tobias has a stack of bodybuilding magazines in the secret room and mysteriously disposes of a plastic bag while entering. ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • Tobias' new "friend" is a hunky bodybuilding priest who is protesting for the right for priests to marry. ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • To the question "Are you coming out?", Tobias says he's going to fight to keep his marriage alive (Michael was referring to the secret room but Tobias took it as meaning out of the closet). ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • When referring to a confusion between male and female Tobias says "in the dark it all looks the same." ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • Lindsay suggests leaving the "fruits" (Tobias and Father Ben) with the "vegetables" (comatose patients). ("Fakin' It")​​​​
  • Lucille and George call Tobias a woman, and refer to him as "Nellie", as does the maitre 'd at the hotel bar. ("Family Ties")
  • Tobias mentions being "jacked up on amyl and disco music", two things stereotypically related to homosexual men. ("Family Ties")
  • Tobias asks Michael for a "jaw session." ("Family Ties")
  • Tobias insinuates that he would be willing to date Michael in the future ("Flattered? Yes. Interested? Not tonight."). ("Family Ties")
  • Tobias goes on a date with someone named Michael who is, presumably, a man. ("Family Ties")
  • Upon seeing Michael's "KAYPRO" computer, Tobias comments, "Oh, K-Y Pro, huh?" This is a reference to K-Y Jelly, a lubricant often associated with gay men. ("Family Ties")
  • After Michael says, "I can't stand to hear one more lie out of this family," Tobias enters in the background and says, referring to Lindsey, "There's the woman I'm sexually attracted to", after which Michael says "Okay, but that's the last one". ("Family Ties")
  • Tobias calls sex 'heterosexual intercourse.' Michael corrects him and says that he can just call it intercourse. ("Family Ties")
  • At the meeting with the prosecutor Wayne Jarvis, thinking it's an audition for a CBS TV show, Tobias recites from Magnolia: "A flower in my garden, a mystery in my panties." ("Exit Strategy")
  • Tobias tells Lindsay that she looks "very handso..." before passing out. ("Exit Strategy")
  • Tobias is wearing Maeby's suit, presumably unaware that it is a woman's suit, only made in a woman's size. ("Exit Strategy")
  • Tobias spoons Michael while lying next to him in bed, and does so for a further 20 minutes while deciding to be Events Coordinator. ("Development Arrested")
  • Tobias ponders changing the Hot Cops theme for the party to 'Hot Sailors', and Michael interrupts him when deciding on 'Hot Seamen'. Michael says that he likes 'Hot Sailors' and Tobias enthusiastically concurs. ("Development Arrested")
  • During the speech at the party, Tobias and Lindsay stand separated by the Hot Sailors. ("Development Arrested")
  • When the narrator points out that Michael's crying is "not exactly a turn-on", the camera cuts to Tobias' face, which is visibly disgusted. ("Development Arrested")


Season Four[]

4x03 Indian Takers (13)

Tobias in "A New Start"

4x05 A New Start (17)

Tobias' ANUSTART vanity plate in "A New Start"

4x05 A New Start (33)

For 2,000 rupees, we'd both go down on Matthew McConaughey

  • Tobias sings "It's just a fallacy!" (sounding like, "It's just a phallus, see?") at the harbormaster's lodge. ("A New Start") In fact, as that scene appears in this episode, Netflix captions have Tobias singing "It's justa phallus...see!" The line is "fallacy" when the scene appears in "Indian Takers."
  • Lucille says to Lindsay, regarding Tobias: "At least I was able to turn my queen around." ("Indian Takers")
  • Tobias says: "You look like I feel" and Gob replies: "Gay?" ("A New Start")
  • The narrator says: "And these men he was touching for some reason." ("A New Start")
  • Tobias says "For 2,000 rupees, we'd both go down on Matthew McConaughey" to Michael while talking about India and Rupees. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias's license plate reads ANUSTART, which is supposed to be read as "a new start", but everybody else refers it as "anus tart". ("A New Start")
  • DeBrie starred in 9 episodes of Straightbait in one day, one named "anus tart". Tobias admits to watching the second, fourth, and ninth flicks. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias can remember the Hot Cops names but not Michael's. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias calls Mike the Hot Cop a "hot seaman" (as he nearly did in "Development Arrested") ("A New Start")
  • Tobias is seen wearing a Shémale shirt at the family meeting. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias also says at the meeting "I've got a bit of a stick up my 'bunghole' about what I've now found is a running joke about me." He said that right after being accused of being gay. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias says to DeBrie at the hospital "When I first saw Straightbait, there were two men making love, but I couldn't take my eyes off of you." ("A New Start")
  • When on the street performing with DeBrie as members of the Fantastic Four, a man tells his kid that they are the Ambiguously Gay Duo. Tobias then corrects him saying there is nothing ambiguous about him, and not correcting the gay part. ("A New Start")
  • Tobias says that he is a human flamer. ("A New Start")
  • After tying his bed sheet in a way that resembles Portia de Rossi's wedding dress, Tobias says "I actually like this better." He also says one of his earlier attempts makes him look like "one of those hot guys from Spartacus". ("A New Start")
  • The body pillow on Tobias's bed looks like a large phallus due to its color, positioning and shape. ("A New Start")
  • When Marky tells Lindsay: "I'm the straightest guy you know!" Lindsay replies with:"Why does every man feel like they have to say that to me? ("Red Hairing")
  • After Tobias arrives at Austerity, he notices singer Mark Cherry and asks "How old are you?" When Mark Cherry says "23", Tobias responds "Ah, well within my rights." ("Smashed")
  • Tobias tells Michael: "Just walk away, and we'll lick each other's wounds." ("Smashed")
  • Tobias says: "And maybe I'll do my famous gay character. I don't think you've seen that character." Michael replies: "I think I have." ("Smashed")
  • The signs on the stage of the Fantastic Four play read: "POOF!" "FIST!" "STAB!" "DRILL!" ("Smashed")
  • Tobias says "I just blue myself" again. ("Smashed")
  • Lucille tells Tobais: "That suit looks very hetero on you." ("Queen B.")
  • Lucille tells Tobias that he is as swishy as Ryan Seacrest. ("Queen B.")
  • Tobias says "I have a list of men who could fill every opening you have." ("A New Attitude")

Season Five[]

  • When Tobias and Lucille run away from Austerity Tobias puts on Lucille's clothes. ("Family Leave")
  • Tobias doesn't take off the women necklace. ("Family Leave")
  • Lucille refers to Tobias, before recognizing him, by using the word "fruitcake", a slang to indicate someone gay. ("Family Leave")
  • When Michael gets up to the floor he says "A lot of hands down there" to which Gob responds "They weren't my hands". This sentence is followed by Tobias saying "Oh. Okay. Just some harmless bathhouising amongst brothers, yes?" ("Self-Deportation")
  • Tobias says "I'm going in and out of Michael like a cuckoo clock bird" when he decides to portray him again. ("Everyone Gets Atrophy")
  • Tobias says "We don't need two hands on our hips, pipe up our rectum scolds." ("Everyone Gets Atrophy")
  • Tobias admits nobody was buying as a straight man. ("An Old Start")
  • Tobias says one of his best innuendo sentence when Michael finds him in his son's room: "Not only are you finding me in your son's pants but you're also finding out how the sausage is made." ("An Old Start")
  • While acting Tobias says "And I can't be your father, I'm not a straight man" to Murphybrown. ("An Old Start")
  • Tobias decides to play Tracy Bluth. ("An Old Start")
  • Tobias says to Michael "If could put on my therapist leggings for one second" ("An Old Start")
  • Tobias is trying to explain to Murphybrown who he has to play, in the confusion he says "I am...A girl!" ("An Old Start")
  • When Murphybrown doesn't know who he has to play he asks Tobias "Am I your boyfriend?" ("An Old Start")
  • Tobias says "I know 50 gentlemen who would tuck their last nut to play this part." ("An Old Start")
  • When Tobias is trying to explain Lucille, Gob and Michael who Murphybrown is everyone assumes he's his boyfriend. ("Sinking Feelings")
  • Tobias says to Murphybrown "Let's put a nugget in your mouth." ("Sinking Feelings")
  • When Tobias and Murphybrown are in the desert Tobias says "The desert makes one see what one wants to see". This sentence is followed by him yelling "Is that two-barrel chested strapping men on horseback approaching us?" ("Emotional Baggage")
  • Tobias bows like a woman. ("Emotional Baggage")
  • George Michael assumes Murphybrown is Tobias' boyfriend. ("Emotional Baggage")
  • Tobias says: "Marky Bark from the cuckholding!", making a pun with the word cuckolding. ("Emotional Baggage")
  • Ma Bark asks Tobias "How's your gag reflex?" ("Rom-Traum")
  • Tobias says: "Who knows what makes a guy think he can pass for straight? I mean if he really is gay he can try to hide it, but trust me, it will come out in the most unexpected balls", "Don't hold your balls kids, don't hold your balls on that" and "Roof balls!" Yet he doesn't realize he said balls. ("Unexpected Company")
  • Tobias defines himself as the "sticky white glue" that holds the family together. ("Unexpected Company")
  • Tobias says that he's been jammed with bigger things in tighter spots than the attic. ("Unexpected Company")
  • Tobias is grateful that Gob put "Jeff" in his mouth. ("Taste Makers")

Interviews[]

Portia de Rossi: I can’t imagine that [Tobias] would ever think of himself as anything but this guy who is in an unfortunate marriage to a woman that doesn’t really love him. I don’t think that Tobias would ever think of himself as gay, and that’s what makes it funny. It is a huge credit to the writing and to David [Cross].

 

 Portia De Rossi Interview with Out Magazine

External Links[]

  • ANUSTART fan page based on the anustart running joke
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