David Van Driessen

"They say great art is difficult to understand but easy to enjoy."
— Mr. Van Driessen

"Mmkay?"
— Van Driessen's catchphrase

David Van Driessen is a major character in Beavis and Butt-Head. He is Beavis and Butt-Head's hippie teacher at Highland High School, often trying to reach out to them, to no avail. He is voiced by Mike Judge.

Personality[]

A kind, peace-loving pacifist, and unlike the other staff at Highland High (and other characters in the series, to another extent), Mr. Van Driessen is very lenient and he expresses eternal optimism in Beavis and Butt-Head's potential, consistently forgiving them for their misbehavior, no matter how fatal it is to him. While he occasionally reprimands the duo for their actions, he rarely punishes them or loses his temper. The episode "Cleaning House" shows one of his only instances of pure anger at the duo after they destroy his beloved 8-track collection by washing it in the sink. A song from the book This Book Sucks, "The Ballad of Beavis and Butt-Head," hints that he is actually frustrated with the duo, being haunted by their laughter, and considers changing jobs to sell menswear in a mall to get away from them. In "Graduation Sucks", during the mock graduation, even he has trouble coming up with positive qualities for the duo, and coldly hands them their diplomas as to imply that he doesn't think so optimistically of them after all.

Van Driessen usually expresses his disapproval with the duo's inattention and crude humor, often coupled with a mild lecture, urging the boys to "be more open to life's experiences" and to be less crude and more sensitive towards women. Needless to say, they don't listen. The duo don't respect Van Driessen very much, and laugh at him for being a hippie. However, on very rare occasions, they do show him a modicum of respect (though one time under the influence of something), and have called him cool once. Van Driessen has suffered several injuries in the series, such as falling out of the bus window and into a gorge (then being swung into an ambulance and a police car when being lifted by an air ambulance), being mauled by a bear, getting trampled by his terrified students during a bomb threat, falling off his desk and breaking his neck (as well as the chalkboard collapsing on top of him), and being attacked by a swarm of wasps; he has recovered from all of these.

Van Driessen also encourages his students to get in touch with their feelings and to "wow" him with their creativity towards their assignments. He believes in non-violent methods, co-operation, and expressing one's feelings. As a result, he and Coach Buzzcut, the brutal gym/health teacher, clash in their methods of dealing with Beavis and Butt-Head and their students. Van Driessen has once threatened to send Buzzcut in to deal with his rowdy class, implying that he relies on him for major discipline.

Van Driessen is perhaps the only character on the show (besides Stewart and Cassandra) who actually likes the duo for who they are. He is not violent, although he sticks up for Beavis and Butt-Head when they are threatened by others, like when he attacks Mr. Manners after the boys falsely accuse him of assaulting and threatening them (though it's a mere slap fight). He also expresses sadness (while the other teachers feel relief and joy) at the news of the duo's "death" in "Beavis and Butt-Head Are Dead". Despite this, there was the aforementioned 8-track collection incident, and he is notably one of the characters praying to God against the duo in "It's a Miserable Life", expressing his fear of them potentially breeding.

In addition to being a teacher, the episode "Blackout!" shows Van Driessen to be a Highland Civil Defense volunteer.

In the 2022 revival, he is shown to still be working as a teacher at Highland High, mainly as a science teacher. It is unknown how he initially reacted to seeing the duo again when they were presumed dead for 24 years, let alone not having aged a day. This is especially notable considering he was the only teacher heartbroken when they were previously supposed dead back in the original series finale. He seems to show more exasperation for their antics than he did in the first 8 seasons.

Physical appearance[]

Mr. Van Driessen's appearance in the original series.

Van Driessen has long reddish-blond hair, upward-arching eyebrows, glasses, and a neatly trimmed beard. He has prominent forehead wrinkles and an overbite that's not as bad as Butt-Head's, but noticeable.

His outfit for most of the original series consists of a purple T-shirt with a yellow peace sign on the front, jeans, and sandals with white socks. In "Peace, Love and Understanding", his first appearance, he wears a tie-dyed t-shirt.

In the 2022 revival, Van Driessen is drawn older, with more wrinkles on his face and throat and darker hair. He now usually sports a baja hoodie/drug rug with a white shirt underneath, along with tan cargo shorts. In "Beekeepers" he wears a purple tank top.

Appearances[]

List of Van Driessen's appearances in the franchise:

Episodes[]

2011 Revival (Season 8)[]

2022 Revival (Season 9-present)[]

Movies[]

Video Games[]

Van Driessen appears in the Beavis and Butt-Head video game to give the duo cryptic hints for finding three of their ticket pieces. He also appears during the game's end credits, playing his guitar for a band of woodland creatures.
Van Driessen appears in Beavis and Butt-Head: Virtual Stupidity, where he plays his guitar at the Veteran's Hall and tells the duo about the sperm whale fundraiser event at the coffee shop, unlocking that place on the map. He later appears there and can be talked to.
Van Driessen appears in Beavis and Butt-Head: Bunghole in One as a playable character and a cutout.
Van Driessen appears in Beavis and Butt-Head Do U, where he takes the class on a field trip to Highland State College; he beckons the duo out of the dean's lecture after they disrupt it, and gives them the sign-off sheet, encouraging them to get the eight sign-offs needed for the party later. He can later be found at the Student Union outside the cafeteria playing his guitar, and can be talked to. He is important for completing many tasks for the sign-offs; the duo have to set up a scam to make him look like a "blind" guitarist so they can get money for the laundromat and vending machine, the former needed to wash the girl's skirt and the latter needed to make Beavis go Cornholio for the long jump. The boys also have to give him the sheet music to "Row Your Boat" for him to play, and broadcast it to trick the music teacher into thinking Beavis was playing it. Once all sign-offs are complete, he appears at the party to give Beavis and Butt-Head their certificates. The duo need to blast music to get him onstage and away from the bleachers so they can escape. While he is playing a song on his guitar, Beavis accidentally knocks him out with a basketball board. He isn't seen again until the post-credits scene at the very end of the game, unharmed and hoping everyone had a positive experience.

Trivia[]

Mike Judge stated that Van Driessen was inspired by a reporter he encountered while playing in a band with Sam Myers.
Van Driessen attended Highland State College before becoming a teacher at Highland High, as mentioned by Dean Longfellow in Do U.
Van Driessen has been shown with various women throughout the series, usually hippies just like him. Each episode he is seen with a woman, the duo humiliate him and/or ruin things for them. Van Driessen's girlfriends (or "lady friends" as he calls them) have been:
- An unnamed woman in "Tired", who resembles Tanya, the gifted class teacher from "Young, Gifted, & Crude". She witnessed David getting crushed by a giant tire Beavis was riding while he was filming a butterfly, leaving her horrified.
- Joan in "Date Watchers", whose date with David at his house was interrupted by the duo stalking them, under the impression that they were going to "do it". When she and David agree to continue the date at her house, the boys end up following them there too.
- Megan in "Time Machine", who was convinced by the duo that David had a grandson and was "lying" to her, causing her to slap him and leave in a huff, ruining his chance at hooking up with her.
- Ellen in "Beekeepers", who was, along with David, attacked by a swarm of angry wasps he accidentally brought home instead of their vegetables they got from the Highland Farmer's Market, while the boys got their box of vegetables.
Van Driessen's appearance, voice and mannerisms would later be used for Gerald Goode from Judge's later-released short-lived series The Goode Family, in a similar vein to Tom Anderson for Hank Hill from Judge's other later-released, long-lived series King of the Hill.
Van Driessen was fired by Principal McVicker in "School Test" for threatening to report him for cheating, with McVicker blaming him for the boys' stupidity. However, due to the events of Do The Universe, Season 8 is considered non-canon.
Van Driessen is a skilled guitarist and singer/songwriter. His songs featured on the show include "Men" and "Touch a mountain." Every time he tries to play a song, however, he is severely injured, or something else bad happens to him. This was a running gag on the show, continued in Beavis and Butt-Head Do America when he sings "Lesbian Seagull" to his students and is then arrested by ATF agents.
In his song "Chopping Wood with My Father" from the book This Book Sucks, Van Driessen reveals that he had a difficult relationship with his conservative father, who was dying from Alzheimer's at the time. He also had a brother named Tom, who died serving in the Gulf War.
Van Driessen appears on the track "Handle with Care" on the 2015 Kid Cudi album Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, in which he encourages Beavis and Butt-Head to take hallucinogens and meditate.
In the Genesis/Mega Drive version of the first game, his shirt is colored teal instead of purple.
In "Are You There God? It's Me, Beavis", Van Driessen mentions being a late bloomer, but before he could say what age he went through puberty, he is interrupted by the rabid skunk getting thrown at the window.
Van Driessen doesn't like to carry money around with him as it makes him feel "materialistic", as mentioned in Do U.
Van Driessen sometimes ends his sentences with "m'kay", like Mr. Mackey from Comedy Central series South Park. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have confirmed this was a tribute to Mr. Van Driessen, whose tendency to say "m'kay" directly inspired Mr. Mackey's now famous catchphrase.
As of now, Van Driessen and Tom Anderson are the only recurring characters to return as major characters in the 2022 revival.

Gallery[]

Sources[]

Protagonists: Beavis / Cornholio / Old · Butt-Head / Old

Recurring Characters: Tom Anderson · Stewart Stevenson · Todd · Burger World Manager (2022) · Mrs. Stevenson · Mr. Stevenson · Lolita and Tanqueray · Maxi-Mart Clerk

Highland High School: David Van Driessen · Daria Morgendorffer · Principal McVicker · Coach Buzzcut · Spanish Teacher · Ms. Tress · School Nurse · Kimberly · Cassandra · Earl · Martin (thin) · Mrs. Dickey · Gina · Dreama · Dean Zunker · Punk Girl · Wilbur · Martin (gifted student) · JD · Glennis · Cody · Audrey · Mrs. Ortiz · Security Guard · Gym Teacher · Tommy · "Spare Me" Girls · Amy Asskowitz · Audrey's Friend · Dick Gaylord · School Psychologist · Ms. Jenkins · Jim the Substitute · Woodshop Teacher · Ryan

Minor Characters: Marcie Anderson · Clark Cobb · Dave · Harry Sachz · Homeless Man · Madame Blavatsky · Redneck Lady · Crazy Farmer · Billy Bob · Slade · Psycho · Principal Brown · President Bill Clinton · Concert Girls · Hamid · Sterculius, the Roman God of Feces · St. Peter · Unnamed Police Officers · Mr. Manners · Frog · Harry Buddisker · Hiro · Mistress Cora Anthrax · Biker Lady · Fork Injury Guy · Peter Small · Killer · Second Killer · Ross and Harlan · Ellen · Keith · Case Worker · Rabid Ron · Lydia · Katya · Hairdresser · McVicker's Family · Beavis' Imaginary Children · Butt-Head's Imaginary Children · Gus Baker · Leroy · Fire · Jesus Christ · Ganesha · Buddha · Zeus · Bill Gates · Bill (Steamroller) · Linda · Joan · Mall Girls · Elevator Chick · Joe Adler · Suspicious Chick · Maya Kanigher · Megan · Old Woman (Couch-Fishing) · Cop (Couch-Fishing) · Cop (Pipe of Doom) · Cop (Screamers) · Mechanic · Slob · Priest · Rabbi · Jasmine · Captain Dick Jackman · Charlie the Angel · Misty Lou · Lucas · Dennis · Female Judge · Screaming Guy · Black Female Cop · Corvair Owner · Jim Baxley · Snake Woman · Urologist · Dr. Fisk · Dr. Leibowitz · Vet Receptionist · Wrong Mr. Anderson · Crystal · Sapphire · Gary · Shawna · Suspicious Chick · Debra Shea · Trish Burbee · Tiffany the Rubber Band Lady · Max Graham · Veterinarian · Victoria's Dad · Ric Aaron Joseph

Movie Characters: Muddy Grimes · Dallas Grimes · ATF Agent Bork · ATF Agent Flemming · FBI Agent Hurly · Old Woman · Motley Crue Roadies · Judge · Serena Ryan · Jim Hartson · Mattison · Empress Beavis · Emperor Butt-Head

Smart Characters: Smart Beavis · Smart Butt-Head · Smart Daria · Smart McVicker · Smart Buzzcut · Smart Van Driessen · Smart Todd · Smart Judge · Smart Mrs. Stevenson

Mentioned Characters: Shirley Beavis · Tom Anderson's Son · Tom Anderson's Father