| “ | If you're children, then be silent! In my opinion, children should be seen and not heard. I'm an adult, so it follows that I should be heard and not seen. | ” |
— Babs to the Baudelaires in the books
|
Babs was the Head of Human Resources at Heimlich Hospital.
Books
She was never seen and communicated through the hospital's intercom system, due to her belief that "adults should be heard and not seen." Conversely, she believes that children should be seen and not heard, as she informs the Baudelaire children. She follows the proverb too literally to the point of absurdity.
Like Captain Sam, Foreman Firstein, and Ms. Tench, it is heavily implied she was later murdered by Count Olaf, or at the least, injured. Count Olaf, as the new Head of Human Resources "Mattathias", claims Babs has resigned from Heimlich Hospital because she decided to pursue a career as a stuntwoman, and has begun throwing herself off buildings immediately.
In Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, Babs writes a letter to Hal instructing him to file a collection of papers in the Baudelaire file. The papers in question are rejected opening lines to The Bad Beginning.
TV series
In the TV series, Babs has a visual presence. The whole aspect about her not wanting to see children is not mentioned, as the Baudelaires sneak past her.
She is held hostage by Count Olaf so he can take control of the hospital and use the intercom system as Mattathias Medicalshool. Her survival is explicit, as she is seen outside the burning building.
Behind the scenes
She is portrayed by Kerri Kenney in the TV series.
Trivia
- Her behavior is an allusion to the singer Barbra Streisand (whose nickname is Babs), who sang on the radio. As a result, few persons knew her face, but her voice became quite famous.
Appearances
- The Hostile Hospital
- Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography
- A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series)
Sources
Gallery
