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Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber
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Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber was a recurring comedy sketch on the American television show Saturday Night Live during the late 1970s. The title character was a barber played by comedian Steve Martin, a frequent host of the show. The central gag revolved around Theodoric's insistence on using bloodletting as a solution to any complaint or illness by his customers.
In one memorable episode, Theodoric said:
- "You know, medicine is not an exact science, but we are learning all the time. Why, just fifty years ago, they thought a disease like your daughter's was caused by demonic possession or witchcraft. But nowadays we know that Isabelle is suffering from an imbalance of bodily humors, perhaps caused by a toad or a small dwarf living in her stomach."
This quote captures the essence of the sketch.
Also, during the sketch he would propose profound, innovative ideas that had the potential to change the course of history, but he would ultimately dismiss them, as in:
- "Wait a minute. Perhaps she's right. Perhaps I've been wrong to blindly follow the medical traditions and superstitions of past centuries. Maybe we barbers should test these assumptions analytically, through experimentation and a "scientific method". Maybe this scientific method could be extended to other fields of learning: the natural sciences, art, architecture, navigation. Perhaps I could lead the way to a new age, an age of rebirth, a Renaissance!...Naaaaaahhh!"
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