Robert "
Bob"
Kelso,
M.D.The Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians...
(most commonly referred to as
Bob Kelso,
Bobbo or
Kelso), is a fictional character played by
Ken JenkinsKen Jenkins is an American actor, best known as Dr. Bob Kelso, the curmudgeonly Chief of Medicine on the American comedy Scrubs. He is of Welsh descent....
in the American
comedy-dramaComedy-drama, also called dramedy or seriocomedy, is a style of television, theatre and film in which there is an equal or nearly equal balance of humor and serious content.-Theatre:...
ScrubsScrubs is an American comedy-drama created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced currently by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced dialogue, slapstick, and surreal vignettes presented mostly as the daydreams of the...
.
Profile
Bob Kelso is the chief of medicine for Sacred Heart Hospital for the first seven seasons of scrubs, though he resigns in the episode "
My Dumb Luck"My Dumb Luck" is the 148th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It aired as episode 9 of season 7.- Plot :Dr. Cox is unable to diagnose a recurring patient of two years. He gives J.D. and Turk the patient's urine sample to take to the lab, and they serendipitously diagnose him when they...
". He is portrayed as a cruel, heartless man who consistently prizes the hospital's bottom line and his own personal comfort over the patients' well-being. However, his callous demeanour hides a softer, compassionate side.
Throughout the series, he is at odds with Dr. Perry Cox (
John C. McGinleyJohn Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, and Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon.-Early life:...
), Sacred Heart's Chief Attending Physician who eventually replaces him as Chief of Medicine. Cox calls him "Bobbo" or some other variation, often refers to him as a "pod person" or "
the DevilSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
himself", and even punches him out in the episode "My Dream Job"; the two have occasionally shared moments of understanding and compassion, however, such as when Kelso tells a
depressedMajor depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
Cox that the hospital and Kelso himself needs him.
His wife, Enid, and children are
never seenUnseen characters are never directly observed by the audience but are only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in frequent interaction with the...
on the show, although he frequently comments on his spouse, describing her as morbidly obese, neurotic, and wheelchair bound due to an accident that left her
paralyzedParalysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Paralysis can cause loss of feeling or loss of mobility in the affected area.-Causes:Paralysis is most often caused by damage to the nervous system, especially the spinal cord...
. He has one child by Enid, a son called Harrison, a
gayThe term gay was originally used, until well into the mid-20th century, primarily to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as 1637....
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
fan who wrote a scathing musical about him entitled "Dr. Dad." Kelso also has a secret love child, Trong Tri Kelso, by a
VietnamVietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east...
ese woman he had an affair with during his tour in
VietnamThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
. Although he considers the boy's existence an embarrassment, he still pays for his college education.
Kelso was born in 1942 in
Monroeville, PennsylvaniaMonroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...
, where his family, then named Kelsonovich, settled. His father, also a doctor, endeared himself to his poorer patients by accepting gifts such as food and clothing in lieu of actual payment; he was apparently less generous to his own family, however, having left them on Kelso's own bicycle (an event to which Kelso attributes his irrational hatred of bikes).
Kelso attended medical school at
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States...
.
Kelso was in the
United States Navy SEALsThe United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Forces, commonly known as the Navy SEALs, are the Special Operations Forces of the United States Navy, employed in direct action and special reconnaissance operations...
during the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
. In "
His Story IV"His Story IV" is the 124th episode of the American situation comedy Scrubs. It aired as episode seven of season six on February 1, 2007.-Plot:...
" and "
My Déjà Vu, My Déjà Vu"My Déjà Vu, My Déjà Vu" is the 22nd episode of the fifth season of Scrubs. It first aired May 9, 2006 and is the 115th episode of the series.-Déjà Vu:...
", he reveals that he has a
tattooA tattoo is a marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.Tattooing has been practiced...
of the word "Johnny" on his buttocks ("...he's an old sailor buddy, and if you went through what we did, you'd understand").
He is revealed in "
My Growing Pains"My Growing Pains" is the 144th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It aired as Episode 5 of Season 7 on 29 November 2007.-Plot:When J.D. and Turk take a trip down memory lane to their first prank together while planning another, Dr. Cox tells J.D. that he has to "grow up" due to his new...
" to be 65, which is the hospital's retirement age (in the episode "My Kingdom" the nameplate on Dr. Kelso's portrait shows his birth year as 1947, but this is part of a prank.) The board was actively searching for a replacement, and in "
My Dumb Luck"My Dumb Luck" is the 148th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It aired as episode 9 of season 7.- Plot :Dr. Cox is unable to diagnose a recurring patient of two years. He gives J.D. and Turk the patient's urine sample to take to the lab, and they serendipitously diagnose him when they...
" Kelso's forced retirement by the board due to his age is headed off with the help of the staff. He then decides to retire on his own terms, after reminiscing with Boon, a new intern, outside of the hospital. Amidst his ramblings he reveals that he truly does love the hospital and the people who work there. The discussion reveals that the first person he "killed" (a rite of passage for doctors) was a 19-year-old pregnant girl whom he mis-diagnosed.
In his very last scene, he is seen carrying his portrait on his way out of the hospital and he sincerely thanks Ted, the hospital's lawyer and his personal whipping boy, for his hard work. He takes one last look at the hospital and drives off into the sunset.
Despite no longer working at Sacred Heart, Kelso is still a series regular. Now that Kelso is no longer a hospital
bureaucratBureaucracy is the collective organizational structure, procedures, protocols, and set of regulations in place to manage activity, usually in large organizations and government...
, he reveals himself actually to be a decent human being; he becomes Dr. Cox's confidant, as Cox can't talk to anyone else about how much he hates his new job. Several characters also note how Kelso now enjoys hanging out at the nearby coffee shop. In "
My Comedy ShowMy Comedy Show is the 10th episode of the eighth season of the ABC Studios television series Scrubs, and 160th overall. It was broadcast on February 10, 2009.-Plot:...
," a member of staff impersonates Kelso and mocks him for always being in the coffee shop (and also for his confessed love of prostitutes); Kelso looks displeased at first, then laughs along with everyone else, stating "It's funny because it's true."
In "
My Finale"My Finale" is the season finale for season eight of the American comedy-drama Scrubs. It originally aired as episode 18 of season eight on May 6, 2009.-Plot:...
", Kelso decides to become a part-time doctor again and leave Sacred Heart for good. After stealing his favorite table from Coffeebucks, he gives J.D. a "proper" good-bye (a handshake) and drives off. Several staff members wave good-bye to Kelso from the hospital's windows before he leaves, which J.D. initially mistakes as being for him.
Kelso's compassion
Kelso has a well-hidden compassion for all his patients, his coworkers, and even his employees. He has claimed in the past to be indifferent to the fact that so many people dislike him, but Cox has noted that deep down Kelso doesn't like to be thought of as the most hated person in the hospital.
In "
My Screw Up"My Screw Up" is the 60th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It originally aired as Episode 14 of season three on February 24, 2004.It features Brendan Fraser's final appearance as Ben Sullivan. The character had previously appeared in the first season episodes "My Occurrence" and "My...
", Kelso shows compassion for his wife. When he finds Carla in a supply closet he admits that when his wife is away, the one thing he misses most is the thing he had tried to get rid of (her snoring). "
My Scrubs"My Scrubs" is the 130th episode of the American situation comedy Scrubs. It was broadcast as episode 13 of season 6 on March 15, 2007.-Plot:...
" reveals that Kelso has always known about how patients with no
health insuranceHealth insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies...
have been receiving treatment. This is after he keeps quiet to keep the system running and to benefit a friend, Maggie Kent, who has a foot injury. In "My Best Moment", he gives a man without insurance a free stay at the hospital. He finds the man's eight-year old child to be particularly affable and can't bring himself to doom the boy's father to certain death right before
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
, considering it to be his finest moment in medicine. However, when he gives instructions over the phone to keep the uninsured father in the hospital, the person on the other end is skeptical that it really is Dr. Kelso speaking.
In "
His Story IV"His Story IV" is the 124th episode of the American situation comedy Scrubs. It aired as episode seven of season six on February 1, 2007.-Plot:...
", the admission of Private Brian Dancer, who was wounded in
IraqThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
, sparks political debate with the staff of Sacred Heart, enough that Dancer's health is endangered. In order to unite the hospital once more, Kelso removes the employee discount at the hospital's coffee shop (with the exception of himself), knowing that the only way for the hospital to work together is to have one person they all hate.
In "My Jiggly Ball", Kelso chooses to treat a rich patient at the expense of a poor one, with both having identical symptoms. The poor man dies while the rich man lives, and donates enough money to re-open a pre-natal care program which had to be closed due to budget constraints. However, the decision to allow the poor man to die is shown to affect Kelso to the point that he is visibly saddened when he goes home, though he makes sure to hide this fact from the other employees.
Kelso also has little to no compassion for Ted, the hospital's attorney. He often treats him as a servant, and puts him down constantly. This treatment is even to the point where Kelso forces Ted to come all the way to the hospital to make an announcement on his day off. At the end of season 7 however, he retires, thanking Ted for all he's done.
As of season 8, since Kelso no longer has to worry about the hospital, he is revealed to be a decent human being. He becomes Cox's confidant about how much Cox hates his new job, and even starts a sort of friendship with him. He was also the one to encourage J.D. and Elliott to permanently rekindle their relationship. His new attitude seems to change the employees opinions about him, because when he finally leaves the hospital in "My Finale", the employees of the hospital wave goodbye to him from the windows.