It's tough not to to be envious or jealous. We all want the best stuff and the closest friends. So when anything or anyone enters the picture that threatens to stand between us and our stuff or our relationships, jealousy can rear its ugly head.
Jealousy is what drives a major plot line in Spinal Tap—the Nigel-David-Jeanine relationship triangle. Both Nigel and Jeanine are jealous of the relationship the other has with David. Nigel and David are childhood friend and have been the core of the band for 17 years. Now this rock and roller wannabe woman who can't even pronounce "Dolby" is taking control of the band's affairs. And monopolizing David's attention.
Nigel and Jeanine both want each other out of the picture. They wind up meddling in various ways, hopeful that they won't have to share David any longer.
Yeah. Because meddling always works out really well.
Questions about Jealousy
- Is Derek jealous of the fact that Nigel and David are always in the spotlight, or is he cool with his place in the band?
- From the first mention of Jeanine, it's clear that Nigel is jealous of what she has with David. Is his jealousy justified? Understandable?
- The entire band seems jealous of Duke Fame, who is experiencing the kind of success Tap did back in the day. Is jealousy just a part of getting older and leaving your prime behind you?
Chew on This
The most jealous person in the entire movie is Marty DiBergi, who only decided to document the lives of the band members because he wishes he had their talent and fame, and wanted to live vicariously through them.
Nigel's so afraid of losing David's attention because he knows he's kind of a strange guy who not everyone could accept.