Burton Guster
Encyclopedia
Burton "Gus" Guster is a fictional character
on the USA Network
television comedy Psych
played by American actor Dulé Hill
. He functions as the straight man
for Shawn Spencer
's antics, and provides sobering advice, steady support, and friendship. Over the course of the show, Gus evolves from nothing more than a conventional, uptight pharmaceutical representative to a strong support system through all Shawn Spencer
's crazy antics. He frequently tries to pass himself off as "fearless"
although in reality the opposite is true, and he is prone to wailing and screaming uncontrollably, and gets offended when Shawn is insensitive to his feelings.
's best friend since childhood, and co-owns the detective agency "Psych" with him, after Shawn was able to forge Gus' name on the lease. Gus tends to be straight-laced and more cautious, although he has been friends with Shawn for long enough that he understands that Shawn cannot be stopped once his mind has been made up. Shawn will often make up silly aliases for Gus while working a case. Gus has stated that he is not used to being introduced by his real name.
Gus is often shown to be academically advanced. As a child, he applied for and was accepted into the Meitner School for gifted students; however, his parents turned down the placement, later telling Gus that it was too far to drive. In middle school, he was involved in spelling bees until 1989, when he lost a competition by accepting covert advice from Shawn on the spelling of "aggiornamento." He continues to follow the American Spelling Bee meticulously, and tapes the yearly championship. He was also voted most likely to succeed in high school and is upset that he has not done more in life. However, after helping Shawn solve a murder, he realizes that he leads a very productive life and he's happy with what he has done.
Gus's parents, Bill and Winnie Guster, are shown to be overly protective of their son and still regard him as a child who needs looking after. They long disapproved of his friendship with Shawn, whom they regarded as a bad influence. After Shawn and Gus solve a murder for which Bill and Winnie had been wrongfully arrested, they mellow towards Shawn and admit that perhaps they do not need to baby Gus so much. (However, immediately after Gus leaves, they offer Shawn cash with a stern order to look after their son.) A brother has been referenced in Gus' blog on the official USA Network website, but has received no mention in the show to date. In the deleted scenes for "Gus' Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy" on the Season 2 DVD, Gus's mom mentions a brother who lives in Connecticut. In the episode "Christmas Joy" Gus' family comes to town for the holidays, including Gus' sister Joy, who shares a mutual attraction with Shawn.
While in Mexico on Spring Break in 1997, Gus met Mira Gaffney and married her on a drunken binge. He broke off the relationship soon afterward, and the two lost contact until 2008, when the marriage was annulled in anticipation of Mira's upcoming wedding. He also has an uncle named "Burton Guster," nicknamed "Burt" for short. His uncle is upset that he goes by the name "Gus" and not "Burton".
Gus has a job in pharmaceutical sales, where he makes $48,000 a year. With his vast knowledge of drugs, he helps solve cases by identifying poisons and other drugs used in crimes. He also tries to gain clients while they are interviewing doctors in a case.
He drives a blue 2002 Toyota Echo hatchback (also known as the Toyota Yaris), which Shawn and Gus (mostly Shawn) call the Psych Mobile or "the Blueberry". The hatchback variant of the Echo, however, was not sold in the United States, but it was sold in Canada. (The fact that the show is shot on location in British Columbia
accounts for this.)
Gus is an assumed Catholic. Although he rarely discusses matters of religion, it is confirmed he believes in demonic possessions, exorcisms, and that the third wiseman was black and named Balthazar. He seems to regularly attend or at least be fairly comfortable with the practice of confession.
Gus has a very refined sense of smell and has nicknamed his nose "the SuperSmeller". He is able to recognize the base component of a perfume by smelling it and can perform the same trick with food. The talent seems to be hereditary, as it has been displayed by both of his parents, and has led to the uncovering of crucial evidence in several cases. He has been shown to have a fear of dead people
, having run away from a scene where a dead person is present on more than one occasion. He is also well-versed in high-tech locks or safes, as demonstrated by his ability to crack an electronic lock on his first try.
Gus was described in the serial killer Mr. Yang's book as "laughing on the outside, crying on the inside. The fastidious wrinkle in the brow of Psych". Yang also wrote that Gus has "skin of pure cocoa velvetiness" and stated she would like to "use that skin to make children's dolls".
Gus is also an experienced tap dance
r, as seen in "Feet Don't Kill Me Now".
(who portrays Shawn) says he feels the partnership has developed into a much more equal one, with Gus taking a larger role in their cases as opposed to constantly being "[dragged] around by the collar against his will". Actor Dulé Hill
says that Gus has become more relaxed as the show has progressed and more capable of standing his ground against Shawn: "I think in the pilot he was more of a receiver, and he gives it back a little bit more now." The change in his clothing is reflective of his more relaxed approach. Whereas early in the series, Gus is often seen wearing a suit and tie, by the second season he is dressing more casually.
In a cross-promotional ad for Monk
featuring several characters from shows on USA, Gus corrects Shawn after he calls Monk, "his sidekick." In the Lee Goldberg
novel Mr. Monk Goes to Germany
, it is mentioned that Gus (although not referred to by name) has met Natalie Teeger
. This is implied when Natalie mentions that the group of detectives' sidekicks she regularly meets with sometimes has other such sidekicks as guests, one of which is mentioned to be a man who is sidekick to a false psychic (a clear allusion to Gus).
In a cross-promotional ad with Royal Pains
, Gus tries to hard-sell Hank Lawson on becoming Hank's pharmaceutical rep in a bathroom to the point of creeping Hank out.
In a cross-promotional ad with White Collar
, he is trying to find out what Neal does for the FBI. After a few questions that are answered by Burke, Neal reveals that he had Gus' wallet, causing Gus not to want to "hang out with you guys anymore".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
television comedy Psych
Psych
Psych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
played by American actor Dulé Hill
Dulé Hill
Karim Dulé Hill is an American actor and tap dancer. He is best known for his roles as personal presidential aide Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series The West Wing, and as pharmaceutical salesman-private detective Burton "Gus" Guster on the USA Network television comedy-drama Psych...
. He functions as the straight man
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
for Shawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer is a fictional character on the American television dramedy Psych played by American actor James Roday. Taking advantage of his eidetic memory, he poses as a psychic and works as a private detective who often consults with the Santa Barbara Police Department...
's antics, and provides sobering advice, steady support, and friendship. Over the course of the show, Gus evolves from nothing more than a conventional, uptight pharmaceutical representative to a strong support system through all Shawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer is a fictional character on the American television dramedy Psych played by American actor James Roday. Taking advantage of his eidetic memory, he poses as a psychic and works as a private detective who often consults with the Santa Barbara Police Department...
's crazy antics. He frequently tries to pass himself off as "fearless"
although in reality the opposite is true, and he is prone to wailing and screaming uncontrollably, and gets offended when Shawn is insensitive to his feelings.
Fictional biography
Gus has been Shawn SpencerShawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer is a fictional character on the American television dramedy Psych played by American actor James Roday. Taking advantage of his eidetic memory, he poses as a psychic and works as a private detective who often consults with the Santa Barbara Police Department...
's best friend since childhood, and co-owns the detective agency "Psych" with him, after Shawn was able to forge Gus' name on the lease. Gus tends to be straight-laced and more cautious, although he has been friends with Shawn for long enough that he understands that Shawn cannot be stopped once his mind has been made up. Shawn will often make up silly aliases for Gus while working a case. Gus has stated that he is not used to being introduced by his real name.
Gus is often shown to be academically advanced. As a child, he applied for and was accepted into the Meitner School for gifted students; however, his parents turned down the placement, later telling Gus that it was too far to drive. In middle school, he was involved in spelling bees until 1989, when he lost a competition by accepting covert advice from Shawn on the spelling of "aggiornamento." He continues to follow the American Spelling Bee meticulously, and tapes the yearly championship. He was also voted most likely to succeed in high school and is upset that he has not done more in life. However, after helping Shawn solve a murder, he realizes that he leads a very productive life and he's happy with what he has done.
Gus's parents, Bill and Winnie Guster, are shown to be overly protective of their son and still regard him as a child who needs looking after. They long disapproved of his friendship with Shawn, whom they regarded as a bad influence. After Shawn and Gus solve a murder for which Bill and Winnie had been wrongfully arrested, they mellow towards Shawn and admit that perhaps they do not need to baby Gus so much. (However, immediately after Gus leaves, they offer Shawn cash with a stern order to look after their son.) A brother has been referenced in Gus' blog on the official USA Network website, but has received no mention in the show to date. In the deleted scenes for "Gus' Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy" on the Season 2 DVD, Gus's mom mentions a brother who lives in Connecticut. In the episode "Christmas Joy" Gus' family comes to town for the holidays, including Gus' sister Joy, who shares a mutual attraction with Shawn.
While in Mexico on Spring Break in 1997, Gus met Mira Gaffney and married her on a drunken binge. He broke off the relationship soon afterward, and the two lost contact until 2008, when the marriage was annulled in anticipation of Mira's upcoming wedding. He also has an uncle named "Burton Guster," nicknamed "Burt" for short. His uncle is upset that he goes by the name "Gus" and not "Burton".
Gus has a job in pharmaceutical sales, where he makes $48,000 a year. With his vast knowledge of drugs, he helps solve cases by identifying poisons and other drugs used in crimes. He also tries to gain clients while they are interviewing doctors in a case.
He drives a blue 2002 Toyota Echo hatchback (also known as the Toyota Yaris), which Shawn and Gus (mostly Shawn) call the Psych Mobile or "the Blueberry". The hatchback variant of the Echo, however, was not sold in the United States, but it was sold in Canada. (The fact that the show is shot on location in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
accounts for this.)
Gus is an assumed Catholic. Although he rarely discusses matters of religion, it is confirmed he believes in demonic possessions, exorcisms, and that the third wiseman was black and named Balthazar. He seems to regularly attend or at least be fairly comfortable with the practice of confession.
Gus has a very refined sense of smell and has nicknamed his nose "the SuperSmeller". He is able to recognize the base component of a perfume by smelling it and can perform the same trick with food. The talent seems to be hereditary, as it has been displayed by both of his parents, and has led to the uncovering of crucial evidence in several cases. He has been shown to have a fear of dead people
Necrophobia
Necrophobia is the abnormal fear of dead things as well as things associated with death . Necrophobia is derived from Greek nekros for "corpse" and -phob- from the Greek phobos for "fear".With all types of emotions, obsession with death becomes evident in both fascination and...
, having run away from a scene where a dead person is present on more than one occasion. He is also well-versed in high-tech locks or safes, as demonstrated by his ability to crack an electronic lock on his first try.
Gus was described in the serial killer Mr. Yang's book as "laughing on the outside, crying on the inside. The fastidious wrinkle in the brow of Psych". Yang also wrote that Gus has "skin of pure cocoa velvetiness" and stated she would like to "use that skin to make children's dolls".
Gus is also an experienced tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
r, as seen in "Feet Don't Kill Me Now".
Characterization
Although early in the series Gus is reluctant to get involved in Shawn's capers, James RodayJames Roday
James Roday is an American actor and screenwriter. He currently stars on the USA Network series Psych as hyper-observant consultant detective and fake psychic Shawn Spencer.-Personal life:...
(who portrays Shawn) says he feels the partnership has developed into a much more equal one, with Gus taking a larger role in their cases as opposed to constantly being "[dragged] around by the collar against his will". Actor Dulé Hill
Dulé Hill
Karim Dulé Hill is an American actor and tap dancer. He is best known for his roles as personal presidential aide Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series The West Wing, and as pharmaceutical salesman-private detective Burton "Gus" Guster on the USA Network television comedy-drama Psych...
says that Gus has become more relaxed as the show has progressed and more capable of standing his ground against Shawn: "I think in the pilot he was more of a receiver, and he gives it back a little bit more now." The change in his clothing is reflective of his more relaxed approach. Whereas early in the series, Gus is often seen wearing a suit and tie, by the second season he is dressing more casually.
In a cross-promotional ad for Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
featuring several characters from shows on USA, Gus corrects Shawn after he calls Monk, "his sidekick." In the Lee Goldberg
Lee Goldberg
Lee Goldberg is an American author, screenwriter and producer, known for his work on several different TV crime series, including Diagnosis: Murder, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Hunter, Spenser: For Hire, Martial Law, She-Wolf of London, SeaQuest, 1-800-Missing, The Glades and Monk...
novel Mr. Monk Goes to Germany
Mr. Monk Goes to Germany
Mr. Monk Goes to Germany is the sixth novel by Lee Goldberg to be based on the television series Monk. It was published on July 1, 2008.-Plot summary:...
, it is mentioned that Gus (although not referred to by name) has met Natalie Teeger
Natalie Teeger
Natalie J. Teeger is a fictional character on the American crime drama Monk. She becomes Adrian Monk's personal assistant midway through the third season of the show...
. This is implied when Natalie mentions that the group of detectives' sidekicks she regularly meets with sometimes has other such sidekicks as guests, one of which is mentioned to be a man who is sidekick to a false psychic (a clear allusion to Gus).
In a cross-promotional ad with Royal Pains
Royal Pains
Royal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...
, Gus tries to hard-sell Hank Lawson on becoming Hank's pharmaceutical rep in a bathroom to the point of creeping Hank out.
In a cross-promotional ad with White Collar
White Collar (TV series)
White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
, he is trying to find out what Neal does for the FBI. After a few questions that are answered by Burke, Neal reveals that he had Gus' wallet, causing Gus not to want to "hang out with you guys anymore".