Plot

Sheldon can't contain his jealousy when Bert wins a grant for his geology research. A distasteful toy built by Howard faces judgement from the gang.

Bert in the Geology Department has just won a prestigious MacArthur grant, and with it $500,000 which need not be used for his research. Everyone around him is happy for him, everyone that is except for Sheldon, who can't feel anything but jealousy. Subsequent events around the grant award just makes Sheldon more and more jealous. One by one, his friends try to get him out of his funk about this issue. But it may be Bert himself who has the answer to Sheldon's problem. Meanwhile, Howard has found a remote control miniature toy he once made of Stephen Hawking. While Howard thinks the toy is hilarious, Bernadette believes it is in poor taste. Because of Bernadette's belief, Howard tries to get validation as to his thought about the issue. He may need it if he has any hope of taking Bernadette up on her dare: to show the toy to Hawking himself.—Huggo

Burt, the Geologist wins a grant and Sheldon can't help but feel jealous. Leonard tells him to vent his frustrations but only ends up hurting himself. And continues to do so when Burt's "greatness" is lorded over him. Howard finds a toy he made of Stephen Hawking and everyone thinks it's in poor taste.—rcs0411@yahoo.com

Bert wins a research grant from his field in geology. Sheldon becomes jealous over Bert's sudden success, his anger soon gets the better of him when Sheldon keeps hurting himself repeatedly. Meanwhile, Howard unveils a toy of Stephen Hawking in his wheelchair but most of Howard's friends find the toy offensive. Stephen Hawking gives Sheldon some uplifting advice about appreciating everything he does.—dawsonpersi

While having lunch, the guys learn that Bert (Brian Posehn), the large geologist friend of Amy's, has won a MacArthur Fellowship for a research paper he wrote worth over $500,000. Sheldon is very jealous and congratulates him with sarcasm.

Climbing the stairs with Amy, Penny and Leonard, Sheldon is still cranky complaining about the bicycle on the stairs and whether people still listen to the radio. Amy had heard Bert on the radio explaining that his research could help indicate if there is life on other planets. Amy suggests that he read Bert's paper especially since she has run out of taffy to keep him quiet.

Bernadette is busy on her computer when Howard comes in and introduces her to remote controlled Stephen Hawking, a toy that Howard had built and had just found in a box. The toy can talk and spin around. Bernadette thinks that it is in bad taste while Howard is just having fun.

While Sheldon is reading Bert's research paper, the other guys are watching his reactions. Penny thinks he looks like her emoticons, while Amy finds his noises the same as the night they had sex. Afterwards Sheldon is even angrier now that he knows that his paper is remarkable. Leonard takes him for a walk to cool down.

Howard shows Raj his Stephen Hawking toy and he finds it offensive. Howard says that he found Stephen Hawking to have a great sense of humor so Bernadette challenges Howard to call him to ask the professor's opinion. Howard is about to do it until Bernie asks if he'll think it was funny that the toy Hawking got caught under the refrigerator.

Walking in the park, Sheldon tells Leonard that he admires him since he doesn't get jealous. Of course, he also thinks that Leonard has done nothing so he shouldn't be jealous of others, which unsurprisingly angers Leonard beyond belief. Sheldon is still angry that someone that studies rocks would better him. He picks up a rock to metaphorically throw away his anger.

Next, Leonard is helping Sheldon back into Apartment 4A as Sheldon complains about his feet. He threw the rock down hitting his foot and then got even angrier and kicked another rock with his other foot. Leonard laughed so hard that he broke a blood vessel in his nose.

As Amy is applying cold packs to his feet, she tells him that being envious is one thing and that he has to end it since he is injuring himself. Leonard wants to note this so that he wants to record it next time. Amy wants him to appreciate the good things in his life. He has love, his health and a roof over his head. Sheldon then knocks Amy that she has the same things and no one is lining up to be her. Penny tries next and tells him to knock it off because his life is fine. Sheldon agrees, which angers Amy that she couldn't do that.

Howard shows his remote control toy to Amy and wants to know if it's a loving tribute to a wonderful man. Or is it in poor taste? Yep. Leonard also finds it in poor taste since it can spin around and do tricks. Barry Kripke loves it and wants to send it into the girl's restroom. Howard now considers his mini-Stephen Hawking to be offensive.

Sheldon limps over to have lunch with the guys. He has a new attitude to worry less about other people and more about himself. Sheldon thinks that Bert deserves any accolades he gets and goes over to congratulate him. Sheldon tells Bert that he read his paper and that his award was well deserved. Bert replies that a lot of people are thinking that lately. Since he won the MacArthur Award, he can nominate others. Since engineers don't get enough respect, he asks Sheldon if Howard is doing anything cool. Sheldon excuses himself, hobbles into the hallway and the cafeteria hears a thud and a scream. Leonard leaves to help him and take some pictures.

Sheldon explains to Amy that he tried to punch a water fountain, slipped on the wet floor and then his head hit the water fountain (she initially thought he headbutted the fountain). Bernadette didn't think that Sheldon was that violent. Leonard tells her to think of him as one of The Three Stooges. Sheldon feels that jealousy is illogical. Raj says that he is jealous of the happy relationships his married friends are in, but isn't too impressed with Amy and Sheldon. Leonard is jealous of how wealthy Raj's family is, something Raj loves to hear. Amy is jealous of how beautiful Penny is. Then she was happy that she cut her hair. Why? No one liked that she had cut it. Penny is frustrated and then lashes out at Howard's dopey haircut. Others think that it's cute. Now Penny hates all the nerds in the room.

Sheldon goes over to the geology department to talk to Bert and finds a bronze plaque on the wall commemorating his MacArthur award. Sheldon goes into Bert's office and explains his situation. Bert always wanted everyone jealous of him. Sheldon realizes that Bert is his enemy and that the enemy of his enemy is his friend. Sheldon is his own worst enemy and now Bert is his friend. Bert now wants to go to see the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" show with him. Then Bert reminds him that Sheldon is smart and has a great girlfriend. Bert was interested in Amy, but since he got the grant, he feels that he can do better.

Back in 4A, the guys learned that Sheldon hurt his hand trying to give Bert a Captain Kirk karate chop. Leonard brings in his laptop so that Sheldon could talk to Professor Hawking to help him feel better. Even Hawking has professional jealousy that he never won a Nobel Prize. Though he has been on "The Simpsons" and "Star Trek". He reminds himself that every scientific advancement is a victory. Sheldon should not waste his time on jealousy since he is so brilliant. It would be easy to replace him with the sitting statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial. Hawking wishes that there was a little motorized version of him, an idea that Sheldon supports. Everyone gasps thinking of Howard's toy.

Finally Sheldon and Bert go see the "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" show together and Sheldon loves it though he doesn't seem to know who she is.

Title reference: Bert's geology research gets more attention than Sheldon's work.