Big Cheese is a minor antagonist in Popeye the Sailor Man, only appearing in the episode "I Yam What I Yam". He is a Native American tribal chief, who leads a team of barbaric "Indians".
Biography[]
In "I Yam What I Yam", Popeye, Olive, and Wimpy went to a deserted island and built a log cabin there. Their cabin was soon swarmed by a tribe of unfriendly locals, who tried to break in. Meanwhile, other natives attacked Popeye for no reason and he fought them all.
Near the end of the episode, the chief of the entire tribe was revealed to be a man named Big Cheese, who awoke after Popeye knocked down the last of his Indians like dominoes. Big Cheese took out a massive club and prepared to clobber Popeye with it but while he was getting ready to swing, Popeye punched him in the belly and knocked him out cold. When Big Cheese landed on the ground, all of his clothes fell off, revealing him to actually be Mahatma Gandhi.
After his defeat, Big Cheese's clothes landed on Popeye, who started wearing his headdress and garbs and claiming his victory, when singing his iconic song.
Appearance[]
Big Cheese is a large framed Native American adult male, who wears a large feathered war bonnet and a cloak that has a target on it. He has a big nose, a thick black unibrow, and always walks around barefoot.
Personality[]
Big Cheese acts like a stereotypical Native American, being barbaric, brutish, and bloodthirsty. He doesn't take too kindly to foreigners coming on his land and he will gladly summon his tribesmen to attack them and even murder them if they come near his island.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Big Cheese is the first one-shot antagonist to appear in the series.
- He is the second overall villain, with the first being Bluto.
- Although his name was never mentioned in dialogue, it is still clear that his name is "Big Cheese" as seen on his headdress.
- The fact that he turned into famous Indian peaceful protester, Mahatma Gandhi is a joke on how the term "Indian" was used as a alternate (if somewhat misleading and depending to some, wrongful) term to Native Americans during the time this episode came out.
- Due to Big Cheese's stereotypical nature, the episode he comes from has been banned from broadcast syndication. However, the uncut episode can still be found intact on DVD.